He Barça I don’t measure up in defense against an imposing Casademont Zaragoza who won by 101-99 in a sensational game by Trae Bell-Haynes (19 points, 13 assists and +31) supported by Mitchell Watt’s 22 points and Thad McFadden’s streak in the third quarter. Up front, the 21 points of the best Jabari Parker were not enough.
In the umpteenth week with three games in the middle of an insane schedule, It was time to return to the Endesa League after strong emotions experienced in the Euroleague with the defeat in Bologna against Virtus and the victory on Friday at the Palau against Fenerbahçe.
The Casademont Zaragoza was waiting with a packed Prince Felipe and with the intensity that Porfirio Fisac always brings to his teams, who continues to multiply the loaves and fishes in Zaragoza.
In the image and similarity of what has been happening too frequently, Barça started well with two triples from Laprovittola and a Joel Parra who little by little is regaining confidence (9-12, min. 4:46). And little by little it was losing intensity.
With the electric Trey Bell-Haynes as a stiletto, the Zaragoza team balanced the score and went ahead at the end of the first quarter (21-18). And that bad dynamic was accentuated in the first half of the second quarter.
The aids did not work, Mitchell Watt exhibited his sensational left foot and with a triple by the Polish Gielo the locals left 35-22 (min. 13:59) and they forced Roger Grimau to stop the game, who asked his players to be more aggressive.
His words finally had an effect and the Blaugranas really got into the game with a defensive work that improved despite the problems under the basket and with a masterful Jabari Parker from the perimeter.
The renowned ex-NBA scored three triples in 59 seconds that tightened the match to 43-40 at 1:33 before intermission. The locals reacted with a providential triple from Mark Smith and at halftime the game was open at 48-44. That is, a 14-4 partial with little intensity and another 13-22 after Grimau’s time in a new example of how vulnerable this team is if it does not go at one hundred percent.
The third quarter offered perhaps the greatest offensive display of a team so far in the Endesa League with Casademont Zaragoza as the protagonist and with Thad McFadden and Tomasz Gielo as the main actors with three triples without a miss per head.
Some very well shot and others a bit bizarre in those signature shots of the nationalized Georgian, the 8/9 in triples in the second quarter shot the locals up to 33 points in 10 minutes. With 4/8 in triples, Barça maintained its type and He only fell by six points after the one that had come upon him (81-75).
The defense improved at the beginning of the last quarter and the Blaugranas turned the score around with the fourth basket in a row by Brizuela (84-85) to give way to a phase of ties and minimal local advantages until Lapro scored a basket and a two plus one to make it 93-94 with 2:03 left..
At 94-94, Kalinic and Parker missed two triples, giving Watt two free throws that he did not waste. The fact is that Barça had the last attack with 14.5 seconds, 99-96 and… Parker’s triple assisted by Lapro! There were still 6.9 seconds left and Bell-Haynes completed his great game with a great basket to go to 19 points, 14 assists and +32.
Barça still had five tenths after Grimau’s timeout and Kalinic’s triple went nowhere near winning the game. In the end, 101-99 and Grimau complained about the last defense “and the previous one and the other…” in words to the Movistar + microphones. You can’t always play at your best, but it’s not acceptable to concede 101 points either.
2023-12-10 20:18:25
#BellHaynes #punishes #Barça #disconnections
