Regardless of the outcome in the final series of the Liga Endesa, Murcia has already achieved a historic success. However, in the first two games, they have shown two different faces. In the second game, with a lot of adjustments, they managed to stay within a single-digit deficit for 35 minutes, but that wasn’t enough, resulting in a 2-0 deficit in the series.
In the Game 1, they held their ground at a high level for the first half, only to fall behind by 18 points several times in the third period. They managed to soften the defeat in the end but still lost. In Game 2, they overcame a ten-point deficit and were within five points in the middle of the last quarter with possession of the ball, but failing to capitalize on that opportunity, the opponent punished them accordingly. Dustin Sleva and Rodions Kurucs shot phenomenally from beyond the arc, but the lack of adequate support from the rest of the team simply wasn’t enough to compete with Real Madrid. The absence of injured players Marko Todorovic and Artur Kurucs significantly impacts the team, and head coach Sito Alonso is trying in every possible way to compensate for these absences, but it’s clear that he doesn’t have a deep enough bench for such a task.
Murcia needs to play their best game of the season to achieve a victory. What doesn’t work in their favor is the fact that they haven’t won a single home game in this year’s playoffs. Concentrated defense for all 40 minutes, high three-point shooting percentages, and a low number of turnovers are the only ways they can compete with their rival, but even that doesn’t guarantee a win.
Real Madrid managed to recover well from their defeat in the EuroLeague final, channeling all their anger and negative energy towards their rivals in the Liga Endesa. As a result, they played just enough in the first two games to lead 2-0 and have two match points for the title.
These games are the best indicators of the quality possessed by the team from the Spanish capital. With such a wide array of high-quality individuals, someone is always ready to step into the leader’s role and lead the team to victory. Rudy Fernandez likely played his last game at Wizink Center in front of his fans, receiving a three-minute ovation at the end of the match. He was the one who broke the second game open, hitting three three-pointers in the final period. Mario Hezonja was visibly motivated, even nervous at times, determined not to give the opponent any chance, and this nervousness was also felt in head coach Chus Mateo. The EuroLeague final defeat has likely left its mark, and every player on the team is ready to do absolutely everything to bring the 15th Spanish championship trophy to Madrid.
Real Madrid cannot afford to underestimate Murcia at any moment, as seen in the first two games. They need to approach the game with the right mindset both offensively and defensively, and it is clear that they will try to finish the job in this game and secure the “consolation” title.
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Murcia vs Real Madrid H2H
They have played five times this season, and Real Madrid has won four times. The current series score is 2-0 in favor of Real Madrid, and the final is played to three wins.
Absences and Injuries
Simon Birgander, Marko Todorovic, and Arturs Kurucs will not play for Murcia, while Gabriel Deck is injured in the Real Madrid team.
Murcia vs Real Madrid Prediction
From the very beginning, it is clear that Murcia, with their historic qualification to the final, is simultaneously in the role of a huge underdog against Real Madrid. This was evident in the first two games, although it must be said that they put up a fantastic fight in the second game. Interestingly, in both games played so far, there has been at least one quarter with poor offensive performance and low efficiency, so we expect the same to happen this time. This is precisely the key to such a high point total, if just one quarter is marked by poor shooting, the total number of points scored will be less than the specified margin, which we expect to happen.
Tip-off Time: Wednesday, 12.06.2024, 20:30 CET Prediction: Under 167.5 points Odds: 1.75 Sportsbook: 22Bet
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
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