Olympiacos entered the game very nervously in the first quarter, making several mistakes on offense and showing static play. This allowed Real Madrid Baloncesto to find easy points and build double-digit leads, with Xavier Rathan-Mayes putting in an impressive performance, looking unstoppable in that period.
The Canadian guard finished the first half with 21 points, going 5/6 from 3-point range and 3/4 from 3-point range, while adding four rebounds and two steals in just 15 minutes and 46 seconds of action.
The second five that Georgios Bartzokas put on the floor in the second quarter changed the complexion of the game. Olympiacos generated more energy and, with Evan Fournier leading the offense and Alec Peters providing important solutions, the ‘reds’ upped their performance, improved their percentages and took a +5 lead (44-39). However, the first half ended at 46-44 as Liles continued to score relentlessly.
The game remained a derby into the third quarter, with Real coming back strong and taking advantage of Olympiacos’ nervousness. The Spaniards not only kept in touch, but went on a 10-0 run to pull away with a 60-54 lead, this time with Alberto Abalde taking the baton from Liles behind the 6.75-meter line.
The Piraeus team ended the third quarter facing a serious creative problem, as they had a negative assist-to-turnover ratio with 10 assists and 13 turnovers. At the same time, Real, which had just 5 turnovers, managed to significantly limit Olympiacos’ ball movement and growth, leading 65-61 at the end of the third quarter.
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