Barça underestimated Unicaja. That the semifinal against Madrid was served, he planned within the team. In addition, a good start to the game only increased this feeling. In fact, the match took place with advantages from the blaugranas who knew how to counteract the attempts from Malaga to turn the score around. But, on the other hand, they did not finish closing the game on the various occasions they had.
In both the second and fourth periods, the blaugrana income was higher than 10 points. But instead of finishing the job, they let Unicaja return to the duel. Inexplicable. A deficit that is accompanying Barça on excessive occasions.
I think Jasikevicius’s men were not contemplating defeat until it came to pass. That from 64-53, in the final quarter, it went to 76-76, which forced extra time, is something unheard of if we take into account the difference in quality between both teams. I have to confirm that in these 10 minutes Unicaja, when they pressed the most to equalize the match, they called the blaugrana 5 fouls out of 9. They scored 14/15 free throws, while Saras’s 7/8.
In extra time, Barça was not up to the task either. Nervous, stiff, insecure and letting Unicaja take the initiative. A team caricature. If, in addition, gifts are made to the rival during free kicks, the consequence is to be left out of the Cup at the first opportunity.
OF MORE LESS
In general, the blaugranas they dominated the Andalusians in rebounding, accuracy and defense. In the second period, the performance of men like Nnaji, Higgins, Abrines or Tobey gave a lot of sensation of consistency. Ibon Navarro, who has a group with a few cm, always required his team to play with great aggressiveness and speed. The defense of changes of the blaugranas was relatively effective.
Sometimes short-circuited the attacks of the Unicaja and this allowed them to continue commanding the party. But, the Andalusian perimeter reinvented itself at the right moment and ended up decanting the result. The Brizuela-Perry couple was a nightmare, with the invaluable help of Kalinosky. Between the three they added 61 of the 89 points of their team. Impossible to understand that the blaugranas were not capable of tying them shorter.
It was not the night of any of the blaugrana point guards. Beyond their points, at no time did they own the game. In fact, no one took the team behind their backs at the moment of truth. And I was surprised that Higgins wasn’t in the final stretch of the game. In short, a Cup disaster. Unthinkable for any culé fan. A huge disappointment. I don’t know what the players must be thinking. They are at Barça to win these types of matches. The ones that take you to the titles.