The Barça puts the 1-0 with doubts
Jasikevicius’s men sign up for the start of the ‘playoff’ against a Gran Canaria that fought him
MADRID, 27 May. (EUROPA PRESS) –
Barça beat Gran Canaria (93-82) this Friday at the start of the Endesa League playoff that aspires to end the defense of the title, an unconvincing debut that managed to seal in the last minutes at the Palau Blaugrana.
Sarunas Jasikevicius’s men put up a forced 1-0 to make the home court factor good and have the option of sealing the pass to the semifinals on Sunday in Gran Canaria. Calathes (10 points, 12 assists and 9 rebounds), Exum (16 points and a PIR of 20), Davies (16 and 19) and Mirotic made the Canarian trick impossible, despite the yellow reaction in the third quarter.
After being eliminated at the hands of Real Madrid in the Euroleague semifinals, Barça had a week to lick their wounds and return to compete to add a second League to the ‘Saras’ project. The staging was appropriate, but he lacked the instinct that the Lithuanian coach demands to finish off the rival.
With a 10 of 30 in triples, Barça doubted a lot and the ‘Granca’ could give the bell. The champion of the Regular Phase was successful with the direction of Calathes and with a defense that, without being what Jasikevicius expected, he gave him to survive. Mirotic pulled the car when the baskets did not enter in the first quarter.
The rebound gave a lot to the locals and a more participatory rotation, with Higgins and, above all, Exum. ‘Granca’ got stuck for many minutes and Barça opened the gap (34-20). Slaughter, Shurna and Pustovyi signed the approach of Porfirio Fisac’s men, and the Catalans closed again on the rise with Mirotic and Calathes.
With sparks working, without Sanli due to a blow to the head for which he was taken to hospital, Barça lost its way and ‘Granca’ began to believe with Salvó and Ennis. The team from Las Palmas (67-64) fought to the horn to get very involved in the outcome.
Without success and with the fear of a tight end with the pressure of being the favorite, Barça rebelled against any debacle. Calathes did a bit of everything, Davies won on the inside and Sergi Martínez gave him courage. Those of ‘Saras’ recovered the rebound to avoid a major scare in a title defense that requires much more.
DATASHEET.
–RESULT: BARÇA, 93 – GRAN CANARIA, 82. (48-39, at halftime).
–EQUIPMENT.
BARÇA: Calathes (10), Laprovittola (12), Kuric (-), Mirotic (13) and Sanli (-) –initial quintet–; Davies, Higgins (12), Martinez (5), Smits (2), Exum (16), Jokubaitis (6), Oriola (1).
GRAN CANARIA: Chery (7), Slaughter (15), Brussino (9), Shurna (9) and Pustovyi (12) –initial quintet–; Balcerowski (2), Salvó (11), K. Diop (7), Ennis (6), Stevic (3), Albicy (1).
–PARTIALS: 24-17, 24-22, 19-25, 26-18.
–REFEREES: Calatrava, Castillo and Sánchez Benito. Eliminated Diop for fouls.
–PAVILLION: Palau Blaugrana.