Nunn destroys Madrid in extra time with a historic record

The defeat of Real Madrid against Panathinaikos at the Movistar Arena marks a turning point in the season for the whites. With a final score of 112-115 after thirty minutes of overtime, the Madrid team experienced the end of a streak that seemed unstoppable in recent weeks. The Euroleague proved to be a stage where the smallest details can determine large-scale matches, and on this occasion, all of them tilted towards the Greeks.

The indisputable protagonist of the night was Kendrick Nunn, American point guard for Panathinaikos and MVP of the Euroleague in the 2024/25 season. His performance in the final quarter was simply devastating: he scored 23 of his total 33 points during that period, setting a historic record in the European competition that had never been equaled. According to the official report of the Euroleague, confirmed by media outlets like Marca and Mundo Deportivo, there is no precedent for a player scoring so many points in a final quarter of the competition. Nunn finished the game with a rating of 31, reflecting his absolute dominance in the decisive moments.

Madrid fights but succumbs to details

Real Madrid arrived tied at 101 points at the end of regulation time, which forced both teams into overtime that would prove definitive. In that additional period, Nunn's offensive capability was impossible to contain, especially in a context where the whites had to deal with multiple absences in their roster. Andrés Feliz was the top scorer for the Madrid team with 27 points, followed by Alberto Abalde with 23, but their efforts proved insufficient against the Greek point guard's offensive display.

The collective performance of Real Madrid was commendable considering the circumstances. The team showed character and comeback ability during large stretches of the game, especially in the second half, when they managed to return to a match that seemed lost. However, the small tactical and defensive details in the final moments were decisive. Pedro Martínez, the white coach, acknowledged after the match that while the defensive performance was challenging against Nunn, the game was within reach.

Pedro Martínez rejects excuses despite five absences

The injury situation of Real Madrid was crucial in the context leading up to the match. The team presented itself without Facundo Campazzo, who suffers from a left hamstring injury, nor did they have Theo Maledon, Gabriel Deck, Mario Jantunen, or Usman Garuba, all of whom were sidelined. Despite these five significant absences, Pedro Martínez took a clear stance in the post-match press conference: he would not allow injuries to become an excuse for the defeat.

"I think excuses should not be sought. We competed well with the players we had. We miss those who are not here, but we trust those who are. Now we need to recover and think about the next one," asserted the Madrid coach according to AS. His message was unequivocal: the responsibility lies with those who were on the court, not with those who could not be there. The coach positively valued the character shown by his team during the comeback, especially in the second half of the match when the whites managed to return to a score that was unfavorable to them.

Pedro Martínez emphasized that "during many moments we came back even though they had leads, especially in the first half." He acknowledged that the team tried to maintain its tactical identity even in the most complicated phases, although the final details leaned towards the opposite side. When asked if the players with fewer minutes had given him certainties for future rotations, he urged caution: "It’s not very good to make black or white analyses after a game, especially after a defeat."

Nunn's recovery and his exceptional performance

Regarding Kendrick Nunn specifically, Pedro Martínez contextualized his performance within a recovery process. The American point guard came into this match after a knee injury that had kept him off the court. "Now it's easier to see him. Up until now, he didn't have such good performances because he was coming back from an injury. But he is a top player," explained the Madrid coach. However, he also acknowledged the defensive difficulty: "He is very hard to defend. It is true that he had a great game, but we could have won it too."

Obradovic emphasizes the patience needed with Nunn

Zeljko Obradovic, coach of Panathinaikos, offered a different perspective on the performance of his point guard. In statements reported by Eurohoops, the Serbian coach emphasized the peculiarity of Nunn's situation: "I have never had a player who has played more games than he has had practices." This statement reflects the difficulty of integrating a player returning from a long injury with hardly any prior preparation time.

Obradovic added that "patience was needed with him and with Kostas Sloukas, with everyone who was injured. It is not easy to start playing after a two-month break." Despite these limitations, the Greek coach praised Nunn's performance: "He had a fantastic game." The victory of Panathinaikos places the Greek team at the top of the Euroleague standings with a record of 8-2, while Real Madrid sits at 6-4 in the continental competition.

In the domestic arena, Real Madrid remains undefeated in the Liga Endesa after six games played. The next white commitment in the national competition will be against UCAM Murcia on Sunday, November 8 at 19:00, in a match corresponding to the seventh round. By then, Sito Alonso's team will have an empty infirmary, allowing for greater tactical flexibility. In the Euroleague, the next opponent will be Crvena Zvezda, also at the Movistar Arena, on Thursday, November 12 at 21:00, where Real Madrid will seek to recover from this defeat and return to the winning path in the European competition.

This is an automatic translation. You can read the original news, Nunn destroza al Madrid en prórroga con récord histórico