Euroleague working day 13
![Fenerbahce](https://as01.epimg.net/img/comunes/fotos/fichas/equipos/large/4127.png)
![Nicolas Laprovittola](https://imagenes.elpais.com/resizer/OYW6sS-mLL85VdaGiQMOihoaYeM=/414x0/filters:focal(2549x905:2559x915)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/prisa/Z2UCLKXSRD2MK2F5NL3TJ6DK64.jpg)
After the fiasco against Virtus Bologna, in which they had a sensational half and deteriorated badly in the next, Barça took refuge in their particular Gaul, their Palau. And although the duel was a roller coaster, where the Barça team skidded at times and Fenerbahçe put together high-quality basketball, especially with shots from the periphery, Laprovittola and Willy Hernangómez appeared when needed to sign the victory, the number 16 on the run at home, the team’s second best streak in history. The feat, however, is far from the mark obtained between November 2001 and February 2004, when he chained 27 victories, including the Final Four and the 2003 twisted contest held at the Palau Sant Jordi.
Barça tried to forget the Italian disaster right off the bat, with a choral basketball with freedom of movement as Grimau claims, where everyone feels like the protagonists. Kalinic’s basket after a rebound, another from Vesely from mid-range, free throws from Laprovittola after an attempted layup and two stops accompanied by the subsequent turns of the wrist from Satoransky to boost Barça, to clarify that they have enough basketball to dream of the European laurel that is so elusive.
But it was also soon clear that the team is still a project, that it lacks the maturity to govern the matches head-to-head and that Fenerbahçe is a major rival. More than anything because Dorsey came into the paint—replacing former Azulgrana Calathes, who was valued for his vision of the game but not his poor shooting ability—to hit inside and distribute candy to the outside, where he waited and licked a very energetic and accurate Wilbekin, capable of disrupting the Barça team. Two other ex-Azulgranas joined the party from the perimeter, such as Hayes-Davies, who also did not make a fortune at the Palau, in addition to Biberovic, Pierre and Dorsey himself, a fabulous eight of 11 in triples (72.7%) to start. Only Sanli, the third musketeer of the Turkish team who also wore the Barça shield, missed a couple of shots.
Once again, Barça seemed to remain insinuation, in a I want and I can’t, even though Willy Hernangómez once again imposed his muscles under the hoop, the only thing so that the team did not relax or lower its arms. But Fenerbahçe looked too similar for Grimau’s team (32-42), penalized by their lack of intensity in defense, unable to follow Dorsey’s dance with the ball and Wilbekin’s jumps. Joel Parra did appear – he continues to ask for minutes on the hardwood or for Grimau to at least change his inflexible hierarchy of opportunities a little – with two triples and a two-pointer to cheer up the Palau, a muffled cry in any case because on the other side Madar appeared from the network to reply and quell any hint of reaction. An expressive 38-50 that made Palau’s record pale, Panoramix’s magic potion. But the Palau does not fail.
After the intermission, Willy continued in his thirteen, determined that Barça not disconnect from the challenge, kill here and celebrate everywhere. Hulk over there, a real headache for Montley, his dance partner. She was joined by the mountebank Parker and a Satoransky who made use of his centimeters as a base. But Barça couldn’t even breathe with those because Fenerbahçe needed very little to do a lot of damage, nothing like the triples of Hayes-Davies and Dorsey. But Laprovittola, the magician with the orange ball, had to appear on the scene, penetrations and assists – especially to Vesely -, catapult to reduce the differences in the absence of the epilogue (63-64).
The moment of truth arrived and, once again as it frequently happens in this season, the outburst of Laprovittola came, a player who throws himself behind the team when things go wrong, because his pulse does not tremble when others burn the ball. A two plus one and a triple, Barça finally ahead after 23 minutes of slipstream (69-64). Not enough to put out the flame of Fenerbahçe, of a Hayes-Davies determined to exhibit the basketball that he did not exude as a Barça player. But Abrines, Kalinic and Willy, who else – he signed his best record in the Euroleague with 21 points – appeared to put the signature, also Laprovittola with his last triple, to explain that Gaul is not conquered, that against Asterix Laprovittola and Obelix Hernangómez needs more than just good basketball.
Baskonia, for its part, remains firm in Europe and beat Red Star (87-85) with Markus Howard and Sedekerskis in command, 17 and 18 points respectively. Success that Valencia also copied by beating Lyon at home (55-78) thanks to the good work of Ojeleye (16 points).
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