Barça 84-74 Valencia: Mirotic gets play-off off to a flying start

Barça were inexpugnable at the Palau to win the first of the best-of-3 quarter final series against Valencia (84-74). Thye now have the chance to sew things up at La Fonteta and failing that there will be a second chance back at the Palau on game three.

Mirotic on fire

Consecutive threes from Harper edge Valencia into an early lead that was immediately cancelled out by the same double trick from Mirotic, who was simply superlative from start to finish tonight. The visitors just didn't know what to do about the Barça captain, who took 16 points in the first half and soon had his side leading by +10.

Valencia react

But this was not going to be a walk in the park. Chris Jones was adamant about that. Valencia mounted a comeback and by the time of the interval the game was back level. Cue a Barça reaction, Inspired in offence and with Mirotic commanding the rage, the threes started landing in style and the Catalans were back into a runaway lead. Only this time it was going to be for good.

Powering away

With some great defence too, Barça were +14 with ten to go, and this one looked done and dusted. A 7-0 streak from Valencia did change things a little, but it just meant that blaugrana cushion was just a little less huge. They hung on to keep their 100 per cent home record in the Liga Endesa alive. The first match point comes at La Fonteta this Friday in a 9pm CEST start.

MATCH STATS

Barça: Satoransky (14), Laprovittola (6), Abrines (6), Mirotic (27), Vesely (10), Kalinic, Kuric (14), Jokubaitis (2), Sanli (0), Sergi Martínez (0), Tobey (0) & Nnaji (0).

Valencia: Jones (18), Harper (15), Puerto (6), Claver (0), Alexander (9), Webb (6), Radebaugh (6), Dubljevic (6), Hermannson (3), Prepelic (0) & Pradilla (5).

Periods: 18-16 / 40-37 / 69-55 / 84-74.

Referees: Miguel Ángel Pérez, Rafael Serrano & Esperanza Mendoza.