Real Madrid narrowly escapes in their debut against Unicaja Malaga

Real Madrid opened the ACB season with a victory that felt more like relief than celebration. Against an Unicaja team that arrived in the capital without fears, the whites needed all their experience to close out a game that was in the hands of the Malaga side for much of the match. The final score of 89-87 reflects the tension of a duel where every possession was decisive.

An erratic start for the white team

The initial moments of the game were complicated for Pedro Martínez's team. Madrid struggled to find rhythm on offense, with long possessions that did not generate clear opportunities. Unicaja, led by Vidorreta, was not intimidated by the stage of the Movistar Arena and implemented a direct style of basketball that worked. At the end of the first quarter, the scoreboard showed parity (23-22), with a Malaga team that had arrived in the capital intending to compete.

Brazdeikis emerged as the offensive reference for the Cajista team in these early moments, countering the efforts of Shulga and Jones from Madrid. The equality remained until halftime, with both teams heading to the locker rooms at 46-47, suggesting a close contest ahead.

Willy Hernangómez dominates the paint

As the game progressed, Willy Hernangómez began to take center stage in Madrid's paint. The white pivot accumulated points and won battles under the boards, although he was constantly whistled by referees for each intervention. His ability to dominate in the paint proved crucial, accumulating 20 points in the match despite the challenges of playing without fouls.

However, the doubts in Madrid were evident. The minutes with Theo Maledon as the playmaker were not the most fluid, and in the third quarter the team was outmatched at key moments. The scoreboard favored Unicaja at one point (74-80), with the visiting team glimpsing the possibility of a historic victory at the Movistar Arena.

A cinematic finish

The last minutes were an exercise in pure tension. Facu Campazzo, with just three minutes remaining, managed to tie the score at 81-81. The tie persisted (84-83) while the crowd at the Movistar Arena was completely engrossed in each play. Luwawu-Cabarrot, who had been practically invisible for most of the match, appeared at the exact moment with a crucial three-pointer that put the score at 87-85.

With 88-87 on the scoreboard, Pedro Martínez had the ball in his hands to close out the game. He did so, with two free throws from Facu Campazzo sealing a hard-fought victory. The final score of 89-87 allowed Madrid to start the season with a dramatic win, although the journey showed that there are aspects to improve.

A day full of surprises in the ACB

Madrid's debut was not the only remarkable result of the first day of Liga Endesa. Río Breogán surprised by defeating the Supercup champion, winning at home with a score of 110-104. The Galicians held strong in their court to start the season with a gold triumph.

In Burgos, Baskonia also struggled against Recoletas Salud San Pablo. Damion Baugh scored the winning basket in a match that the Galbiati team suffered tremendously, closing with a 97-98 that felt like a victory of pride after falling in the first championship of the season.

Casademont Zaragoza made headlines in Tenerife, overcoming the hosts with an 80-81 thanks to Justin Jaworski's decisive shot. The day also featured victories for Bàsquet Girona over UCAM Murcia (88-74), with Jassel Pérez scoring 20 points and Whittaker adding 19 in a match where individual talents made the difference.

Valencia Basket suffered a surprising stumble at home against iLERNA Lleida, who conquered the Roig Arena with a 100-105 in a true test of survival. The ACB opened its season with results that demonstrate the competitiveness of the league, where teams with different ambitions can compete on equal terms.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El Real Madrid se salva de milagro en su debut ante Unicaja de Málaga