Breakdown: Real Madrid vs. Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade

In a playoff battle between classic teams, Real Madrid takes on Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade for a spot in the Final Four. Real finished the regular season in second place with a 23-11 record and will be looking for its 11th continental crown. Partizan is back in the EuroLeague Playoffs for the first time since 2010 after placing seventh in the regular season standings with a 20-14 record.

When it comes to the EuroLeague Playoffs, Zeljko Obradovic has been almost unbeatable. Since the format was introduced in 2005, Obradovic has won 10 out of 11 playoff series: with Panathinaikos in 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011 and 2012, and with Fenerbahce in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019. His only playoff elimination came with Panathinaikos against Baskonia in 2006. If we look further back, Obradovic did even better.

Since he started his coaching career with Partizan in the 1991-92 campaign, Obradovic has won 20 out of 21 playoff series and has a winning record of 49-13 (79.0%). It has won playoff series with six different teams: Partizan, Joventut Badalona, Real, Benetton Treviso, Panathinaikos Athens and Fenerbahce Istanbul. Obradovic also played eight two-game, total-points series in the second-tier competition and won all of them. That’s 28-1 in multiple-game elimination rounds. Last season, however, Obradovic and Partizan lost to Frutti Extra Bursaspor in the single-game 7DAYS EuroCup Eighthfinals, 95-103, in overtime.

Experience is definitely on Los Blancos’ side. Sergio Llull has won eight playoff series. Since 2005, Llull has played more playoff games than anyone, 42. Llull and Rudy Fernandez have a chance to become the first players to win three EuroLeague titles with Real this century. Sergio Rodriguez also looks for his third EuroLeague crown; he won his first with Real in 2015 and his second with CSKA Moscow in 2019. Fabien Causeur, Anthony Randolph and Walter Tavares were also with the team when Real lifted the trophy in 2018.

Nigel Williams-Goss, Alberto Abalde, Adam Hanga, Gabriel Deck, Guerschon Yabusele and Vincent Poirier also reached the EuroLeague Championship Game with Los Blancos: that’s 12 players who have made it that far with Real, a full lineup. All of Partizan’s players combined haver 50 playoff games played and 24 wins. When it comes to Los Blancos, their players combine for 209 playoff appearances and 132 victories.

This playoff series gives fans the chance to see two of the best centers in the competition go against each other. At age 27, Mathias Lessort is having a breakout season, leading the 2022-23 EuroLeague in rebounds (7.3 rpg.) while also averaging 12.1 points on 69.0% two-point shooting, 1.4 assists, 0.8 blocks and a PIR of 19.5. Lessort offers intangibles such as outstanding energy, fighting spirit and a unique connection with Partizan fans, who consider him a fan-favorite and one of their own due to his interaction with the crowd.

Tavares leads the EuroLeague in blocks (2.3 bpg.). He has set a record for most blocks in a season: 77 and counting. A two-time All-EuroLeague First Team selection and EuroLeague Best Defender choice, Tavares is averaging 10.3 points on 67.2% two-point shooting, 6.5 rebounds and 1.6 assists for a PIR of 16.2. This season, He was worth 12.0 points and 6.0 rebounds for a PIR of 13.5 in two games against Partizan. Lessort had slightly better numbers against Real: 12.0 points and 5.5 rebounds for a PIR of 19.5.

When it comes to playoff series in the 21st century, counting those played in the 2000-01 campaign, Real has won nine playoff series and lost six. Having the home-court advantage or not has definitely made a difference for Los Blancos, who have been indestructible with it and struggled much more when it started a playoff series anywhere other than in the Spanish capital.

Indeed, Real has won all eight playoff series in which it had the home-court advantage, sweeping half of them: against Buducnost Podgorica in 2001 (2-0), Maccabi Tel Aviv in 2013 (3-0) and 2022 (3-0), and Panathinaikos in 2019. Real also registered playoff wins against Valencia Basket in 2011 (3-2), Olympiacos Piraeus in 2014 (3-2), Anadolu Efes Istanbul in 2015 (3-1) and Darussafaka Istanbul in 2017 (3-1). On the other hand, Real is 1-6 when not having the home-court advantage, only beating Panathinaikos (1-3) in 2018. Real is 23-6 in playoff games (79.3% wins) when having the home-court advantage and 9-16 (36.0%) when it doesn’t.