Barça made it 1-0 in the tie for playoff against Zalgiris with a game that will be remembered in Barcelona. One of the best of the season, a reflection of a team prepared to, this year, win the Euroleague. A compact, competitive team with a winning attitude. They passed over their rival from the first possession, concentrated, intense. If the feeling was that Barça was reaching the key stage of the season better than ever against Zalgiris, it proved it. They all shone, but Sanli with his own light playing, surely, his best game since he was in Barcelona.
Barça’s starting lineup was the best possible. A luxury, with Satoransky, Laprovittola, Abrines, Mirotic and Vesely, capable of signing an unbeatable start to the game. Satoransky controlled Ulanovas, Laprovittola scored from outside and Abrines was more than remarkable on defense. And what to say about Mirotic, who arrives fresher than ever at this playoffbrimming with confidence, creating huge low-post problems for Zalgiris. Vesley, another who is sweet, dominated the rebound with an iron fist, especially offensive (13-4).
But the names, or the players, hardly win games. Talent is useless without effort but, at these levels, neither without concentration. And Barça jumped onto the Palau parquet with the necessary attitude. With that of those who go for the game from the first minute, with that of those who are not going to give up a lost ball. With a champion attitude. As an example, the free throws: They did not miss any of the 21 they shot.
Such was in fact the good level of Barça that with the rotations they did even more damage. Vesley’s rebounds were taken by Nnaji, Mirotic’s points were added by Sanli and Satoransky’s direction was led by Jokubaitis (35-19). Zalgiris was entrusted to the contribution of Polonara and Giedraitis, who signed a good set for the Lithuanians and forced Jasikevicius to stop the game and bring on the starters. And the waters returned to their course with a splendid Mirotic (48-31).
After the break it cost the Catalans a little more. They continued in good shape, in fact they improved in the outside shot, but the Zalgiris stepped forward. Both in defense, where they drowned Barça in more than one possession, and in attack. Nothing worrying, the difference never dropped below ten points, but they did seem looser. After all, they had little to lose. It was undoubtedly the worst moment for Barça, but where on other nights they succumbed and buried the advantage, against Zalgiris they knew how to defend it. The income was great (66-53).
This would not be a fair chronicle if it did not mention Sertac Sanli’s match. The Turk, sometimes criticized, had one of the best performances since he wore the Barça shirt. Impeccable in attack, giant in the paint and contributing to each and every one of the actions of the Catalans on the track. He was decisive in the victory. Also Kuric, who shot the lead for the first time over 20 points (76-55) with less than seven minutes to go.. In absolute communion with the stands, in what seemed more like a party than a game of playoff, Barça enjoyed until the last play. They were clearly superior.
|
13
Thomas Satoransky |
|
twenty
Nicholas Laprovittola |
|
33
Nikola Mirotic |
|
twenty-one
Alex Abrines |
|
6
Jan Veseley |
|
24
Kyle Kuric |
|
10
Nikola Kalinic |
|
31
Rokas Jokubaitis |
|
5
Sertac Sanli |
|
23
Mike Toby |
|
46
james naji |
|
8
Sergi Martinez |
| Min | pts | RT | RO | DR | Ast | Per | rec | Tap | T1 | T2 | T3 | FR | CF | Val | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
13
Thomas Satoransky | twenty-one | 4 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 1/2 | 0/0 | 2 | 1 | 14 | |
|
twenty
Nicholas Laprovittola | twenty | 8 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 0/1 | 2/4 | 2 | 2 | 7 | |
|
33
Nikola Mirotic | 17 | fifteen | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2/2 | 2/5 | 3/5 | 3 | 1 | 16 | |
|
twenty-one
Alex Abrines | 16 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 4/4 | 0/0 | 2/5 | 3 | 2 | 9 | |
|
6
Jan Veseley | 13 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2/2 | 1/3 | 0/0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |
|
24
Kyle Kuric | twenty-one | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2/2 | 1/2 | 23 | 3 | 2 | 12 | |
|
10
Nikola Kalinic | twenty | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 0/1 | 2 | 3 | 0 | |
|
31
Rokas Jokubaitis | 19 | 12 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2/2 | 2/6 | 23 | 2 | 0 | 16 | |
|
5
Sertac Sanli | 16 | 17 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3/3 | 4/6 | 23 | 2 | 3 | twenty | |
|
23
Mike Toby | 16 | 9 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 23 | 1/2 | 1 | 3 | 12 | |
|
46
james naji | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/1 | 0/0 | 1 | 3 | -1 | |
|
8
Sergi Martinez | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 1/2 | 0/0 | 1 | 2 | -2 | |
|
92
Edgaras Ulanovas |
|
51
Arnas Butkevicius |
|
10
Rolands Smiths |
|
8
Kevarrius Hayes |
|
1
isaiah taylor |
|
25
achille polonara |
|
17
Ignas Brazdekis |
|
33
Thomas Dimsa |
|
3
Dovydas Giedraitis |
|
fifteen
Laurynas Birutis |
|
4
Lukas Lekavicius |
|
16
Karolis Lukosiunas |
| Min | pts | RT | RO | DR | Ast | Per | rec | Tap | T1 | T2 | T3 | FR | CF | Val | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
92
Edgaras Ulanovas | 27 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0/0 | 23 | 0/2 | 4 | 2 | 5 | |
|
51
Arnas Butkevicius | 23 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0/0 | 1/2 | 0/2 | 2 | 3 | 4 | |
|
10
Rolands Smiths | 19 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 0/1 | 0/2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | |
|
8
Kevarrius Hayes | 18 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1/2 | 4/8 | 0/0 | 2 | 2 | 8 | |
|
1
isaiah taylor | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
|
25
achille polonara | twenty-one | 8 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1/1 | 23 | 1/3 | 2 | 0 | 12 | |
|
17
Ignas Brazdekis | 19 | 14 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 4/5 | 5/7 | 0/1 | 4 | 3 | 10 | |
|
33
Thomas Dimsa | 19 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 2/5 | 0/1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
|
3
Dovydas Giedraitis | 14 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2/2 | 4/6 | 0/0 | 1 | 3 | 7 | |
|
fifteen
Laurynas Birutis | 12 | 7 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3/3 | 2/6 | 0/0 | 3 | 1 | 10 | |
|
4
Lukas Lekavicius | eleven | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2/2 | 0/3 | 1/2 | 3 | 2 | 3 | |
|
16
Karolis Lukosiunas | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 2 | -2 | |