Real Madrid won the first match of the Euro-League play-offs, a series of best-of-five matches against Hapoel Tel Aviv, 86-82. Madrid, with a record of 18 wins in 19 matches at home this season in the Euroleague (their away record wasn't as good and finished third in the regular season), wants to add another Euroleague title and extend their record for more titles, with 12 since 1964.
However, they will have to do it without one of their best players Edy Tavares, as he has been diagnosed with an injury to the medial collateral ligament of his left knee. The club did not specify a recovery time, but in the best case scenario he would arrive for the final four between May 22-24, if they qualify without him.
The Cape Verdean centre has played for Real Madrid since 2017, winning two Euroleagues in 2018 and 2023, after being waived by the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA. His teammate Facundo Campazzo said that Tavares is "70% or 80% of their defence", and also important in attack (via AS).
Real Madrid will play game 2 of the play-offs tomorrow, Friday, May 1, at 20:45 CEST.
