Zalgiris gets beaten in Game 1 of the EuroLeague Playoffs 15
FC Barcelona enjoyed a very solid performance in its 91-69 win against Zalgiris Kaunas at Palau Blaugrana on Wednesday night, as it took Game 1 in the 2023 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague Playoffs.
On a night when Barca broke a EuroLeague record by going a perfect 21-for-21 from the free-throw line, the hosts’ 14 three-point makes also proved pivotal in the triumph. Zalgiris will be hoping for a better display in 48 hours’ time.
Sertac Sanli paced Barca with a game-high 17 points, while four other Blaugrana players finished the night in double figures: Nikola Mirotic with 15 points, Rokas Jokubaitis with 12 and sharpshooters Alex Abrines and Kyle Kuric with 10 apiece.
For Zalgiris, Ignas Brazdeikis scored a team-high 14 points in the losing effort, followed by Dovydas Giedraitis with 10.
Barca took the first lead of the game and never let go, taking advantage of offensive rebounds and three-pointers to open a sizeable gap, 17-6, with 3:28 left in the first quarter. Zalgiris began to find its feet towards the end of the period, closing the first 10 minutes down 12, 25-13.
Mirotic, who had 9 points in the first quarter, was getting some attention on the Barca bench at the start of the second period, but luckily for Blaugrana fans, it proved to be nothing too serious. Barca found a way to keep Zalgiris at arm’s length in the second quarter, while late triples by Sanli and Mirotic allowed the hosts to go into halftime with a 17-point lead, 48-31.
Zalgiris tried its best to stay in the game in the third quarter, but Barca never looked fearful, ending the period with a 13-point gap, 66-53.
Then, in the fourth quarter, Barca went 5-of-6 on three-pointers to walk away with a comfortable 91-69 victory.
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