Barcelona got into a morrocotudo mess, this time against a Monaco led by James and scored by Okobo, a team that when it got serious, already in the last quarter, broke down the Catalans. The defeat (93-86) leaves Barça on the line, and if they fall on the last day they could be banished from Europe before their time, since Dubai has one less win but the average in favor. Depressed emotionally due to the succession of injuries – the three pure point guards, for example, even though Juan Núñez returned against the Monegasque team after a year in the rebound – and with their tongue hanging out for a long time, Xavi Pascual’s team only aspires to the play-into the repechage. They will face Bayern in the epilogue at the Palau -Dubai will play against Valencia-, a rival that is no longer played in the competition. But the poor situation does not hide Barça’s lack of basketball, which has two blank years and is on its way to its third, far from being someone in Europe and already secondary in the ACB.
As if they wanted to quickly shake off their fears, Barça entered the scene vehemently, attacking and without hesitation, with short possessions and quick shots. A formula that worked for him at the start, with Punter and Clyburn on the periphery, also with Vesely and his almost infallible shot from medium distance. A 0-8 as an appetizer that explained that. And, for once, the team did not give in to the rival strength, again with Clyburn and Punter as snipers while Parra and Shengelia multiplied in defense. A mixture that smeared a rival with as many resources as his aim in chloroform, with Mike James – an old and always future aspiration of Barça – and Strazel sharing the ball and the baskets, although not enough to defeat the sprint Barça initial, a resounding 18-26.
It happened that Barcelona soon ran out of gas, reduced by Monaco when Xavi Pascual started with the change wheel; the supporting actors don’t go beyond that. Thus, James rationed the candy while Okobo asked for ball and court, muscle and legs, head and wrist. A lot of good stuff that served to put the deficit on the scoreboard (29-31), so that the Barça coach once again gave Clyburn and Punter a role, who once again defined themselves from the outskirts, in addition to Shengelia who put his boots on the line with the assists. But Strazel, an effervescent player who needs little fuse to light, added to Blossomgame and Theis’s craftsmanship, returned the duel to its reality, 46-44 at halftime. , since with great basketball it was not enough for him to blur Monaco.
The third act began badly for Barcelona, with Shengelia’s fourth foul. Forced bench and Norris to the hardwood. But Parra assumed the honors, capable of absorbing rivals and balls inside to take them out, so that Punter continued with his recital from the triple, Norris joined in and Clyburn vindicated himself. Four in a row so that Barça stayed on their feet until Monaco took another step and dedicated themselves to running, an olive bone in the Barça throat that became ball with the basketball of Okobo and Blossomgame. 72-67 with a chapter to tell.
Barcelona wanted to be the one to tell it, always with Punter and Norris from the outside. But it did not last long in the face of Monaco’s new plan, which took refuge in James. Ball to the best, to the one who knows everything, to the one who gives and scores, to the one who chipped away the resistance and put the Blaugranas in a terrible mess, who no longer look up the table but in the rearview mirror, worried about being denied the Euroleague without even contesting the playoffs., lost along the way, unable for a long time to say his thing.
