Euroleague working day 28
Roger Grimau knows that Ricky Rubio is like a piggy bank. Every minute he gives you on the court, even if your brain pushes you to take it out to take advantage of a fitter teammate, is an investment. The El Masnou point guard has not yet returned to being that player who won the MVP in a World Cup and who had a career in the NBA, so the easy thing would be to have him sit when everything gets complicated, but the Barça coach gave him minutes in the last quarter at La Fonteta and the prize was a thirteen-point lead that Valencia Basket might no longer overcome (78-88).
The future of Álex Mumbrú’s team involved entering the play-in, but they have not won in Europe since February 1 and at home since January 19. Right now there are more doubts than certainties and if Partizan wins this Friday they will close matchday 28 outside of the play-in. Barça, on the other hand, added an important victory when their ability as a visitor was doubted and consolidated their position in second place, three victories behind Real Madrid. The whites, who had almost reached March with their immaculate flag in the Euroleague (no defeats), have suffered two setbacks in a row in the WiZink, the second very clearly once morest the Turkish Fenerbahçe (79-89).
Even more important than Ricky, was Jan Vesely. The Czech center had an immaculate shooting game and closed the game with 21 points and ten baskets of ten attempts in 27 minutes. His accurate mid-distance shots were a torment for Valencia incapable of burying that irregularity that is condemning them in the Euroleague.
This day has also served to crown Mike James (AS Monaco), who has now become the top scorer in the history of the Euroleague following having surpassed, in 271 games, the 4,455 points that Vassilis Spanoulis achieved in 358 games.