with champion mentality

Barça has it in their hands to be in the Final Four. A phrase that may seem like evidence, it is, but it also hides a derivative. Barça knows what they have to do to be in the Final Four. And that is very different. Because if the Catalans play like Wednesday, with a good hit rate and exceptional concentration, Zalgiris doesn’t have much to say. They are clearly superior to their rival and if they scratch at that level, only two games separate them from Real Madrid or Partizán in the semifinals. Today they play the first.

For tonight’s game at the Palau the only casualty remains that of Higgins. The North American could travel to Kaunas next week, but for the moment he is still out due to back problems. A position, that of two, in which Kyle Kuric claimed responsibility on Wednesday. Despite having been out and ruled out in multiple games this year, the North American showed his face.

The main risk for Barça is not physical, not even basketball, but mental. Jasikevicius insisted on Tuesday and did it again yesterday: his players must be mentally prepared for a game that will hardly be as simple as the one that opened the series. Not lowering the intensity or concentration, especially if they get ahead again, will be key in tonight’s game.

precisely because everyone at Barça they expect a reaction from Zalgiris. With little or nothing to lose, with the Final Four at home and knowing they need at least one win at the Palau, tonight is their night. At least to lengthen the series enough to put fear into Barça’s body. To do this, however, they must be much more successful than on Wednesday. In attack they have relatively little margin, especially if Barça is at the same level, but in defense they can give much more. They can be more aggressive, more physical, and improve on defensive changes. An aspect that the Catalans took advantage of to do them a lot of damage.

THIS IS HOW THEY ARRIVE

barca

zalgiris

TEMPLATES

	pos.	Height	Age
twenty-one Alex Abrines	AND	198	29
22 Cory Higgins	TO	196	33
55 give me sarr	TO	198	16
46 james naji	P	208	19
6 Jan Veseley	P	213	33
24 Kyle Kuric	AND	193	33
23 Mike Toby	P	213	28
twenty Nicholas Laprovittola	B.	188	33
10 Nikola Kalinic	TO	202	31
33 Nikola Mirotic	PA	208	32
3 Oriol Pauli	TO	201	28
1 oscar da silva	TO		24

	pos.	Height	Age
51 Arnas Butkevicius	AND	196	30
3 Dovydas Giedraitis	B.		22
92 Edgaras Ulanovas	TO	198	31
17 Ignas Brazdekis	AND		24
7 Kajus Kublickas	AND	186	18
16 Karolis Lukosiunas	AND	195	25
2 Keenan Evans	AND		26
8 Kevarrius Hayes	TO		26
fifteen Laurynas Birutis	P	213	25
Four. Five Liutauras Lelevicius	B.		19
4 Lukas Lekavicius	B.	180	29
9 Kalnietis blankets	B.	195	36