Barça stands up to Olympiacos but it is not enough

Barça started in Piraeus with great defensive intensity. With some iron markings to Vezekov and Papanikolau, the start of the duel was Barcelona with a Mirotic that took advantage of balls inside the area. A hopeful start, with a triple included by Sanli that gave Barça the first income (2-9).

Olympiacos could not find comfortable shots against the Barça defense, the best of the season and allowed Jasikevicius’s team to reach the 10 rental points (8-18) before the despair of Bartzokas and a totally unwise Vezenkov 1 of 4).

In a magnificent first quarter (11-20), Barça controlled the Greeks, with a Mirotic in a leading plan despite having made just one 3-pointer in the fourth (1 of 7).

Olympiacos turns it around

Bartzokas decided that it was time to give the alternative to the second unit, with Sloukas in command and McKissic, and the party changed. Jokubaitis gave Barça the maximum at the start of the fourth (11-22), but from then on, the Barça collapsed in attack.

The intensity of the Greeks shot up with a triple of larentzakis and with Piraeus on fire, Olympiacos endorsed a 12-0 run (23-22) that did a lot of damage to the blaugrana. Higgins did not contribute when he entered the track and had to be mirotic (12 points) which led to the minuscule reaction of Barça (24-27).

A triple by McKissic in the last action gave Olympiacos an advantage at halftime (29-27) in a game of alternatives and with little success from long distance for the Catalans (1 of 13 on triples). The departure after the break could mark the fate of the duel for Barça.

triple clean

All the mistake in the triple in the first half, changed completely in the second. laprovittola He scored two consecutive three-pointers and Kalinic’s first and McKissic and Vezenkov responded to maintain control (39-36).

The worst news for Barça is that Vezenkov appeared in attack. stop at February MVP It seemed key to take the victory of Piraeus. Also joining the success from the triple was the former Blaugrana Papanikolau who gave the Greek team the maximum (46-41).

A triple by Sanli, in a good game by the Turk, kept Barça in the game although control passed into the hands of the Greeks who they came ahead at the end of the quarter (50-45).

Olympiacos’ maximum (53-45) was reduced by Barça with two consecutive triples by Laprovittola and Higgins (53-51). The triples returned as protagonists to the duel, with a response from McKissic, who took the lead of the Greek team (56-51). Olympiacos once again gave the score a lift (59-51). The azulgranas had to remain calm and match the intensity of the locals if they wanted to win the duel.

Barça stayed alive with three-pointers from Kalinic and Higgins (66-63) at 3:17 from the end. Saras did not move the bench and fatigue began to take its toll. Laprovittola, with two almost consecutive steps, was one of those who began to lose reflexes. A triple from Vezenkov almost finished Barça (70-63) two minutes from the end.

A triple of larentzakis He put the finishing touch on Barça (75-65) who put their will, but it was not enough to surprise Olympiacos (77-70). Now the goal is to win against Fenerbahçe this Friday, another duel that seems very complicated.