Classification This is the ACB
Interview Pablo Laso: "The recognition of a waiter is as big as a title"
As in the old days,
Cory Higgins
was too much for Real Madrid.
Only injuries have put out the fire of a forward without equal in Europe.
The moment of truth arrived and the godson of
Michael Jordan
took over the stage, mesmerizing a rival with no response to his offensive talents.
The third clásico of the season was once again for a Barça that is beginning to forget the affronts at the end of last season.
[78-87: Narration and Statistics]
Quality tipped the balance.
That of Higgins and that of
Nico Laprovittola
, an exterior couple that seems to be caressing basketball.
Jasikevicius
gave himself to them
-Mirotic, who returned a few weeks ago from his long injury, did not appear this time in the final-, who once again savored the triumph in the territory of his eternal rival, whom he equals at the top of the Endesa League.
23 points from the couple (all those from the last quarter except a basket with everything already decided by
Kalinic
), penetrations like daggers to the heart of a fangless Madrid, who disappeared where he was not used to, on the finish line.
Dzanan Musa
was not up to par at that key moment, let alone a totally out of focus
Hezonja
all night.
The Christmas classic, a tradition, is the first of many to come, a promise of battles that will be (in 24 days, the next one, same stage, but in the Euroleague; soon, the Cup), but still with a rivalry with mute.
If that is, in a Madrid-Barça match, it is possible.
More with the WiZink up to the flag.
Perhaps that -or the exhaustion of the calendar without respite- explains a dawn without defenses, 53 points between both rivals who found unreal corridors.
It was only an initial mirage.
Vesely vs. Tavares
But it was Barça who already seemed to be more comfortable, with
Vesely
solid in the paint and the triples as a good ally.
For a moment it even seemed that he was threatening to break (30-37), although a couple of mistakes in released shots and the irruption of
Sergio Rodríguez
(who changed everything without having to shoot a basket) and, above all,
Tavares
stopped him in dried.
The African continues to be too inscrutable for Jasikevicius, far away and those wounds he caused with
Sanli
open.
At halftime equality was the norm, but
Llull always remains
.
Incredible as it may seem, with less than three seconds and serving from his own half, he hit again from the middle of the field.
Tangerines follow in 2023;
even Jasikevicius gave a helpless half smile.
That by Llull had been Madrid's second triple, which returned with renewed energy.
The battle was a matter of small inertia, as if neither fighter had the tools ready for total consistency yet.
Tavares was the differential element, but he missed up to five free throws in the third act, something rare for him.
Laprovittola, for his part, was the one who now supported Barça, who went to the finish line after an encouraging partial of 0-10 (57-62).
Madrid had arrived at that halftime like a well-known boxer in his corner.
It was as if he had suddenly entered a labyrinth and that Mirotic, with three fouls, rested in that section and for the remains.
But an unexpected element had appeared, the offensive rebounds, as silent as they were damaging, by
Óscar da Silva
.
The German, ex of Alba, was the first of the keys.
A triple from Higgins and another from Laprovittola and several penetrations on a comfortable mat, definitively turned on the red alarm in Madrid (69-77, min. 37).
Before, it had been El Chacho who rescued
Chus Mateo
, but there was no longer going to be a trace of him.
As if Higgins had cast a spell, it was all over in the Palace.
Chus Mateo did not know what to do and not even the legendary flashes of self-love from the comebacks appeared this time.
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Goal
Real Madrid
Europe
David Silva
Sergio Llull
Ministry of Defence