Dubai Stuns Real Madrid in EuroLeague Season Opener Thriller

The new EuroLeague basketball season commenced on Thursday with seven games, highlighted by a dramatic 78-77 victory for Dubai over Real Madrid. This closely contested match followed a similar thrilling encounter between the two teams in the EuroLeague Supercup semifinals the previous week, where Dubai also emerged victorious.

Dubai, coached by Xavi Pascual, secured the win against Pedro Martinez's Real Madrid squad after a back-and-forth contest. Real Madrid initially took the lead in the second quarter, outscoring Dubai 28-18, largely due to Theo Maledon's performance. However, Dubai, led by Dewayne Bacon, fought back in the third quarter to regain the advantage.

The final quarter saw Dubai overcome a seven-point deficit, culminating in a dramatic finish sealed by a late defensive play and a missed final shot by Real Madrid. Dewayne Bacon was the standout player for Dubai, scoring 24 points and achieving a performance index rating of 31. McKinley Wright contributed 12 points, and Youssoupha Fall added 9 points and 7 rebounds.

For Real Madrid, Theo Maledon and Guerschon Yabusele each scored 11 points in the losing effort. The opening night also featured another game involving an Israeli team, Hapoel, against Bayern Munich.