With the first decisive moment of the season looming on the horizon, the Copa del Rey, it seems that Barça is fine-tuning itself. Grimau's team had fallen in their last three European trips, and in five of the last six, a streak that they crushed on their visit to the always hot Stark Arena, where they defeated Red Star in a duel that they dominated from start to finish. It is the second most convincing performance by the Barça team this week after the victory against Virtus, two hard-won positive scores that consolidate it in second place in a Euroleague that is beginning to face the final stretch of its regular phase.
Perhaps the statistic that best confirms the good performance of Grimau's players in Belgrade is that Red Star did not manage to lead on the scoreboard at any time. In fact, since Brizuela's emergence in the second quarter he practically disappeared from the rearview mirror of a Barça that managed its advantage with ease, a sign of the level of confidence that its men now possess.
Brizuela's obvious improvement in recent weeks is excellent news for Grimau, who has a new threat for his rivals. The Basque mamba scored 14 points in 4m3s during the second quarter and finished the game with a spectacular 6/7 in triples. Although his role should be shared with Laprovittola, author of 8 points in a row in the final stretch that helped stop the Serbian reaction – 71-79 (minute 39) was his smallest disadvantage – and with a Vesely whose quality and experience are priceless. for this Barça.
Only the offensive rebound, a section in which Red Star is a specialist, allowed Sfairopoulos's team to maintain some hope of getting something positive out of the duel, with an outstanding Bolomboy (10r), but it ended up being a mirage against a very solid Barça It seems that he has found his best ally in defense.
76. Red Star (17-15-19-25): Dos Santos (13), Lazic (0), Davidovac (0), Giedraitis (6), Bolomboy (12) - starting team - Nedovic (21), Tobey (9), Mitrovic (4), Hanga (2), Smart (7), Gillespie (2) and Teodosic (0).
85. Barça (18 27 19 21): Satoransky (6), Laprovittola (12), Kalinic (6), Parker (9), Vesely (16) -starting team-, Hernangómez (6), Jokubaitis (9), Da Silva (1), Brizuela (20), Nnaji (0), Paulí (0) and Parra (0).
Referees: Fernando Rocha (POR), Saulius Racys (LIT) and Kristaps Konstantinovs (LET). They called out an unsportsmanlike foul against the visitor Vesely (min.31).
Incidents: matchday 25 of the Euroleague played at the Stark Arena in Belgrade (Serbia).
