Anadolu Efes reminds Barça that they are the champion

Barça-Efes promised a lot and did not disappoint. FIt was an exciting match, with a close finish, but the Turks clearly dominated a good part of it. They were clearly superior to Barça for almost 35 minutes, amassing an advantage that seemed definitive. And in the end she was, but with suffering. In a comeback as spectacular as it was unexpected, Higgins led a 14-0 run that put fear into Ataman’s men. The comeback was not consummated, largely due to the great disadvantage that they dragged until the last quarter. Too many triples conceded, few scored. In short, too many points to overcome.

Barça’s poor start had several causes and some protagonists. The first, obviously, the little success in the shot. It is impossible not to win a game anymore, but to fight it, with shooting percentages around 20 percent. With Laprovittola one, Barça loses clarity but it also loses points: the Argentine, along with Mirotic, is the team’s top scorer. And with Higgins and Abrines on the bench, Barça ran out of resources in attack (2-12). Only five points from Kalinic and a few more after the offensive rebound. But the problems did not end there.

The Catalans had a hard time defending Efes’ direct blocks, they changed too soon, and ended up pairing Kuric with a big one and Mirotic with a small one. An error that they paid dearly for, and that could have been worse. The Turkish team missed a free shot with which they could have done even more damage. The general feeling was simply that Efes passed them over (9-21).

The grimace and attitude of Jasikevicius, a man who does not hide his emotions, usually reflect the state of mind of the team. With his hands in his pocket and impassive at first, more angry later, he did not stop demanding more from his players. Because the lack of success is part of basketball but what Efes you double in rebounds and points denotes a lack of competitive tension. And that Jasikevicius does not forgive him (13-29).

It was halfway through the second quarter when Barça raised the bar. As a result of a greater intensity, which led to more rebounds and points in transition. Mirotic and Kalinic were the ones who played with the most energy, infecting their teammates. However, they failed to stop the offensive potential of Efes, who with five points from Beaubois stretched the score again. Only Mirotic, who always appears, played up to the game and the rival. And that was far from the best version of him, with some improper failure of him (28-39).

Anadolu Efes comfortably held the lead throughout the third quarter, as every time Barça came close they nipped in the bud any hint of a comeback. Based on triples, five by Larkin, who fell like a stone on Barça and their fans (48-62). In 30 minutes he did not take a single Anadolu Efes free kick, which also gives an idea of ​​Barça’s defensive tension. Without good shooting percentages, the Barça comeback was a chimera.

The external gale of Efes did not abate in the last quarter, in which M’Baye signed up. And it is that the party, in reality, was only divided because that is what the regulation establishes. From a game point of view, there were 35 minutes of continuous dominance by Efes, foreign success and Barça’s impotence. The triples did not enter the Barcelona, who were manifestly inferior to their rival throughout the match. And, still, they fought the game.

Two triples from Da Silva opened a 14-0 run for Barça that significantly reduced Efes’ lead with four minutes to go (67-71). For the first time the visiting victory was in danger, for the first time the Palau roared like on great occasions. A triple by Higgins, the best after the break, brought the match to a close (72-75) but the comeback was not finally possible. The advantage was too great.