By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Barcelona scored 58 points in the second half, keeping Maccabi just to 35 and this explains everything that happened in the game.
The hosts got the 100-71 win and made one most step towards the postseason with a 14-11 record, while disappointed Maccabi dropped to 6-19.
Kevin Punter, with 28 points, had a big night; Jabari Parker and Willy Hernangomez, with 14 points, each followed his lead, and Barcelona did everything right.
“We played more consistent in the second half, more solid in different situations, and we controlled our defensive rebounds,” Barca head coach Joan Penarroya said after the game.
Jasiel Rivero with 16 points and former Barcelona player Rokas Jokubaitis with 14 were the top scorers of the losing side, but that’s just a footnote.
A collapse in the second half
Behind 14 points by Parker who scored all his points in the first two quarters, Barcelona closed the first half leading by six (42-36) as Maccabi stayed relatively close.
To be exact, after the last made shot of Parker, the hosts had for the first time a nine-point advantage (41-32) and Maccabi managed to keep things a bit closer at halftime as the score in the second period was just 14-10 for the hosts.
Barcelona finally created a sizable advantage in the third period, first at 10 points (54-44), with Punter taking action and scoring 10 points in the first three minutes of the second half and then extending it to 13 (66-53) after a three by Dario Brizuela.
Maccabi tried to keep up, but Barcelona entered the last quarter leading 74-60, two threes by Chimezie Metu and Juan Nunez pushed the lead to 20 (80-60) and then to 23 points (85-62) after a shot by Willy Hernangomez.
There was no coming back for Maccabi after that; the lead ballooned to 30 points (94-64), and Barcelona got what they wanted with ease.
Photo credit: Turkish Airlines EuroLeague