Euroleague working day 18
The worst Barça in a long time defeated the best Madrid in history. The report said that the white team had accumulated 74 duels won in a calendar year, with 33 of 35 wins this season. The script also said that the Blaugrana arrived in disrepair, with a balance of three victories in 10 matches. But sometimes the clues are misleading. Because Barça regained its nerve against the archenemy; because Vesely imposed his law; and because a classic has a life of its own.
This was noticed on the outskirts of the Palau before the crash, where the Dracs — the most spirited Barça faction in the Palau — had a good party and shouted from the rooftops that their status as a fan does not vary depending on whether the ball goes in or not. “He who doesn't bounce is a Madridista, he is!” It was one of the most celebrated songs. It was, as the song says, A day of partitand it was one of the greats because Madrid returned to Gaul after giving a good account of the Blaugrana on three occasions during the course: Super Cup, ACB and Euroleague.
The call of attention to the Barça squad by the board after two loud and expressive beatings, 20 points against Unicaja and Monaco, and the coach's warning that he would put meritocracy before stripes, had an impact on the players, once again energetic and combative, finally brave in the face of adversity. Vesely expressed himself with mid-range shots and Kalinic and Parker added from the perimeter. Little, however, for a Madrid that found its Curry, Allen or Miller in Musa because he made four of his first five triples — 13 points in the first quarter. That, combined with Ndiaye's baskets, was enough to suffocate Barça. But what Madrid reduced was agitated by the referee, who called a technical on Grimau and accelerated the heartbeat of the Palau, also of some players who finished the antipasti hungry (21-25).
Laprovittola then came out, stingy after Grimau's snub for not putting him in the starting quintet. He not only acted as scorer and dealer but he was also a leader because he gave Parra a nasty fight after the team conceded several consecutive times in the continuation. Thus, every time Barça got closer, Madrid took out the whip. Chacho prays with his trays; ora Poirier with a mate; Ora Lull with his triples… But Vesely continued in his thirteen with the mid-distance shots and Brizuela made chof from his house on the horn to reach the intermission with everything to decide (45-47).
A triple by Kalinic put Barça ahead after the restart, the first time that had happened in the duel. Hezonja responded with another goal from the outskirts, but Grimau's team were already on fire with the energy of Parra and the reliability of Vesely, finally all at one in the defensive exercise. Madrid did not want to be outdone and the quarter ended with 15 points on each side, 60-62 before the last chapter. A classic in the epilogue.
The tension was felt and Laprovittola uncovered the Palau's adrenaline when he faced Chacho after a basket, after the white man took his arm out for a walk. They didn't give any technique and the pavilion burned — “this is how Madrid wins!” was chanted — while the Madrid player missed three shots in a row. Not so a Vesely who became the king under the hoops, who became the King Kong of a team that was reminiscent of the one at the beginning of the year, with gazuza and ambition, far from the recent jug version. With six minutes left, Barça led by 10 (72-62). And the matter did not change, no matter how much Causeur protested against three or Musa fought for his MVP. They couldn't beat Vesely or Barça, with a team that came out of a coma in the classic.
BARCELONA, 83; R. MADRID, 78
Barcelona: Satoransky (2), Kalinic (13), Da Silva (2), Parker (10) and Vesely (27)—starting quintet—; Jokubaitis (4), Paulí (0), Laprovittola (14), Willy Hernangómez (6), Parra (2) and Brizuela (3).
Real Madrid: Campazzo (6), Musa (19), Abalde (3), Ndiaye (4) and Tavares (6) —starting quintet—; Causeur (2), Hezonja (16), Sergio Rodríguez (7), Poirier (6) and Llull (9).
Partials: 21-25, 24-22, 15-15 and 23-16.
Referees: E. Mogulkoç (Tur), M. Difallah (Fra) and K. Konstantinovs (Let). No eliminated.
Palau Blaugrana. 7,596 spectators.
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