Five key questions before Game 2 in Madrid / News - Basketnews.com

As Game 2 in the Real Madrid-Partizan series approaches, BasketNews presents five questions from Game 1 that could make a difference in Thursday's contest.

Credit: Partizan Mozzart Bet/Dragana Stjepanovic, ZUMAPRESS.com/Scanpix, Sonia Canada/Getty Images Credit Partizan Mozzart Bet/Dragana Stjepanovic, ZUMAPRESS.com/Scanpix, Sonia Canada/Getty Images

Not even 48 hours have passed from an incredible Kevin Punter's game-winner against Real Madrid in the EuroLeague playoff series Game 1.

Yet, Thursday brings a new story with Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade aiming to increase their lead in the series, while Real Madrid will try to avoid losing both home games in the EuroLeague playoffs for the first time in club history.

BasketNews invites you to have a look at five key questions before the upcoming Game 2.

1. Will Walter Tavares play?

That's the biggest concern in Real Madrid's camp, and it could be even more painful than the loss in Game 1. As it was confirmed to BasketNews, the 31-year-old will be a game-time decision.

Although Walter Tavares was visibly limping after Tuesday's game, the medical tests didn't show a severe injury.

There's no need to expand on Tavares' importance for Real, but Game 1 was a perfect indication.

Even though Tavares basically played only in the first half, he managed to accumulate 12 points (5/6 2PT, 2/2 FT), 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 20 PIR.

More importantly, he completely contained Mathias Lessort. Before Tavares left with an injury, the French center had 4 points, 2 rebounds, and 8 PIR. He finished the game with 11 points, 3 rebounds, 7 drawn fouls, and 16 PIR.

"Tavares has been the best big [man] in Europe for the last 3-4 years. It's a big challenge for me to play against him," Lessort admitted himself.

2. Will Gabriel Deck be stopped?

That's an inevitable question related to Tavares. When Real Madrid center went down with an injury, it was safe to assume that Partizan life would become much more comfortable.

However, it wasn't the case, and Real even had a 7-point lead in the fourth quarter. The main reason for that was Gabriel Deck.

The Argentinian forward completely took over the game, destroying Partizan's defense in the post while finishing the game with 24 points and making all 8 2-pointers.

Zeljko Obradovic opted not to double Deck, so it will be interesting to see what kind of adjustments will be made.

"We'll need to play harder [against him] than we did last game," Alen Smailagic told BasketNews before Game 2. "We are going to be smarter, be more focused, and do our thing."

3. Which unused reserves could make a splash?

We are talking about players that didn't shine or play to the maximum of their abilities, and from Game 1, Real Madrid have much more ceiling.

Dzanan Musa got into early foul trouble and never found his groove in the game after. Yes, he finished the game with 10 points but also made only 2 of 6 field goals.

In comparison, Musa averaged 18.0 points, 3.5 assists, and 18.5 PIR in the regular season games against Partizan, so there's definitely room for growth.

Mario Hezonja was also far from his best, and he almost didn't play in the second half, clocking in only less than two minutes. It was also a poor shooting night for the Croatian, who finished the game with 8 points on 3 of 9 shooting from the field.

On top of that, Hezonja recorded a plus/minus of -20 – the lowest number by a mile compared with other Real players.

Meanwhile, Sergio Llull didn't even play due to match fitness, but knowing the circumstances, he might return to action and bring his much-needed experience and veteran presence.

Mario HezonjaCredit Sonia Canada/Euroleague Basketball via Getty Images Europe

As for Partizan, the no. 1 candidate is James Nunnally, who had a rather quiet game. The 32-year-old American went on to score only 2 points, adding 2 assists and finishing the game with -3 PIR.

That's his lowest number in the entire season, so we can expect a bounceback from an experienced swingman.

Just like Musa, Alen Smailagic was also dealing with foul trouble. The 22-year-old began the match in the best way possible by making three 3-pointers in the first quarter, keeping Partizan in the game, and forcing Tavares to focus his attention on Partizan's youngster.

Fouls limited Smailagic's playing time to only 11 minutes, but he still managed to score 11 points and register a plus/minus of +13. Only Zach LeDay had a higher number (+14).

"Zeljko put actions for me, and we planned for me to shoot," Smailagic revealed before Game 2. "I just spaced out the floor, and it worked."

So, as Game 2 approaches, both teams have unutilized areas, and when there are such small margins, every additional point or second could be decisive.

4. Will we see Real Madrid's winning mentality?

In the last years, Real Madrid have that aura around themselves that no matter what, they'll reach their end goal or perform at their best when no one expects anything from them.

Just like it was last year when many thought Maccabi could present a serious challenge for Los Blancos. That playoff series ended in a 3-0 sweep, with all games ending in double-digit wins.

Moreover, Real also reached the final against all odds against Barcelona. So, it seems that it's always too early to write off Real until it's not over.

Even in Game 1, there were glimpses of that. After Tavares went down, others stepped in, and it was only the last-second shot that decided the game.

Real still have plenty of champions in their roster, so you could expect a proper reaction in Game 3.

5. Will Alen Smailagic confirm his Nostradamus status?

We end this story with a little bit less serious question. For those who don't know, Smailagic correctly predicted how Game 1 would finish.

Before the series started, Smailagic talked with the Serbian media and was asked what details could decide the game.

"Everyone would like it to be a 3-pointer in the last second, something like that. We'll see," the 22-year-old said on Monday.

We sure did. Kevin Punter made a game-winning 3-pointer, and Smailagic's nickname was quickly changed from Smiley to Nostradamus.

So, an inevitable question for Smailagic was about the ending of Game 2. However, this time he was more mysterious.

"The team told me to keep it inside and leave it as a surprise," Smailagic told BasketNews with a smile on his face.

We'll find out soon whether Smailagic's streak of predictions will continue.

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