Barça 84-74 Joventut: Winning start to the playoffs

Barça have got the league playoffs off on the right foot, and responded well to disappointment in the EuroLeague Final by seeing off a feisty Joventut thanks to a 84-74 win, with Bolmaro leading the scoring.

Barça were ready to go in the first of the best-of-three series at the Palau Blaugrana. A 26-18 lead in the first period was inspired by a fabulous Bolmaro, who picked up the award for the most spectacular player in the championship before the game. 

A stronger Badalona defence in the second period changed the course of affairs, and there were just two points in it at the break.

La Penya were losing a lot of ball in the third, and Barça made them pay for it, and the gap opened up to two figures. 

Smits and Pau Gasol were especially impressive in the final quarter as the blaugrana moved up to +16. That was enough to confirm a victory that would eventually be by ten points.  

It’s off down the road to Badalona for game two, which is on Thursday at 10.00pm CEST. Win that and Barça will have a place sealed in the semi-finals.

MATCH STATS

Barça: Hanga (3), Higgins (12), Abrines (5), Mirotic (11), Davies (7), Gasol (14), Oriola (-), Kuric (5), Bolmaro (16), Smits (11) & Claver (-)

Joventut: Bassas (4), Ribas (11) Parra (-), Morgan (2), Tomic (17), López-Arostegui (6), Brodziansky (16), Ventura (-), Dimitrijevic (16), Birgander (2), Dawson (-) & Busquets (-)

Periods: 26-18; 14-20 // 20-12; 24-24