Barça appeals to character to win in Malaga and is already close to the final

With six players in double figures in points, the Catalans defeated Unicaja in the third game (79-90)

Saras’ men take the lead in the ‘semis’ (2-1) and this Tuesday they could seal their pass to the Endesa League final

Barça reacted in style with a hard-worked 79-90 victory on the Unicaja track that allows him to recover the home court factor in the Endesa League semifinals (2-1) and he has done so by appealing to his most solid and choral image with up to six players with more than 10 points and four top scorers, all of them with 12 (Kalinic, Satoransky, Laprovittola and Mirotic).

Therefore, Barcelona fans will have their first opportunity to qualify this Tuesday at 9:00 p.m. for the Endesa League final in the fourth game. In a similar situation is Real Madrid, who repeats their visit to La Penya this Monday at 9:00 p.m. with 2-1 after winning the last two games.

The problems that Mike Tobey suffered in an ankle in the second game opened the doors of the summons to Oscar da Silva And it was not the only novelty, since Oriol Paulí took Sergi Martínez’s place. The locals started better, but nothing to do with the start of Friday when they reached 1-14 in the midst of Barça’s confusion.

Two baskets in a row from Tyler Kalinoski gave Unicaja three points of income (6-3) and David Kravish’s third consecutive basket served to maintain that income (15-12) while Nikola Mirotic was the one who had it most clearly on the visiting side . In need of a good match, the Spanish-Montenegrin scored two, three and a two plus one to lead the good end of the fourth of yours

In fact, Barça closed the quarter with a 0-8 run with three-pointers from Kyle Kuric and Mirotic to go ahead (17-20). In addition to stopping the threat of a start in a whirlwind from Malaga, Jasikevicius’s team had equalized the rebound after what happened on Thursday (nine each team) and had not allowed the couple made up of Tyson Carter and Kendrick Perry to set the pace.

However, the second quarter was dominated by the local ‘dynamic duo’ with quick transitions and that game of exchanging positions and deliveries in hand that does so much damage to rivals and that Ibon Navarro knows how to take advantage of, very possibly the revelation of the season on the bench at the domestic level.

A kill from Nnaji (he finally had minutes) in ‘alley oop’ from a pass from Jokubaitis made it 19-22 at the dawn of the second quarter, but a basket from the ‘maestro’ Will Thomas and a triple from Djedovic after a bad kick from Barcelona background forced Saras to stop the game when only 67 seconds had elapsed (24-22). From there, equality until Carter and Perry began to do their thing.

With 34-33 (min. 15:59), Melvin Ejim pressed on Mirotic’s defense and slapped him to which the Catalan did not react well. Well, they neither whistled the foul nor did they point out technique (he only received a warning). Double mistake. And what has been said, with five points each, Perry and Carter managed to that Unicaja went ahead at halftime (43-40) after scoring 26 points in those last 10 minutes.

Although equality continued to preside over Carpena, Unicaja returned better and we will explain why. Barça found themselves outclassed and only took 2:28 to enter the bonus. In addition, by then the locals had caught the three rebounds in the visiting ring. Three offensive for the Andalusians and zero defensive for those of a Saras who asked for time immediately with 49-45 after a dunk from Sima. Unfortunately, Sanli in these fights is practically a zero to the left.

Satoransky emerged as the leader with two triples and eight points in a row to take Barça to its maximum income (49-53) and an assist from the Czech to Kuric raised it even more (51-57). As usually happens, good Barcelona minutes tend to be followed by others not so good and Unicaja came within just two points (60-62) after an unsportsmanlike attack by Kuric on Brizuela for sticking out the elbow (allegedly) on Brizuela when rising. This of the unsportsmanlike and the ‘Instant Replays’ is beginning to be a tombola that favors the defenders if they stick to one centimeter of the attacker and receive a blow.

With four free throws, the Catalans caught their breath at the end of the third quarter (60-66) with foul problems for the locals Osetkowski (four) and Carter (four) and for the visitors Laprovittola (four), Kalic (three) and Sanli (three). And the first three minutes of the last quarter were a succession of attacking fouls and very good defenses to keep things practically the same (64-70 at 7:10 from the end).

Kuric was key there to continue vindicating himself with an offensive rebound, a free kick received, two free throws made and an assist so that an excellent Kalinic established the maximum lead by Blaugrana (64-73 with 6:22 to go). Unicaja did not give up and returned to the charge until a triple from Lapro left the contest almost sentenced (73-80). Barça did not hesitate and ended up winning 79-90. Great win in a sensational atmosphere. Huge the Carpena.