Barça Lassa 85-89 Anadolu Efes: Turks too effective at the Palau

Barça Lassa have lost 85-89 at home to Anadolu Efes tonight, and are now 2-4 and 13th in the Euroleague regular season table. The Turks always looked in control and although FCB did all they could to reduce the deficit, too many wasted chances in offence meant the efforts were in vain. Seraphin led the Barça scoring with 19 points.

The visitors immediately got the grasp of defensive rebounds and some fine shooting from Ricky Ledo set up the first meaningful lead at 11-19, which had increased to 15-26 by the end of the period.

Barça Lassa upped their defensive intensity, while a rapid 3/4 in 3-point attempts from Koponen helped close the gap to seven, Heurtel’s own failed triple on the buzzer assisting the Barça cause.

The difference would rapidly become just four at 41-45, but Anadolu quickly whipped up another double figure lead (41-51). Another Barça surge followed, and once again a Turkish response, a 0-6 streak, soon had them playing catch-up again at 55-65.

The Turks concentrated on maintaining their lead, and actually ended up building on it, going 15 up before a couple of slam-dunks from Seraphin restored a glimmer of hope in the Palau Blaugrana.

But a glimmer is all it would be. Barça had battled all the way back to within four by the end of the game (85-89), but their opponent always seemed to know what they were doing. This game was theirs.

Next up for FCB Lassa in the Clásico against Real Madrid on Sunday at 6.30pm CET.