Nick Smith Jr.’s debut does not prevent another stumble for Real Madrid in the Euroleague

Real Madrid, hampered by losses (21) and a terrible afternoon from Luwawu-Cabarrot (-10 rating), succumbed to Pablo Laso's Anadolu Efes.

By Admin On Sep 29, 2026

Real Madrid, hampered by losses (21) and a terrible afternoon from Luwawu-Cabarrot (-10 rating), succumbed to Pablo Laso’s Anadolu Efes.

Real Madrid‘s EuroLeague campaign is still struggling. In their visit to Pablo Laso’s Anadolu Efes, they suffered their second defeat in two games (94-84) . It was by far the Whites’ worst performance of the season so far. They were hampered by 21 turnovers (14 by halftime) that led to 30 Turkish points and 27 on fast breaks, a disastrous second quarter (23-12) , and another lackluster finish. All their hard work to keep their hopes alive was undone in a terrible ending.

The best news for Real Madrid was the debut of the much-anticipated Nick Smith Jr. , who started the game. He scored 10 points. He looked somewhat out of sorts, especially on defense, accumulating fouls, including a flagrant one. He may struggle to adapt to European officiating. Despite his reputation as a prolific scorer, he showed little individualism: only three field goal attempts . He promises to bring joy to Real Madrid fans.

Another player expected to be a key offensive force for Real Madrid, Luwawu-Cabarrot, had a disastrous afternoon . Nothing like this has been seen from one of the EuroLeague’s top scorers last season: a -10 efficiency rating with 0/5 shooting, two turnovers, and three fouls . Without the Frenchman’s firepower, it was Campazzo who led the attack with 16 points . Okeke also had a good game , scoring 11 points and going 3/5 from three-point range to improve the overall numbers: 9/26 , still far from ideal.

Matthew Strazel attempts to score against Edy Tavares' defense. — Matthew Strazel attempts to score against Edy Tavares’ defense.

Real Madrid didn’t start well (12-5) . It was the second unit, with Maledon, Jantunen, and Okeke , that helped them get off to a better start with better ball movement. Midway through the second quarter, they were still leading 30-33 after Smith’s first basket. Then he committed a flagrant foul, and although it wasn’t the immediate consequence, that’s when Real Madrid‘s slump began .

Efes kept accumulating turnovers, some of them idiotic. Efes soared while Real Madrid lost their momentum. Dozier (18 points), James (12), and Saric (10) were the main threats. Russell also had solid minutes on offense, and Kai Jones on defense. Yusta (+15 when he was on the court) enjoyed almost the entire 20-4 run that left Real Madrid reeling (50-37) . Dominating the boards wasn’t enough for them. At halftime, Efes had committed 14 turnovers, which they capitalized on with 23 points and 17 on the fast break.

Centimeter by centimeter

The three-pointers that Real Madrid unleashed after the locker room weren’t enough. Efes extended their lead to 14 points (67-53) with a basket by Dozier after excellent ball movement. Pedro Martínez opted for a small lineup with Jantunen and Okeke inside. The gap gradually narrowed. Inch by inch, Real Madrid regained a lead by the end of the third quarter (72-65) .

Despite Kai Jones’ blocks, Okeke missed a three-pointer to make it 1-0, and with the score at 84-80, the string of errors began . After controlling turnovers for almost the entire second half, Campazzo committed one against James . Then, Tavares committed an offensive foul . An offensive rebound conceded proved to be the final nail in the coffin. Strazel sealed the victory with four free throws, and a final layup only deepened the wound. Real Madrid’s European campaign is still struggling. This Thursday, in Sofia, they face Hapoel Tel Aviv, looking for their first win. They can’t afford to lose any more ground .

Technical specifications

94 – Anadolu Efes (27+26+19+22): James (12), Strazel (14), Dozier (18), Saric (10) and Fernando (8) -starting five-, Loyd (12), Yusta (3), Russell (5), Malcolm (2), Osmani (5) and Jones (5).

84 – Real Madrid (29+12+24+19): Campazzo (16), Smith Jr (10), Deck (2), Pradilla (4) and Tavares (8) -starting five-, Luwawu-Cabarrot (-), Abalde (3), Okeke (11), Maledon (9), Jantunen (7), Feliz (10) and Jones (4).

Referees: Milan Nedovic (SLO), Saulius Racys (LTU), Vasiliki Tsaroucha (GRE). They called a disruptive foul on Matthew Strazel (6th minute) of Anadolu Efes, and a flagrant foul on Nick Smith Jr. of Real Madrid (13th minute). No players were fouled out.

Incidents: Second day Euroleague game played at the Turkcell Basketball Development Center in Istanbul (Turkey).