Real Madrid bounced back and avoided a playoff sweep for the first time since 2016, delivering a level of basketball that even Vezenkov's brilliance couldn't overcome. After the crucial win, Mario Hezonja spoke boldly – and the no-bullshit mentality showed just as clearly on the court.
He did it in Piraeus, and he continued doing it in Madrid. While Olympiacos and Real Madrid players exchanged handshakes after the final whistle – acknowledging a series that's far from over – Mario Hezonja was already heading straight to the locker room.
No celebration. No words. No smiles with teammates or opponents.
Something that's completely normal in NBA arenas – where players often leave the court immediately after the game and save the handshakes for the end of the series – is still rare in the EuroLeague.
And yet, Hezonja made it feel natural.
Hezonja reminds me of a determined warrior – someone who has no time for small talk or fake niceties.
He won't get friendly with opponents while he's trying to destroy them on his path to Abu Dhabi.
He's usually mean on the floor – locked in, intense.
In Game 1 in Piraeus, he loudly expressed his frustration with how things were going. Even after good plays or big moments, he kept that same intensity.
He seems to be the guy who doesn't do BS.
Apparently, this post-game exit started unintentionally, but it fits his fighter profile in the EuroLeague perfectly.
"Honestly, I forgot at first. But I kept doing this in Europe too," Hezonja said of the habit he picked up from his NBA days, following an 80-72 win that saved Madrid from being swept in the EuroLeague playoffs for the first time since 2016.
"We'll shake hands when everything is done. I don't like this stereotype that unity stays on the court, even when there are trophies and all – that's such a bullshit," Hezonja said bluntly.
"When the time is right, there'll be sportsmanship. But now, while everything is going on, it's just bullshit to be doing all that stuff," he finished.
He won't fake a smile with a rival who's trying to eliminate him. He's not celebrating anything yet – not when he knows the job's only done after three wins.
But Madrid did have something to feel good about Tuesday night at the Movistar Arena. And for once, there was no
