Real Madrid's season ends.
Lenovo Tenerife eliminates Real Madrid from Liga Endesa playoffs, ending their titleless campaign.
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La Laguna Tenerife pulled off one of the biggest upsets in Spanish basketball history on June 6, 2026, beating Real Madrid 107-95 in Game 3 to win their quarterfinal series 2-1. The 8th-seed Tenerife eliminated the regular-season champions, ending Madrid's playoff run in the quarterfinals for the first time in 18 years, according to El País.
The loss caps a disastrous season for Real Madrid. The club finished without a single trophy — losing finals in the EuroLeague, the Copa del Rey, and the Supercopa before this quarterfinal exit, Eurohoops reported. It is their worst campaign since the 2010-11 season.
Patty Mills and Huertas Tear Madrid Apart in Game 3
Tenerife trailed 73-70 heading into the final stretch. Then Patty Mills took over. The veteran guard scored 29 points in just 19 minutes, including several crucial three-pointers in the fourth quarter, according to Basketnews. He and point guard Marcelinho Huertas sparked an 11-0 run that broke the game open and silenced the Movistar Arena.
Huertas finished with 23 points and ran the offense with precision during that decisive run, Basketball Sphere reported. Emergency signing Kevin Yebo added 22 points and 7 rebounds, filling the void left by injured center Giorgi Shermadini. For Madrid, Mario Hezonja led all scorers with 22 points but got almost no support in the final period.
Tavares Absence Left Madrid Defenseless in the Paint
Real Madrid entered Game 3 without Walter Tavares, their dominant 7-foot-3 center. Tavares was ruled out due to injury just before tip-off — even as he accepted his sixth straight 'Best Defender' trophy in the pregame ceremony, according to Real Madrid Official. His absence left Madrid's interior exposed all night.
Coach Sergio Scariolo noted the 'atypical and unusual' situation of losing three key players in the same position to injury. 'You can't learn to avoid having three players injured in the same position,' he said. Still, Eurohoops and other analysts argued that Tenerife's 46% three-point shooting — compared to Madrid's 24% — showed this was also a tactical win, not just a lucky one.
A Series That Swung Wildly Before Tenerife Prevailed
The series was never simple. Tenerife shocked Madrid in Game 1, winning 98-97 on Madrid's own court. Madrid fired back with a historic 118-83 blowout in Game 2 — the highest-scoring playoff game in Liga Endesa history without overtime, Eurohoops reported. That set up a winner-takes-all Game 3 back in Madrid.
Madrid entered as heavy favorites. They finished the regular season 26-8. Tenerife went just 18-16. But Tenerife had made a smart move on May 25, signing Kevin Yebo on an emergency deal to replace Shermadini, according to Basketnews. That move proved decisive. Yebo outplayed every Madrid big man across the series.
Tenerife Faces Barcelona Next as Madrid Eyes Full Reset
La Laguna Tenerife now advances to the semifinals, where they will face FC Barcelona. Barcelona beat UCAM Murcia 100-76 in their own series clincher, led by Clyburn's 23 points, according to El Día. The two sides will meet for a spot in the ACB final.
For Real Madrid, the offseason begins now — and it will be painful. The club has gone a full year without a title for the first time in over a decade. Speculation about Scariolo's future is growing, even though he has three years left on his contract, Eurohoops noted. Fan reaction on social media was blunt, with many calling it the 'end point of a year to forget' and demanding a complete roster overhaul.
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