12/27/2023 Act. on 12/28/2023 at 23:06 CET
Barça brought forward the Three Wise Men a week and He hoarded all the carbon possible with a terrible image on the court of a sensational Unicaja (91-71). The current league champions only lasted a quarter and once again showed that they are incapable of being consistent during the 40 minutes. And so it is impossible against a strong rival who had 11 consecutive victories in the domestic competition.
The fact is that the team led by Roger Grimau could be forced to defeat Monbus Obradoiro on January 7 on the last day of the first round to secure seeded status in the Copa del Rey in a new example of the step backwards that the team has taken as a consequence of the ‘cuts’ and already incomprehensible decisions in the configuration of the squad.
Barça was extraordinary in the first quarter with a good defensive level led by Joel Parra. The Catalan back and in attack in the best 10 minutes since his signing last summer with 11 points without failure (3/3 in triples), two defensive rebounds and +13. To date, his scoring record was the 13 points he scored against Bilbao Basket and the +14 he achieved in that match and against Baskonia in the league competition.
The former de la Penya was the most visible head in a Barça team that started with seven points from Laprovittola (5-10, min. 4:42) and that only lost two balls with great circulation in attack to finish with 5/9 in triples. Between the Argentine and Parra they signed 18 of the 26 points of the visitors, who seemed to have the game on track (19-26).
However, this team goes from doing very well to being at the mercy of the rival with the same ease of going from L’Hospitalet to Barcelona, simply by crossing a street. Unicaja notably increased its intensity and overruled some Barça players who went from Gargamel to mere smurfs.
Barça conceded 29 points in the second 10 minutes. Between Carter and Kendrick Perry they printed the fast rhythm that the locals like so much, while in the other ring the exaggerated help and second help at times (leaving the last one alone) caused a short circuit of those that are already beginning to be common in the hosts. by Roger Grimau.
Y Unicaja’s ‘point guard’ was Will Thomas. At 37 years old, the American He held the ball in the low post about four meters from the basket and from there he gave meaning to the attacks in a play that was already carried out in the ‘Katsikaris era’. Another key was the entry of Willy Hernangómez, who curiously (or not so curiously) coincided with four points from Yankuba Sima and another four from the aforementioned Thomas.
The former BAXI Manresa player scored two free throws to turn the score around (31-30, min. 13:30) and there began the spectacular Barça collapse with errors in all sections of the game (seven losses in the quarter). Grimau stopped the game after a triple by Thomas (41-33) and at halftime it was 48-38. Just before, Laprovittola deserved a disqualification for throwing the ball to Perry, although he was lucky and only received a technical.
Barça hit rock bottom with a triple from Carter (58-43, min. 23:32) and when things were at their worst they began to recover their vital signs with the good work of Satoransky, the cast of Vesely and the emergence of Kalinic. With these premises and the defensive improvement, they lowered the 10-point barrier (58-49) and They faced the last quarter down nine (69-60).
It was a mere mirage. The team disappeared in the final 10 minutes as it had already done in the second quarter. Grimau only took 70 seconds to stop the game after eight points in a row from Kalinoski (76-62), but he did not find the expected reaction and The azulgranas were a real shadow, especially in attack.
From there, gnashing of Blaugrana teeth and total celebration for Martín Carpena whose team has already won 12 in a row in an Endesa League in which they are shining above all as a team. In front, a sad rival that fell 91-71 and that he is still determined to play alone at times. This looks bad. Oh, and bringing on Nnaji with 20 down with three minutes left… for what?
2023-12-28 10:12:08
#Barça #hits #rock #bottom #Malaga #imperial #Unicaja
