Tough start for the champs: Real contain Micic and handle Anadolu Efes easily / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: BasketNews.lt/D. Lukšta Credit BasketNews.lt/D. Lukšta

The reigning Turkish Airlines EuroLeague champions, Anadolu Efes Istanbul (0-1), opened their EuroLeague season with an away loss against Real Madrid (1-0) 69-82 (15-32, 20-18, 13-18, 21-14).

Player of the Game EFF 24 Walter Tavares Points 13 Accuracy 6-6 Rebounds 12 Assists 1

Real exploded with an impressive 12-0 run to start the game and dominate the first quarter. Jeffrey Taylor finished the period with a last-second tip-in and gave Real a 17-point lead.

Real stayed in command in the second, with the reigning MVP Vasilije Micic scoring his first points only with one minute left in the first half.

Micic ended up scoring 9 points (1/4 2PT, 2/6 3PT, 1/3 FT) and adding 2 assists, 1 steal, 3 turnovers, and 0 PIR.

The best Efes could do in the second half was cutting Real's advantage to 13 at the start of the third period. Laso's coached team led by as many as 21, finishing the match with a 13-point victory.

Guerschon Yabusele and Thomas Heurtel led Real in scoring with 15 points each. Yabusele (2/4 2PT, 3/5 3PT, 4/4 FT) also added 4 rebounds and 4 assists, while Heurtel (2/3 2PT, 3/5 3PT, 2/2 FT) supplied 4 rebounds and 3 assists.

However, Walter Tavares was the most dominant player, ending with 13 points (6/6 2PT, 1/2 FT), 12 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 blocks, 2 turnovers, and 24 PIR.

"Of course, I am happy! Beating the champs - what else did I expect from tonight's game?" coach Pablo Laso said after the game. "I think we did a great job defensively and offensively in the first half, and then we were able to maintain the difference against a great team. I am very happy."

Shane Larkin was a bright spot for Efes, ending with 21 points (2/2 2PT, 3/6 3PT, 8/9 FT), 6 assists, 4 rebounds, 1 steal, 1 turnover, and 35 PIR.

"I think that we lost the game in the first quarter. Our performance was horrible in the first quarter, so it has been a long time. I have never seen my team have that kind of a first quarter," Efes coach Ergin Ataman said.

"We had 0 assists in the first quarter and 6 turnovers. Finally, in the scouting, I saw it was 47-23 in rebounds. It is like we came to Madrid for touristic travel and Madrid is ready to beat us."

Real: Heurtel 15 (4 REB, 2 AST), Tavares 13 (12 REB), Yabusele 17 (4 AST), Williams-Goss 9, Hanga 8, Llull 7, Abalde 5, Poirier 4, Taylor 4, Causeur 2.

Anadolu Efes: Larkin 21 (6 AST, 4 REB), Petrusev 17, Micic 9, Simon 8, Dunston 4,Moerman 4,Beaubois 3, Singleton 3.

Highlights

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