Saturday’s defeat at the Valencia Basket court (86-76) put an end to a spectacular streak of 12 wins in a row in which the team managed to overcome setbacks in the form of injuries after a very tough time due to the succession of covid cases.
Leader in the Euroleague with 21 wins and five losses ahead of Real Madrid (20-6) and second in the Endesa League with 15 wins (two behind the Whites but with one less loss), the azulgrana situation is excellent now that the season enters its decisive phase.
intense march
However, there are already too many meetings in which the bench contributes less than desired and the team ends up lacking points, something that is very important now that the calendar is once again getting tough with 10 games in the next 23 days… Crazy!
As in the past, the next three weeks will bring three games each one to those of a Jasikevicius who maintains his maximum demand. Barça visits Fuenla tomorrow (8:30 p.m.) and Zalgiris on Friday (7:00 p.m.) to receive the bottom team Coosur Real Betis on Sunday (5:00 p.m.).
Jasikevicius, always demanding
| EFE
In the next one, the azulgranas will start on Wednesday the 16th trying to break their spell with Baskonia in Europe in Vitoria to later host Red Star and ‘Granca’. To finish, on 22-M they will play in Berlin against ALBA, three days later you will receive Sasa Djordjevic’s Fenerbahçe and on March 27, the Penya awaits in Badalona. And on the 29th, a difficult commitment against one of the league’s revelations, the UCAM Murcia of former Barça player Sito Alonso.
Hayes and the others
When it comes to talking about bench players who should contribute more, the name of Nigel Hayes should appear typographically rich. The former Zalgiris player is not responding as expected, at least in attack with a dismal average of 4.6 points + 4 PIR in the Euroleague that rise to 6.6 and +7.0 in the Endesa League.
Another case would be Rolands Smits, one of the hardest working players and versatile of the team that is not going through a good moment right now. The Latvian only averaged 3.1 points in his last eight European appearances and in Valencia he only played 80 seconds.
Rolands Smits must regain confidence
| EFE
Key in defense, Sergi Martínez must be more aggressive in attack. Despite not being an excellent shooter, the youth squad is a good handler with great solvency in the low post and must take advantage of his superiority against most of his defenders, either to finish, to assist an interior if help comes or to bend the ball out by also being a good passer.
The last case would be Alex Abrines. The Balearic needs time after five months off and for the knee operation he underwent last December and after overcoming covid. The Spanish international is one of the team’s best defenders and must regain his confidence to contribute more and more in the shot, where he is a master receiving after indirect blocking.