Real floors Mavericks in Madrid, spoil Luka Doncic's homecoming game (2 Viewers)

Luka Doncic's much-anticipated homecoming game against Real Madrid was a brief one, lasting just shy of five minutes (4 minutes and 59 seconds). The Dallas Mavericks felt the absence of their star player, who was nursing a left calf strain, and they narrowly lost 127-123 at the WiZink Center on a bustling Tuesday night.

During his brief time on the court, Doncic managed to sink three three-pointers out of five attempts, accumulating 9 points. He also contributed one assist but had one turnover.

The fourth quarter took an unexpected turn with Guerschon Yabusele taking the spotlight, playing a crucial role in Real's comeback and erasing a 12-point deficit. The French forward concluded the game with 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 steals. Facundo Campazzo led the team with 20 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Vincent Poirier and Sergio Llull each added 19 points. For the Mavericks, Tim Hardaway Jr. emerged as the top scorer, tallying 21 points and 4 rebounds, with Dante Exum contributing 13 points and 9 assists.

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In addition to Doncic's health issues, another key Mavericks player, Kyrie Irving, was also sidelined for this game. Real Madrid's victory improved their record to 3-6 in games against NBA teams. Their previous victory against an NBA opponent dates back to 2016 when they triumphed over the Oklahoma City Thunder in an overtime thriller, with a 17-year-old Doncic playing a role in that memorable win.

Source=BasketNews