97-88: Defeat in first game of the finals
Real Madrid were unable to win the first point of the series at the Palau in a game that was decided in the final moments.
Real Madrid lost the first game of the Endesa League finals against Barcelona. Our team tried until the end at the Palau, but they were unsuccessful in the last quarter, in which Barcelona got ahead on the scoreboard. Tavares, with 15 points and a 21 point index rating, was the best of the game for our team.
Our team's start was impeccable with a 0-6 run after a triple by Williams-Goss and the 2+1 by Tavares. Led by the American point guard, with seven points in three minutes, Chus Mateo's team went 4-12 up at the Palau, which halfway through the first quarter became 11-17. The home side, despite nine points from Tavares, reacted and ended the quarter 28-23 thanks to three consecutive three-pointers from Sanli.
Some very accurate shooting by both teams continued in the second quarter and, with six minutes to go before half-time, a three-pointer by Rudy made the score 37-33. After Jasikevicius' time-out, Barcelona extended their lead 42-35 thanks to five straight points from Laprovittola, but Chus Mateo's team went back in front with less than a minute to go after two three-pointers from Llull and Yabusele, which capped an exceptional 2-13 run. Another three-pointer from a very accurate Sanli from the perimeter and Hezonja's basket on the last possession left the game at 47-50 at half-time.
Our team's start was impeccable with a 0-6 run after a triple by Williams-Goss and the 2+1 by Tavares. Led by the American point guard, with seven points in three minutes, Chus Mateo's team went 4-12 up at the Palau, which halfway through the first quarter became 11-17. The home side, despite nine points from Tavares, reacted and ended the quarter 28-23 thanks to three consecutive three-pointers from Sanli.
Some very accurate shooting by both teams continued in the second quarter and, with six minutes to go before half-time, a three-pointer by Rudy made the score 37-33. After Jasikevicius' time-out, Barcelona extended their lead 42-35 thanks to five straight points from Laprovittola, but Chus Mateo's team went back in front with less than a minute to go after two three-pointers from Llull and Yabusele, which capped an exceptional 2-13 run. Another three-pointer from a very accurate Sanli from the perimeter and Hezonja's basket on the last possession left the game at 47-50 at half-time.
After the restart, the scoring rate dropped but the gap remained the same at 51-54 with 4:35 minutes left on the clock. If in the first two quarters the attacking lines dominated the defences, in the third it was the other way around. Three free throws from Laprovittola brought the game back on level terms, which reached the final 10 minutes at 63-61 after a quarter in favour of the home side 16-11.
Everything was still to be decided at the Palau and the last quarter began with a three-pointer from Hezonja and another from Mirotic in response. Two free throws by Laprovittola, a technical foul from Chus Mateo and a triple by Abrines gave Barcelona the biggest lead of the game: 74-64. The reaction of the European champions was instantaneous and they scored 6 points in a row with Sergio Rodríguez's triple and Llull's 2+1. Barcelona's attacking success was key, but two personal points scored by Rudy and a dunk by Tavares cut the gap to five points with 2:40 to go, but despite trying until the end, Barcelona took the first point of the series.
BARCELONA-REAL MADRID STATISTICS
Everything was still to be decided at the Palau and the last quarter began with a three-pointer from Hezonja and another from Mirotic in response. Two free throws by Laprovittola, a technical foul from Chus Mateo and a triple by Abrines gave Barcelona the biggest lead of the game: 74-64. The reaction of the European champions was instantaneous and they scored 6 points in a row with Sergio Rodríguez's triple and Llull's 2+1. Barcelona's attacking success was key, but two personal points scored by Rudy and a dunk by Tavares cut the gap to five points with 2:40 to go, but despite trying until the end, Barcelona took the first point of the series.
BARCELONA-REAL MADRID STATISTICS