BarcelonaBarça opened the Endesa League final with a painful defeat against Real Madrid, which was far superior to the Palau Blaugrana (75-88). Without the necessary energy, the Barça team did not compete against a rival who dominated the scene. For a few moments the superiority was so great that they looked like men against children.
Ádám Hanga and Gabi Deck were the best players of a white team that showed more energy. The title fight began without Pablo Laso on the bench at Real Madrid. Chus Mateo, assistant coach, took the place of the Basque coach, who suffered a heart attack a few days ago. “We controlled the pace of the game and the team made a great defensive effort. We played a serious game,” he said.
Overcome in the fight for the rebound and without success in the shot, Barça never found their game against a rival with as many casualties as experience. Sarunas Jasikevicius ruled out Dante Exum. In addition, he had the injuries of Sertaç Sanli, who has a sprained left ankle, and Pierre Oriola, with discomfort in the lumbar area. “We didn’t find the energy and we couldn’t forget the play-off against Joventut. We tried in the second half, when we played pretty well, but it was too difficult. We have to start playing basketball,” he said. say the coach.
Nikola Mirotic only needed 40 seconds to score five points, but Real Madrid did not get entangled and punished the Catalan ball losses with good transitional actions. The white team used Fabien Causeur’s points to get a 13-point lead against a much more apathetic local defense than usual (17-30).
Ádám Hanga made a great first half. The former Barça player scored 16 points during a first half in which the visiting difference reached 20 points (29-49). Anthony Randolph’s injury, a new adversity, did not change the mood of the visiting team. The dominance in the rebound and in the good percentages of success of the white equipment impelled the annotation of a Madrid that arrived at the rest with an idyllic situation (31-49).
Madrid’s difference not only remained stable but grew during a third quarter in which the two teams exchanged baskets (51-74). Barça did not find the change of script they needed and the white team knew how to punish their lack of confidence. In addition, Alex Abrines was injured. A 12-0 run was a mirage, as Barça did not have the continuity required by the scoreboard (63-74). The faith of Rokas Jokubaitis, Nico Laprovittola and Kyle Kuric was not enough.
The second game, Wednesday
The second match of the final, scheduled for the best of five matches, will be played this Wednesday (9pm, #Vamos), again at the Palau Blaugrana. Then the qualifier will travel to Madrid, where the third and, if necessary, the fourth duel of this title fight are scheduled.
