Madrid defeats Unicaja in the final seconds

The Real Madrid continues to be without peace in their recent commitments. After winning two tight finals in the European Supercup and losing another in Dubai, the whites debuted in the ACB with a similarly close result against Unicaja. The victory came in the final seconds, confirming that this Madrid team lives each match on the edge of emotions. It is no coincidence: in these demanding games, Real Madrid has demonstrated greater experience and a capacity for reaction that allows them to come back when everything seemed lost.

A brave Unicaja that was unfortunate in the decisive stretch

The Malaga team arrived at this match with three injuries and tight rotations, but their twelve players displayed a remarkable competitive level. Although they lacked physical power in the paint and the lack of height was evident in the interior positions, Unicaja never lost sight of the game. In fact, for much of the match, especially in the second half, they were superior in many aspects. At halftime, the feeling among the locals was one of confusion after losing a lead that seemed solid. Pedro Martínez's team played poorly for a decisive stretch of three and a half minutes, appearing extremely soft in defense and rebounding, with turnovers that punished their game.

The restart was even better for Unicaja. Magnificent in defense, carefully managing possession and alert to rebounds, the Malaga team knew how to play without a pure center on the court, adapting with Noua as the sole big man. When Real Madrid couldn’t get into gear and continued to miss many shots from the perimeter, the visitors took the opportunity to stretch their lead significantly. With Hernangómez scoring ten points in the third quarter, Unicaja had an eight-point lead midway through the final quarter. Everything indicated that victory would be for Vidorreta's team, but at that moment the white team proved their quality.

The Real Madrid comeback in the final minutes

When the scoreboard read 76-81 with exactly four minutes left, Real Madrid began a definitive transformation. The Malaga team, which had played intelligent and effective basketball for much of the game, began to miss shots with painful clarity. Brazdeikis and Perry took poor shots, while Hernangómez, staying true to his tendency even when playing well, missed two crucial free throws that could have sealed the game. These errors were the turning point.

Campazzo tied the game at 81 with a highly accurate three-pointer. Maledon scored two for 84-81, also drawing a foul. Unicaja tried to respond with a three-point shot from Noua that didn’t go in, and desperation began to show among the locals. But then, in an unexpected twist, Real Madrid committed two silly turnovers that the visitors capitalized on to take a 84-85 lead with just over a minute left. The tension was at its peak.

The details that decided the match

With 41 seconds on the clock, Luwawu-Cabarrot executed a three-pointer that seemed to seal victory for the whites. But Unicaja still had chances. A good pass reached Brazdeikis under the basket, but he was challenged by Campazzo, who caused the Lithuanian to take a terrible shot that he missed. Pradilla made 1 of 2 from the line, and Perry hit 2 of 2 to leave the score at 88-87. Seven seconds remained.

The referee called a foul on Campazzo, who made the first free throw. On the second, he deliberately missed, securing the victory for Real Madrid. It was a conclusion that perfectly summed up what the final quarter had been: a festival of successes for the whites and mistakes for the Malaga team. Out of the 24 points scored by Real Madrid in that final phase, 19 came from Cabarrot, Campazzo, and Maledon. The whites also won the rebounding battle in that quarter 14-8, another crucial detail.

Tactical analysis and individual performance

Unicaja had a praise-worthy performance considering their prior limitations. Their defense was excellent for almost the entire 40 minutes of play, and rebounding was also a strong point. However, shooting from three was a persistent problem throughout the contest: only 1 of 8 in the last period. Hernangómez made a notable contribution, although his free throw performance (6 of 10) was painful at critical moments. With three previous injuries and Alberto Díaz's absence during the match, plus Perry's poor display, Unicaja practically achieved a miracle of competitive performance.

On the Real Madrid side, the highlights came from Maledon, Deck, and Campazzo, who were decisive in moments of great pressure. Abalde also fulfilled his role with defensive work and contributions in play. However, Sarr continues to be lost in his adjustment to the team, something that the whites will need to resolve in upcoming matches. Luwawu-Cabarrot was undoubtedly the most incisive finisher, especially in those last minutes when the team needed scoring.

This debut in the ACB confirms that Real Madrid has exceptional reaction capacity, but also that the matches will not be comfortable. Quality and experience in critical situations are their main assets, and against Unicaja, a team that truly competed despite its limitations, that difference proved decisive in the final seconds of a match that deserved a different ending.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Madrid se impone al Unicaja en los últimos segundos