Red Star will continue to be a virgin of victories at the Palau after their eighth defeat in as many visits. And a good part of the blame will have to be placed on Jabari Parker, who led Barça in the worst moments to achieve a new European victory for the Blaugrana on his first big night as a Barcelona player.
Nobody was bored in the Palau during an intense and entertaining first half, although the final acceleration of the Serbian team somewhat clouded the good work of Grimau's team. The Barça coach finally recovered Jokubaitis and Laprovittola, although especially the Argentine was seen lacking rhythm. His entry onto the court also coincided with that of Teodosic, dressed in a toga giving lessons in directing and passing, leaving too many duties for the Argentine.
Although Barça had a hard time controlling the rebound (26-44 in the end), they had a good rhythm with the ball in attack and kept the fans entertained, as dedicated as ever. Vesely's usual points in the initial stretch once again pointed the way and only the rebound kept Sfairopoulos' team alive on the scoreboard.
The Barça team threatened to break the game in an impressive second quarter. Willy Hernagómez's ease in feeding the net was almost scary (15p in less than 10 minutes on the track) and the inspiration of Jabari Parker, who was beginning to show ways, did the rest. An additional basket and shot by Jokubaitis stretched the score to 42-25 (minute 15). The night was looking like a party but the Serbian team, as usual, did not throw in the towel at any time and with Teodosic at the controls decided to return to the game. Another basket with an additional included from Nedovic completed a 2-12 partial to sow anxiety in Barcelona. The former Valencia and Unicaja player expanded his repertoire with a three-pointer at the buzzer to leave the ball high heading into the second half (47-43).
With a certain aroma of an NBA game, the second half had little to do with the first. Defenses were adjusted and contacts multiplied. Scoring was no longer a bed of roses. Barça certainly handled itself well in that tense scenario, a true litmus test for the Barça project, and emerged victorious from a heart-stopping last few minutes. Red Star evened the score at 78 thanks to the undetectable Mitrovic, the first draw since 4-4, but in a clear sign of maturity Barça responded with a three-point play and, seconds later, Parker completed his exhibition with a incredible basket from the corner that certified the victory. The sixth in seven days. A most notable balance for this nascent Barça.
86. Barça (21 26 18 21): Satoransky (10), Abrines (1), Kalinic (7), Da Silva (4), Vesely (14) -starting team-, Laprovittola (4), Parker (20), Hernangómez (18), Brizuela (0) and Jokubaitis (8).
81. Red Star (18 25 19 19): Napier (2), Nedovic (11), Mitrovic (22), Davidovac (12), Bolomboy (4) - starting team - Teodosic (13), Tobey (6), Ilic (2), Giedraitis (9), Kuzmic (0) and Two Saints (0).
Referees: Damir Javor (ESL), Carmelo Paternico (ITA) and Robert Vyklicky (CHE). They penalized the visitor Mitrovic with an unsportsmanlike foul (min.19) and a technical foul against the visiting bench (min.39). They eliminated the visitor Mitrovic due to five fouls (min.40).
Incidents: match of the seventh day of the Euroleague played at the Palau Blaugrana in Barcelona before 5,188 spectators.
