Barça neglects the Palau against a Milan without Mirotic
Grimau’s men confirm their slump, four defeats in five games, with the first home defeat in the Euroleague
MADRID, 15 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Barça lost (86-90) this Friday against Emporio Armani Milan on matchday 14 of the Euroleague, the first defeat of the European season at the Palau that confirms the first crisis of results for Roger Grimau’s team, always in tow of the Italians despite not having a former player like Nikola Mirotic in front of them.
The Spanish-Montenegrin was not there due to injury, Barça’s flagship in recent years, but Milan always had the lead on the scoreboard. Devon Hall (21 points), Nicolo Melli (16) and Shavon Shields (19) were the architects of the fifth European victory for Ettore Messina’s team, with Barça losing its status as sole second (10-4), two wins behind Real Madrid.
As in the last match against Fenerbahce, Barça made life complicated at the Palau with a bad first half but this time there was not enough reaction. Grimau’s team suffered from Milan’s great exterior success, with six triples in the first quarter, and they did not know how to adjust in defense or follow the offensive rhythm.
The Italian advantage was almost established in the ten, with a 36-51 one minute before the break that made it clear that the second act was also Milan’s. Shields went to the locker room with 17 points, and Nicolo Melli and Devin Hall also put a Barça team on the ropes in bursts and without much to cling to.
Nicolás Laprovittola and Willy Hernangómez, with 10 points each, were the ones who led the way, but exchanging blows was not an option for a Barça forced to react in defense. Grimau’s men increased their aggressiveness as expected and, also logically, Milan began to not put everything in, tightening the score.
The culé team improved its numbers with Vesley and continued on the back of Laprovittola, with more strength under the hoops to also win second chances on the rebound. However, the culé improvement, also with Nnaji and Parra, went to limbo without finding three-pointers and missing free throws in one point and again Italian (59-68).
Grimau’s men did not improve enough to stop so much open front in a Milan that enjoyed its best European night. Despite not having Mirotic, Messina’s team took advantage of Hall and Melli who was in charge of sentencing Barça three minutes from the end. A triple by Kalinic brought fleeting faith to the Catalans (71-77), but there was no energy behind to stop the rival.
Grimau’s men confirmed their crisis with the fourth defeat in the last five games, perhaps missing a Jabari Parker out due to gastroenteritis, a little more accuracy from three or the defense. A Barça that has been deflating in attack and defense, with two defeats in the League and another two in Europe in nine days.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: BARÇA, 86 – EMPORIO ARMANI MILAN, 90. (40-51, at half-time).
–EQUIPMENT.
BARÇA: Satoransky (4), Brizuela (9), Kalinic (17), Da Silva (6) and Hernangómez (10) –starting quintet–; Laprovittola (16), Abrines (-), Vesely (14), Nnaji (2), Jokubaitis (2), Parra (6).
EMPORIO ARMANI MILAN: Flaccadori (15), Shields (19), Melli (16), Ricci (-) and Voigtmann (8) –starting quintet–; Hall (21), Bortolani (-), Poythress (6), Tonut (3), Hines (2).
–PARTIALS: 19-29, 21-22, 19-17, 27-22.
–REFEREES: Belosevic, Panther and Konstantinovs. No eliminations.
–PAVILLION: Palau Blaugrana.
2023-12-15 21:50:06
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