euroleague day 27
Olympiacos
barca
Mckissic, sensational during the game, enters the basket against Vesely Georgia Panagopoulou (EFE)
They have a lot of equipment and proven players, a team that many, almost everyone, envies. It also has Mirotic, a player like no other. But it’s not enough for Barça to say theirs when the high-level games arrive and that’s how they said it again against Olympiacos in Piraeus. Chameleon because he was Doctor Jekyll from the start, with a basketball of many carats, in the end he melted down and ended up becoming Mr Hyde, a team that shows that only Mirotic – also something of Laprovittola – does not worth it. And with Fenerbahçe fighting around the corner this Friday, Barça lost second place in the Euroleague to the Greeks.
After the chaos against Casademont Zaragoza, in which Barcelona sang the mea culpa after a disastrous game and a blushing defeat, the Barça team arrived in Greece, concerned about regaining their color and making it clear they have a team fit for the Euroleague can fight. Solid in defence, intense, hands everywhere and breath on the neck to the point where several shots fell in the shadow of the horn, Barça managed to make Olympiacos shudder in front of the basket and failed to score until the fourth minute Game. Bet. The same did not happen on the other side of the net, where Barça prevailed in colour, Sanli excelled in his fight with the big fall (2.18 meters) and the exquisite Mirotic, perhaps because he didn’t like what the Greek press was saying During these days suggested about the necessary role change between him and Vezenkov, previously the Euroleague’s top scorer and rebounder-, firm candidate for the MVP laurel. But it wasn’t Vezenkov’s night, a trigger in attack (13 points) and in defense, clumsy in his attempt to stop a Mirotic repeating a game that already appears in Jasikevicius’ books and that happens by hitting him the shoulder grabs get pumped passes and define under the basket. Of course, the sweets came from a Laprovittola, who sees the holes that others don’t even suspect, who sees basketball as a show. Exactly what Bartzokas – ex-Barça coach in the 2016/17 season – didn’t want to see, who couldn’t digest his morrocotudo technical rage, a good man’s tantrum. And that’s where Barça ended.
Contrary to what usually happens to him, on this occasion the Barcelona wardrobe expressed that he lacks chicha for high-flying moments and in this case decibels; Few pavilions have so much echo and energy, a boiling pot that takes very little to activate. The Greek springboard was a three-pointer by Larentzakis. And with no Mirotic, Lapro or Sanli – reduced version against Veselys Olympiacos – on the stretch, culé basketball was over as the score went from 11-22 to 23-22 (the first time the Greeks took the lead), French toast underscored the superlative Olympiacos and that Jasikevicius lived in desperation, arms raised and a crooked gesture, yelling at his team to make a three-pointer – one of 13 attempts before half-time – or at least not blanch so categorically on the rebound. But Mirotic, always the caped player, leveled the scores, 29-27 at halftime, defense over attacks, a sad seven Barca points in the second quarter.
Barça returned tighter on the shots from the perimeter, already with Laprovittola disguised as a sniper. But that wasn’t a challenge that worried Olympiacos, with Mckissic and Papanikolaou also inspiring the team more vigorously as they moved their feet and the ball at great speed. Too much for the Catalans, with cold sweats trying to stop the opposing Arrones and upset from the free-kick line, even on mid-range shots. Although none worse than Kalinic, who made an ode to stubbornness and disaster, two out of nine attempts in the three-pointer. Though stunned, Barcelona reached the last quarter alive (50-45) and again challenged Olympiacos from distance. And Mckissic and Larentzakis raised their voices and levels, including Vezenkov, who celebrated his threesome with anger and with his fist in the air, with a cry of liberation. Mainly because his team won without having his best version; The opposite of Mirotic, who deducted Barça but lost, aware that it is not worth it with the residual spice and it will not bring him great success, already fell in the Super Cup and the Cup, far from giving the stature , when the situation calls for it.
OLYMPIACOS, 77 – BARCELONA, 70
Olympiacos: Walkup (6), Canaan (0), Vezenkov (13), Papanikolau (8) and Fall (5) —starting fifth—; Larentzakis (14), Sloukas (3), Peters (6), Black (6) and Mckissic (16).
Barcelona: Satoransky (1), Laprovittola (15), Kalinic (8), Mirotic (19) and Sanli (13) – starting with five -; Da Silva (0), Vesely (2), Abrines (0), Higgins (10) and Jokubaitis (2).
Partially: 11-20, 18-7, 21-18 and 27-24.
Referee: Ilija Belosevic (Serbia), Mehdi Difallah (France) and Saso Petek (Slovenia).
Peace and Friendship Stadium. About 10,000 spectators.
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