Little given to finding light in the dark, Jasikevicius’ Barça has completed an admirable return to life. Players and coach have parked their egos and have established themselves as a team with a capital letter, the Endesa League having become their great incentive. They have been able to leave behind the Kaunas accident that seemed deadly, and have run over Real Madrid in the final. The blaugrana completed the task at the WiZink after putting the title on track with two wins at the Palau, and added their twentieth league title to the first before the resigned rival fans.
A phenomenal cherry on top of a bittersweet season that ends with a League that is worth gold before facing what seems like a change of cycle. Nikola Mirotic, the undisputed leader of the Barça team, named MVP, could not have said a better farewell, an award that confirms that he has given his soul to the end, putting the future aside and once again pointing out the path of domestic success, although he still has the European spine stuck deep inside.
The third stake of the final did not stray from the script of the previous ones, with maximum intensity and equality until Barça’s last sprint at the end that decided the title. The Catalans did not wrinkle before what was anticipated to be a hellish environment. After a very even first quarter, Jasikevicius took out his first wild card with an area that showed Nnaji as the player furthest from the hoop. Madrid had a hard time deciphering it. The Nigerian, a few hours away from knowing in which position in the NBA draft he will appear, was capable of stopping Sergio Rodríguez and also helped a lot in the rebound. The result was a first Barca rush that became 22-29 (minute 13) thanks to a triple from a connected Kalinic. But that’s where Madrid reacted and did so, as almost always, hand in hand with the most veterans. This time it was Causeur and Llull, always him, who with skill and an admirable ability to revolutionize matches turned the score around. The Menorcan scored 8 points in just 2m38s. And that the whites were missing more free throws than usual (5/11 in the first half).
But Barça was by no means groggy, with Madrid always one possession away. Of course, it was too difficult for him to score. Vesely’s wrist hadn’t quite started – when it did, in the end, the League was stained with azulgrana – but there were no nerves in the azulgrana team, who distributed the points among almost all their players, their great asset in this final. A 3-pointer from Satoransky here. A basket of Jokubaitis over there. Madrid went crazy. In the end, the eleven Barça players who set foot on the track scored points.
Vesely was inspired by leaving the locker room. The Barça triples also continued to rain but from the beginning, although Jasikevicius’ men had recovered the midfielder of the clásico, Madrid were seen scoring too easily under the basket. Mateo abused Tavares, Yabusele and Poirier, who were adding and adding taking advantage of Chacho’s gifts. Madrid, in addition, took many more free kicks, the result of Barça’s defensive intensity, the result of their coach’s demands.
The last ten minutes were just getting the trophy on the plane back to Barcelona. Vesely assumed command of operations, with Mirotic also asking for a turn at Olimpo and Barça broke the score to 82-93, the biggest difference of the night and final result. The Endesa League crowned a colossal champion: Jasikevicius and Mirotic’s Barça. One ends his contract and the other has opened the exit door. Flour from another cost.
82 – Real Madrid (21 20 25 16): Williams-Goss (4), Hanga (4), Musa (9), Yabusele (10), Tavares (19) – starting team – Causeur (11), Rudy Fernandez ( ), Hezonja (7), Sergio Rodriguez (3), Poirier (7) and Llull (8).
93 – Barça (20 18 29 26): Satoransky (8), Laprovittola (12), Abrines (2), Mirotic (14), Vesely (19) -initial team-, Da Silva (4), Sanli (6), Kalinic (10), Kuric (3), Jokubaitis (13) and Nnaji (2).
Referees: Carlos Peruga, Benjamín Jiménez and Javier Torres. No deleted.
Incidents: Third game of the Endesa League final played at the WiZink Center in Madrid before some 11,965 spectators.
