First Quarter

A slow start, accompanied by Bertans’ scoring spree—he scored 12 points in the first quarter. On the other side, Partizan’s new signings, Osetkovski and Parker, managed to respond to Dubai’s runs a few times, but it wasn’t enough, and the first quarter ended 28:18 for the home team.

Second Quarter

For almost the entire second quarter, Jurica Golemac’s team managed to maintain their lead from the first. However, at the very end, a mini-run by Osetkovski allowed Partizan to catch up, heading into halftime with hope for a comeback in the second half. The score at the end of the second quarter was 47:40.

Third Quarter

For a moment, it seemed that Željko Obradović’s team could complete the comeback, taking the lead at 47:48. However, that marked the start of an offensive drought for Partizan and Kabengele’s dominance in the paint. The score at the end of the third quarter was 68:56, but hope still remained.

Fourth Quarter

Bertans continued his dominance from the start of the game—he was simply relentless against his former club. Then Filip Petrusev added a few easy points, which was enough for Dubai to build a 22-point lead with 5:48 left. Pokusevski’s entry brought a glimmer of hope, as he hit two quick threes and briefly sparked fans’ imagination for a comeback. However, the deficit was too large, and Partizan managed only to soften the defeat, losing 89:76.

Conclusion

It’s definitely good that things like this happen at the start of the season—Partizan’s defense today was not up to the task. I must mention Dubai’s offensive outburst, which probably no one expected. What is certainly alarming for Partizan is the need for a center; Tyrique Jones is coming back from injury, which may have heightened the sense of urgency, but I believe that for this level and quality of this year’s EuroLeague, further selection at the center and point guard positions is necessary.