A loss to Brasília isn't a desperate result. After all, Flamengo and the team from the federal capital have decided the last two national championships, and Lula Ferreira's team leads the 2009-2010 NBB. But even so, the result served as a warning signal in Gávea. Coach Paulo Chupeta's team knows it can and must improve in the upcoming matches to remain steadfast in its fight for a third Brazilian championship.

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Point guard Duda highlights the team's growth compared to the beginning of the competition. According to him, Flamengo is performing better than in the first rounds. However, the player expects the team to improve even further. The number 10 believes that only with a string of positive results will the team reach its best level.

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"I think we've made a huge improvement compared to the start of the season, but we need to put together a winning streak to really take off in the championship," commented Duda.

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His brother, Marcelinho Machado, Flamengo's captain and top scorer in the NBB, also believes Flamengo has room for improvement in the competition. The winger sees the match against Paulistano next Tuesday as an opportunity for the team to prove its mettle.

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"We know we still have a lot of room for improvement in the competition. We made a lot of mistakes in attack today, and the team didn't know how to pace itself when it mattered. We have to beat Paulistano on Tuesday to get back on the winning track," Marcelinho added.