[Sport] A major Mirotic ditch the Barça crisis and ends with the unbeaten Madrid

[#Steeven.™]

Barcelona ended in the best way its most turbulent week in recent times. What began with the abandonment of Thomas Heurtel at the Istanbul airport ended with a victory (82-87) in the Classic with a sublime performance by Nikola Mirotic. Nobody in the Barça team missed the French base or got off track due to the controversy. There were only eyes for the power forward's recital, who took over the game from the first moment and he himself decided it with a stopper with 21 seconds left. The 41 of his valuation are the second best mark of a culé in a league duel against Madrid, three behind Juan Carlos Navarro.

The Whites were unable to complete the plenary session at 15 after suffering their first defeat this season in the Endesa League. They played less than their rival, who could have stayed four victories apart, but they were always one step behind Barça. Despite fighting until the last moments, Madrid never gave the feeling of controlling the rhythm of the clash. Several important pieces were well below what they are used to.

Quite the opposite happened to the Catalans, who had brilliant bursts from Higgins, others from Oriola, some from Hanga and also from Kuric, decisive in the final arreón in the fourth quarter. But always, from Mirotic. The first ball he touched made it a triple. It was his declaration of intent and the foretaste of a nightmare night for Garuba, whom he tortured in the first quarter with points of all colors.

The Barça star closed the first act with 14 points, five rebounds and a PIR of 19. Figures that many do not make in a complete game, he had achieved them in less than nine minutes. And yet they were not enough to take off Madrid (22-23), supported by the triples of Causeur and Abalde in a hectic start by the two teams, who had only missed one shot per side when the score was already 10-10 .

 

GREATER BLUE PRODUCTION
In the second quarter, with Deck glued to Mirotic, Oriola took over the scoring relay at Barça. The struggle of the pivot was compensated by Llull, who scored 11 points and three triples in that period. Thanks to his success, his team achieved a maximum rickety of four points (46-42), but almost the entire match was even that way. Some punished on the outside and others, taking advantage of Tavares's rest minutes, on the inside. Higgins found a vein and with four straight innings he closed the first half in a draw: 46-46.

The break brought back a thicker Madrid. It took him three minutes to score while Barça completed a 0-9. Mirotic was in command, scoring and rebounding. The whites held out with a Tavares who, despite missing several dunks, was beginning to mark territory. The 65-64 at the end of the third quarter anticipated an outcome of tachycardias, but it was not so much.

Madrid was running into the Barça defense, which collapsed their game. To that was added the visiting dominance in the rebound, especially under the white ring. Pustovyi contributed and Kuric emerged with nine points in a 4-18 run that almost ended the game (72-84). The Madridistas, in a fit of pride, responded with an 8-0 that was close to being more. Mirotic blocked a shot from Laprovittola from behind that threatened to put the hosts within just two points with 21 seconds remaining. It was the culmination of his extraordinary performance. Heurtel's Classic was Mirotic's.

 

- Data sheet:
82 - Real Madrid (22 + 24 + 19 + 17): Laprovittola (8), Abalde (8), Causeur (8), Garuba, Tavares (11) -the starting five-, Rudy, Deck (12), Llull (14 ), Taylor (5), Thompkins (6) and Carroll (10).
87 - Barça (23 + 23 + 18 + 23): Calathes (7), Higgins (12), Abrines (2), Mirotic (26), Pustovyi (4) -the starting five-, Oriola (10), Hanga (10 ), Kuric (14), Smits (2), Bolmaro and Martínez.
Referees: Sergio Manuel, Emilio Pérez Pizarro and Arnau Padrós. They eliminated local Thompkins (min. 36) and visitor Abriles (min. 38) by five personal fouls.
Incidents: match of the sixteenth day of the Endesa League, played at the WiZink Center (Palace of Sports of the Community of Madrid) without spectators due to the coronavirus pandemic.