Martínez's Madrid seeks to find its identity

The start is not what Madridismo dreamed of. The Euroleague Supercup, won months ago against Dubai and Olympiacos, seems a distant mirage on the calendar. The Real Madrid has yet to find itself on the court, whether in European competition or in the ACB, despite the changes implemented. Patience emerges as the most necessary virtue at this initial stage.

The new white project started with hope. The signings of Pradilla, Luwawu-Cabarrot, and Jantunen adapted from the very first moment, and the general feeling pointed towards the right path. However, overnight doubts erupted forcefully, bringing with them a cascade of adverse results that have called into question the direction of the team.

A ruthless schedule and tight results

Starting the season with three away matches in the Euroleague is never easy. Even less so when the opponents are teams destined to compete in the playoffs. The defeat against Dubai set a troubling precedent: matches decided in the final moments and stretches that drag on indefinitely, leading the team to collapse. This pattern had already been seen in the Supercup.

The narrow victory against Unicaja at the Movistar Arena, after trailing for most of the game, highlights an uncomfortable reality: the team needs to suffer to react. Luwawu-Cabarrot, Theo Maledon, and Mika Jantunen are the few names that have shown consistency in this initial period. The contrast between the new and the conventional is evident, and the transition is progressing more quickly than expected.

Maledon has become the standout figure of the start, gaining weight as the main game generator. His work is supported by elite scorers like Luwawu-Cabarrot and Nick Smith, the recent signing that Pedro Martínez has trusted from day one.

Fragile defense and absent European automatism

With a record of 0-3 in the Euroleague for the first time in the club's history, alarms are sounding. The 274 points conceded in those three matches, an average of 91 per night, reveal concerning defensive cracks. However, the numbers do not tell the whole story.

Players from the G League lack the automatism needed to compete at the European level. Struggling in one-on-one situations and having difficulty securing rebounds are symptoms of incomplete adaptation. Scariolo's Madrid relied on static plays and the individual talent of veterans who have years of winning titles at the Movistar Arena. Pedro Martínez, on the other hand, pursues aggressive basketball, sharp on defense and with quick possessions.

The problem lies in the fact that certain bad habits do not disappear overnight. When offensive fluidity is lacking, everything becomes an uphill battle. The tactical philosophy requires a settling period that the results are not facilitating.

Rotation and accelerated generational change

The rotation will be crucial, a defining characteristic of the former Valencia Basket coach. However, responsibilities have undergone significant changes in recent days. With Maledon assuming the weight of the game and distributing points among the new guards, the veteran backcourt is losing prominence in the rotation. This is something natural in any transition, but it has emerged with surprising speed.

Patience and trust in the process

Pedro Martínez has a very marked style that has revolutionized European basketball. His ambition is clear: to reach the top with Real Madrid. The roster and experience are present to achieve this. Tactical revolutions require time to consolidate, and criticism pours in when results are not forthcoming. Nonetheless, it is impossible to doubt the quality of a legendary coach in Spanish basketball.

Real Madrid enters this season hungry for titles after finishing empty-handed last campaign. They still do not speak the same language, but they are trying to understand each other. It is the beginning of something new and exciting on Calle Goya, an era that demands patience but also results. The upcoming matches will be crucial to gauge whether the project is on the right track or if deeper adjustments are necessary. The transition of the white Madrid has just begun, and although shadows prevail over the lights, there are green shoots suggesting that the team can find its competitive identity.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, El Madrid de Martínez busca encontrar su identidad