Real Madrid delivered a dominant performance on a festival of teamwork, turning Friday night into a clear exhibition of basketball strength as they crushed Maccabi Tel Aviv 98-65. The win, a crucial rebound after earlier rough stretches, helped Madrid climb toward the top of the league table and signaled a strong return to form in the Euroleague race for 2023. The victory put the Spanish powerhouse alongside several peers with a bright first-win spark this year.
Chus Mateo’s squad looked unbeatable in the European clash that closed the first phase of the competition. The defense clicked, and the offense ran with fluid precision against an opponent that struggled to find any reliable answers for Madrid. Dzanan Musa led the charge with multiple three-pointers, complemented by Petr Cornelie who also provided significant scoring, while Guerschon Yabusele and Fabien Causeur added three triples apiece to help set the tone. Yabusele in particular pushed the pace, turning defense into offense with a signature impact that energized the home crowd.
Tavares anchored the interior with intimidating presence, racking up blocks that translated into faster transitions and more confidence on every possession. The home floor sounded louder as Real Madrid built a rhythm that kept the ball moving with purpose, in stark contrast to the visitors who often misfired under pressure. Lorenzo Brown tried to spark a response for Maccabi but found the Madrid defense unyielding, unable to solve the coordinated pressure from the white squad.
Early struggles for Maccabi showed in the opening minutes, where five points felt insufficient after eight minutes, and a cold start from the field goals and three-point line left the visitors trailing by a large margin. The first timeout came with Madrid up by a decisive margin after Cornelie drilled a late triple, framing a strong 22-7 scoreline at ten minutes of play.
The second period began with two more perimeter baskets by Cornelie and Sergio Rodríguez, which set off alarms for the guests. A 20-point advantage remained near the break after another successful long-range shot from Musa at the 6.75 line, pushing the score to 33-13 early in the period. Madrid showed strong ball movement and disciplined execution, earning a sizeable advantage that kept growing through the half.
Under Sergio Rodríguez’s guidance, Real Madrid kept the tempo high and displayed a cohesive, entertaining style of play. The team found scoring options throughout the lineup, building a lead that expanded on the strength of outside shooting and efficient finishing at the rim. The gap reached 27 points, aided by additional perimeter strikes from the Balkan scorer and two more outside looks that widened the margin to 50-23. Maccabi briefly halted Madrid’s surge with a late 1-11 run, but the halftime scoreboard finished with Madrid ahead 51-34, keeping the game well within reach for the hosts and validating the early dominance.
The first half highlighted the effective distribution, with Moses and Cornelie delivering solid scoring and the team shooting well beyond the arc, finishing 9/18 from three-point range compared to 2/15 for the visitors—an important factor in the comfortable cushion built for Madrid. The Spaniards carried that momentum into the second frame, and Chus Mateo’s men extended the lead with aggressive outside shooting and timely interior defense, setting the stage for a commanding victory.
Madrid returned after the break with the same determination. Causeur and Williams-Goss added outside baskets, and a spectacular dunk by Yabusele energized the sellout crowd again. The team’s perimeter shooting continued to paper over any potential rust, and the fourth quarter saw Madrid extend the margin beyond twenty points with rhythm and confidence, all while maintaining a high level of defensive discipline. Lorenzo Brown tried to contribute for the guests with late baskets, but the Spanish side remained in control, matching their season-high intensity and showing a clear, comprehensive team performance.
Yabusele produced a memorable moment that reflected the energy of the night, a reminder of the impact Madrid’s frontline can create. The team also added a few decisive blocks from Tavares and continued to apply pressure on all fronts, keeping the game on a path toward a comfortable result as the final stretch approached. The final period arrived with Madrid up by a wide margin, and the crew kept exploring scoring options while preserving the decisive edge that had defined the night since opening tip.
The final minutes confirmed a one-sided outcome as Real Madrid ran away with a 98-65 victory. The win reinforced the team’s standing and offered a strong showcase of depth and balance across positions, with multiple players contributing significant minutes and points. The night belonged to Madrid, a reminder of the club’s ability to execute a complete game plan on both ends of the floor.
Data sheet: 98 – Real Madrid (22+29+27+20): Williams-Goss 6, Causeur 11, Abalde 8, Yabusele 16, Tavares 4 -top five-, Sergio Rodríguez 5, Cornelie 18, Moses 18, Hanga 5, Llull 1, Poirier 6, Ndiaye –
65 – Maccabi Tel Aviv (7+27+15+16): Lorenzo Brown 9, Adams 15, Martin 7, Colson 4, Nebo 11 -top five-, Sorkin 6, Dibartolomeo 3, Menco 2, Hilliard -, Baldwin IV 3, Cohen 2, Hollins 3.
Referees: Borys Ryzhyk, Tomislav Hordov and Hugues Thepenier. This match took place at the WiZink Center in Madrid, marking the seventeenth day of the Euroleague calendar. Credit: EuroLeague archives.