By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Nikola Mirotic notched 26 points and 10 rebounds while delivering a key block in the final seconds as Barcelona beat archrival Real Madrid 82 – 87 on the road in the first Clasico of the 2020-21 Spanish ACB League.
Mirotic blocked a shot by Nicolas Laprovittola with the score 80 – 84 and 20 seconds remaining that could’ve put Real Madrid to a one-possession distance. He then hit 2-2 free throws to secure Barca’s win and his former team’s first loss of the season after 14 victories.
Real Madrid had scored eight unanswered points in a comeback attempt from 72 – 84 down down in the mid of the fourth period. Pablo Laso’s side had fallen behind with the biggest margin of the game after five minutes of dominance by Barca that resulted to them transforming a 68 – 66 deficit to a 12-point lead.
Sergio Llull scored 14 points (11 in the first half) for Real Madrid while Gabriel Deck posted 12 points. Edy Tavares had a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds.
Apart from Mirotic, Kyle Kuric dropped 14 points and Cory Higgins 12 for Barca.
In the other ACB games of the weekend, Rokas Giedraitis scored 27 points as defending champion Baskonia overcame Zaragoza (Jonathan Barreiro 20 points) on the road. Valencia crushed San Sebastian with Mike Tobey (17 points, seven rebounds) and Klemen Prepelic (17 points) leading the charge.
ACB Round 14 results:
Joventut Badalona – San Pablo Burgos 78 – 95
Murcia – Obradoiro 93 – 76
Iberostar Tenerife – Morabanc Andorra 93 – 81
Baxi Manresa – Gran Canaria 64 – 71
Basket Zaragoza – Baskonia 89 – 92
Real Betis – Fuenlabrada 86 – 79
Valencia – San Sebastian 101 – 75
Bilbao – Unicaja Malaga 75 – 91
Real Madrid – Barcelona 82 – 87