FOOTBALL: The Mavericks have lost to a soccer team, Real Madrid by 123 – 127

Information reaching Kossyderrickent has it that The Mavericks have lost to a soccer team, Real Madrid

Madridismo had marked the date in their calendars and it would sure become an unforgettable night. Our team beat the Dallas Mavericks at the WiZink Center with a spectacular, emotionally charged display. Of course, five years after he left, club legend and honorary member Luka Doncic (Florentino Pérez presented him with the award he gained back in 2021 prior to the game), came home. The Slovenian was received in some style by the fans but he was powerless to stop another impressive feat by the best team in Europe. For the second successive time (third in total), Real Madrid got the better of an NBA franchise. On this occasion it came with another signature comeback thanks to a stunning final five minutes. Campazzo (20 points), Poirier (19, 10 rebounds and six blocks), Llull (19 and 5 triples) and Yabusele (18) spearheaded the victory.

The game opened with a mad flurry of three-point shooting from both sides. Real Madrid hit their first six attempts from distance, with Sergio Llull knocking down three within the game’s first few minutes. Luka Doncic, limited to just five minutes of playing time today with a left calf strain, matched Llull with a trio of triples himself. Madrid set the tone for a fast-paced game, and both teams spent the first period running, gunning, and scoring at will.

The sides continued to trade blows in the second period. Tim Hardaway Jr. started to cook a bit, but Madrid’s relentless pushing of the basketball helped them build a small lead. The Maverick offense sputtered in the middle of the frame, but they eventually found their footing and closed the half strong. Three consecutive threes in the final minutes from Hardaway and Grant Williams helped Dallas take a 71-65 lead into halftime.

The memorable evening began with Real Madrid’s emotional pre-match presentation and tribute to Luka Doncic. Our president, Florentino Pérez, handed over his insignia as honorary club member, before there was a minute’s silence held in memory of Raúl Ronda Ortiz, member of the Board of Directors, and Thérèse Faye, mother of our player Eli John Ndiaye. Nobody wanted to miss out, not the football first-team, nor Tavares, who was part of the starting five following four games out with a respiratory infection.