Alba Berlin 79-95 Barça: Winning run continues

In the 150th game with Sarunas Jasikevicius at the helm, Barça gave the coach what he loves most - a win based on teamwork (79-95). The good form continues with the fourth consecutive win in all the competitions, having dominated the entire game. Three-pointers and defensive focus formed the basis for the win, with Nikola Mirotic named MVP.

Barça show their class

The game started out very evenly, with Alba counter-attacking Barça's constant forays forward, with the score 11-11 at one point. However, the final minutes of the first quarter saw the ball moved more quickly and the visitors went in with an 8 point advantage.

Àlex Abrines decided to take the game to Berlin, scoring two three-pointers in quick succession, which encouraged the team to open up an 11 point gap (27-38). The Germans stepped up the energy levels in defence and managed to claw back some of the difference, but another three-pointer by Nick Calathes helped Barça to an eight point lead at the break (39-47).

Three-point torment

Jaskevicius repeated the same starting line-up after the restart of Calathes, Laprovittola, Smits and Exum, with Mirotic multitasking, and the attack flowed freely. Only a desperate time out stopped the run when Barça were +16. Mirotic and Laprovittola continued the three-pointers to maintain the lead at 58-73 at the end of the third.

The home side tried to speed up the game to force a comeback in the final quarter, but just when the crowd were at their most vociferous, Kyle Kuric scored two almost identical three-pointers, before Laprovittola wowed with an alley-oop pass to Hayes-Davis for the slam dunk.

Game stats:

Alba Berlín, 79
Barça, 95

Alba Berlín: Lo (3), Smith (12), Delow (9), Schneider (2), Lammers (6)– starters – Blatt (11), Da Silva (13), Koumadje (4), Mattisseck (5), Schutle (0), Sikma (5), Zoosman (9).

Barça: Laprovittola (10), Calathes (9), Exum (4), Smits (12), Mirotic (18) – starters – Abrines (8), Brandon Davies (8), Hayes (8), Jokubaitis (2), Kuric (14), Sergi Martínez (-), Nnaji (2).

Quarters: 13-21 / 26-26 // 19-26 / 21-22

Referees: Sreten Radovic, Elias Koromilas and Robert Vyklicky.