Nikola Mirotic is back. In every sense. It premiered this season and also reserved a leading role in the worked and suffered triumph on the field of Alba Berlin. Their 19 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 steals in 22 minutes, with a PIR of 29were decisive in securing the eighth victory in the Euroleague (86-88) in a game that the Barcelona fans faced with the absence of Abrines and Sanli and were the best news after their long absence.
We knew it would be difficult, but this victory will allow us to continue buildingMirotic admitted. “I am happy for my return. It was special to feel these feelings again, to get back on the pitch, hit some shots and help the team”.
Mirotic’s mystery did not take long to clear up, although Jasikevicius assured, in the previous one, that it is necessary to go little by little on his return. At the Mercedes Benz Arena, he was already part of the starting five. Five long months have passed since his last game, the final of the last League, due to an Achilles tendon injury. Y in five minutes he had cleared up doubts about his inspiration. An inside action and two triples without a miss made it clear that his wrist was still intact and also limited the presence of Da Silva, for whom the return to Berlin to face his former team was also special.
From the start, Barça showed a very effective choral game, especially in attack, with Laprovittola also adding from the three-point line, and that allowed them to play comfortably, with advantages of up to 11 points, with which they closed the first quarter (19- 30).
physical game
In that scenario of an adverse exchange of blows, Alba Berlin did not take long to unearth its most physical profile. All of his actions hardened, especially in defense and Barça, already involved in rotations, accused him with an offensive blackout that lasted five minutes and allowed Israel González’s team to restore balance with a 10-2 run. Three players were key in Alba’s makeover. The giant Koumadje, with his 2.24, went on to dominate the offensive rebound and Blatt’s success (11 points in 11 minutes) and Thiemann disconnected the Barcelona defense and changed the script at halftime (46-45).
Barça knew how to roll up their sleeves at the restart to match the intensity of the German team and that change of attitude also produced a spectacular turnaround in the match. The Barça defense dried up Alba, limiting it to 11 points in the period, and allowed the best minutes of Jasikevicius’s team who exhibited himself with authority with fleeting appearances by Higgins, Lapro and Mirotic (57-71, m. 30) and gave the Catalans the necessary calm to endure the last rush of the German team, which did not lower its arms and came to be at a single point (86-87) with five seconds to go, until Mirotic quelled the rebellion from the staff line.
