The reaction did not come in Monaco either, quite the opposite. Barça arrived in the Principality to play the last game of the first round of the Euroleague, with the need to take a step forward that would increase the team’s confidence and reinforce the fragile foundations of the section’s incipient project. But reality, especially in this tortuous December, with more defeats than triumphs, was once again stubborn. Roger Grimau’s men offered, once again this season, a weak, very contemplative defense, which facilitated the victory of the Monegasques (91-71). The offensive plot didn’t work either in another heavy defeat this year. The locals did not even need a stellar Mike James, the tournament’s top scorer, who from the third quarter played with a gap in his head after a blow to Satoransky’s jaw.
The Barcelona fans did not learn their lesson. Despite the rival’s strength, they went out at half speed to the Salle Gaston Médecin parquet. Unable to put together a clean play, due to the physical impetus of Obradovic’s men, the Blaugrana hopelessly conceded an initial run of 14-3. Monaco scored without excessive opposition from the perimeter and in the zone. After the relevant timeout, only Parker, with two three-pointers in a row, managed to stop the bleeding. But it was a band-aid. Okobo widened the lead with a triple at the end of the first quarter (27-15).
Barça raised the intensity slightly, with constant help to short-circuit the Monegasque fluidity, but was repeatedly late to cover the free player, especially from the three-point line. Okobo again and Kemba Walker, with two hits from the 6.75 line, further expanded the lead (38-22). The turnovers and the concession of offensive rebounds were also a straw for Malaysia in the attempt, frustrated again and again, to reverse the situation. Willy Hernangómez seemed to put order under the basket, with points and rebounds, until he caught the general mistake. Laprovittola, a hero in other games, gave his team a halo of hope before the break with seven points. The best news for Barça was that the deficit was still salvageable in the intermission (47-36).
At the beginning of the third quarter, the Blaugrana found more routes to the basket, thanks to good circulation, against a more erratic Monaco, especially from the free kick. Barça got closer to eight points after a basket by Kalinic (54-46), but the physical toughness of the locals ended the visitors’ hopes. Two consecutive triples from Diallo, the second at the buzzer and very far away, knocked Grimau’s team to the canvas before the final push (67-52). Monaco, with Diallo in a state of grace, abused an ineffective Barça in the last quarter, totally catatonic and unable to show pride, which lost 30 points (89-59). A disastrous December ends for Barcelona fans, but January begins with curves. Real Madrid waits for next Wednesday.
Monaco (27 20 20 24): Strazel (3), James (20), Blossomgame (11), Brown (4), Motiejunas (8) -starting team-, Okobo (9), Diallo (19), Cornelie (5 ), Walker (6) and Hall (6).
Barça (15 21 16 19): Satoransky (2), Laprovittola (9), Kalinic (10), Da Silva (-), Vesely (6) -starting team-, Parker (15), Parra (10), Nnaji ( 4), Jokubaitis (7), Brizuela (2), Hernangómez (4) and Paulí (2).
Referees: Fernando Rocha (POR), Luka Kardum (CRO) and Adar Peer (ISR). They pointed out a technical foul to the visiting coach Roger Grimau (min.24) and the local James (min.39).
Incidents: matchday 17 of the Euroleague in basketball played at the Salle Gaston Medecin in Monaco.
