Real Madrid faces Fuenlabrada in Liga ACB opener
Real Madrid begins the new Liga ACB season against Fuenlabrada.
The 30-time Spanish league champions were boosted with the acquisition of new players Jaycee Carroll, Martynas Pocius, Mirza Begic and Rudy Fernandez, who will play for the team until the NBA lockout ends. Back to lead new coach Pablo Laso's squad are Spanish national team mainstays Sergio Llull and Felipe Reyes, Ante Tomic, Novica Velickovic and Nikola Mirotic.
Llull is confident that his team will do well this season.
"We have to continue growing as a team and work on things we haven't had time to explore yet. We're on the right path. Laso has instilled a calm nature in us. He strengthens our confidence and boosts our morale every day. He is trying to create a solid group dynamic, which is key to winning titles this year. I think he is one of the best at doing that," he told the team's official web site.
"We have faith in ourselves and we're going to prove we are capable of winning. Pablo will help us point guards because he was a point guard too. Our speed favours our counterattacks, but we'll also be able to play a slower and calmer game."
"Our goal is to be at the top always. We proved we can reach finals and we have to take a small step forward to win them. We are a very young team and no one's as excited as we are. The roster is united and there's a great atmosphere on the team. I think this is key to winning titles," he added.
"We've already seen what our new players are capable of. Rudy showcased his quality in only two preseason games and we all know what he can do. He is going to help us immensely. Carroll is here to score points and he seems to score from any angle or distance. Pocius is a hard worker whose physicality will add a little extra to our offence and defence. I'm sure the three of them will help."
Real Madrid is aching to win its first Spanish league title since 2007. The multi-titled club finished third in the past two seasons. Real Madrid is also seeking to end its drought in the Spanish Cup, which it last won in 1993.
Fuenlabrada, meanwhile, is out to improve on its seventh-place finish last season. It marked the first time that the club reached the quarterfinals since its return to the Liga ACB in 2005-06.
Back to lead Porfirio Fisac's squad are Gustavo Ayon, Lubos Barton and Leonardo Mainoldi. Reinforcing the team this year are Kiwi hotshot Kirk Penney, Senegalese big man Mouhamed Sene and Sergio Sanchez, who came over from Estudiantes.
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