Direct Narration and Statistics
Madrid
had
its revenge saved, but on the hottest plate, the top where it matters most, where it is never forgotten.
Before the eyes of
Europe
that enthusiastically contemplate the atavistic and infinite pending accounts of the two colossi.
It was in that unique
Final Four
showcase that the Whites returned
Jasikevicius 's
Barça
for
so many nights of frustration.
Where that competitive gene that is not sold at any counter other than the self-love of gladiators was revived.
Let them tell
Llull
, paradigm of the warrior, one of the heroes of the
Belgrade night
, from the comeback to return to an entire continental final four years later.
(83-86).
Because Madrid's blow, which will seek its
eleventh European Cup
on Saturday , against
Efes
at the
Stark Arena
, was double.
He confirmed his resurrection, the validity of
lasismo
, and, above all, he dynamited the foundations of the building on which his eternal rival threatened to build his lavish empire.
Only the
Euroleague
, which has not won since
2010
, supports
Barça
, once again ruined at the gates of glory, with the wasted talent of
Mirotic
.
His rage at missing the desperate last throw, the futility of his display, summed up everything that had just happened.
Madrid's comeback
And it happened that Madrid, which seemed shattered too soon, got up without knowing very well how to scream with rage where it raised its last throne.
He fell from 13 points
at the beginning of the second half and ended up breaking his deadly inertia against a Barça that showed a huge lack of personality.
After
five run-around defeats
-matched, bulky, defensive, offensive, controversial..., of all colors-,
Pablo Laso
had to change something in his road map.
And he did not hesitate to erase his giants from his quintet.
With
Yabusele and Deck
as false pivots, he took advantage of that initial chaos, albeit momentarily: eight points from the Frenchman against the bewildered
Sanli
.
As soon as
Saras
corrected with
Brandon Davies
, Laso already activated Tavares in the frantic game of cards that the opening act became.
It was the foretaste of a battle of pure agony.
But the first big problem for Madrid had been precipitated much earlier.
The only pure point guard on his squad -with
Alocén
injured and
Heurtel out-
,
Williams-Goss
, key to dealing with the Barça perimeter battalion, didn't last a minute on the court.
At 52 seconds he had to retire, with obvious signs of pain in his right foot.
Besides, the surprise effect was going to last too little for Laso.
He was able to stop the first
arreón culé
, with a Mirotic who was already dancing on the parquet.
But in the second act, when Saras's men were already determined to sabotage any white offensive, he made Madrid waters in a bad way, shrunken wrists, points by the drop count, as if all the ghosts were presented to him at once.
They even seemed lacking in courage, of that gene that until recently made them unique competitors.
With the break the bell saved him, an 11-1 final quarter that undressed the whites too soon.
The torture, which was what was expressed by the faces of those who were already far behind (47-34), did not seem to stop when they came back from the locker room.
Every little green shoot was ruined by Barça, especially by a
full Mirotic
.
But Madrid did not stop trying.
Abalde, Causeur, Tavares
... They clenched their teeth against their destiny.
To such an extent that Barça, as too confident in their domain, fell asleep in a bad way and resurrected the one who seemed doomed.
deadly mistake
.
The end of the third act was amazing.
A run of 2-17: suddenly there was an end.
The defense was what had spurred Madrid, rearing up now, with
Poirier
dominant, with the rage of the one who had been left for dead.
He gave himself to Llull
, to the experience of someone who was there so many times.
And it seemed that the balance was decanted with another triple by Yabusele (66-73).
Then, Barça revived with another two thanks to a response from
Laprovittola
and an offensive rebound from Mirotic that equalized everything.
The battle was already pure trance, two fighters desperate.
Details that decide.
Five points in a row from
Causeur, Calathes
, an offensive rebound from
Deck
, tremulous free throws and finally
Yabusele
with the scythe.
Finally the white smile.
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Sergio Lull
ACB League
Euroleague