Nikola Mirotic reached 27 points as Barcelona claimed a 94-77 victory over Monbus Obradoiro, keeping the Endesa League lead in their final Palau Blaugrana appearance before the Euroleague Final Four.
The Galician side started strongly, but Barcelona tightened the pace in the first quarter and moved ahead. Mirotic scored 15 points in that opening frame as the Catalans built a cushion to lead 35-32 at the half and then 68-48 by the end of the third period. Robertson contributed 19 and Blazevic 15 to Obradoiro’s efforts as the visitors traded baskets with the hosts.
Head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius calibrated his lineup for the Final Four, tapping into a deep rotation even after Vesely departed the game with an acute low back pain in the first quarter. The team nevertheless remained aggressive and productive, continuing its winning streak at home while gathering momentum for the upcoming European showcase.
Obradoiro arrived with seven consecutive away wins and aimed to slow Barcelona by denying easy baskets and creating advantages off the ball and in the post. Moncho Fernandez’s plan materialized in the early stages as Blazevic posted seven points and Robertson took over to expose lapses in the Catalan defense following Vesely’s early exit.
On the floor, Barça blended control with pace, facing a stubborn guest defense that pressured the ball and disrupted the Catalans. The visitors paused some of the attacking rhythm, but Nnaji rose in the second quarter to anchor the Barcelona effort by attacking the paint and gathering three rebounds along with four blocks by halftime. Satoransky’s return helped sharpen the sets and, with Mirotic already on 12 points at the break, Barcelona held a 35-32 advantage as Abrines joined the scoring with a key basket to close the half, while Blazevic and Robertson remained Obradoiro’s most reliable scorers with a combined 23 points in the opening period and beyond.
In the third quarter Mirotic made his presence felt on both ends, delivering two timely three pointers and a string of clean looks to spark a 15-point burst that stretched the lead. Abrines joined in with two three pointers, fueling a sequence of 15 consecutive Barcelona points that pushed the score to 68-48 with about five minutes left in the period. The Spaniards managed the situation well after that stretch, keeping Obradoiro at arm’s length and maintaining control as the clock wound down.
Obradoiro refused to concede, answering with a 0-7 burst that trimmed the gap to 68-57 midway through the final quarter. Zurbriggen led the late push for the visitors, supported by Westermann’s 10 points and a trio of triples, but Barcelona answered with composure and refused to relinquish what it had built. Jokubaitis steered the final push for the home side, guiding them to a 94-77 result and preserving the advantage that catalyzed the win.
Data sheet:
94 – Barcelona 15 20 33 26: Satoransky 6, Laprovittola 9, Abrines 12, Mirotic 27, Vesely blank, Sanli 9, Kalinic 11, Kuric 4, Jokubaitis 9, Tobey blank, Nnaji 7.
77 – Monbus Obradoiro 21 11 18 27: Westermann 13, Robertson 19, Thomas Scrubb 7, Blazevic 15, Zurbriggen 9, Philipp Scrubb 7, Walker blank, Guerrero 2, Muñoz blank, Suarez 3.
Referees: Miguel Ángel Pérez Pérez, Juan de Dios Oyón and Alberto Baena. The match featured 4,436 spectators at Palau Blaugrana in Barcelona, on the 32nd day of the Endesa League.