Xavi Pascual's Barça runs out of bandages

BarcelonaWithout new signings, the season will feel endless for Barça. The Blaugrana team, which has more injuries than good news, ran out of steam against Paris Basketball, second to last in the EuroLeague standings. After a solid 12.5 minutes, the Catalan side collapsed (74-85). Their poor three-point shooting (5/32) proved a heavy burden for the home team. Xavi Pascual tried everything to mitigate the impact of the absences of Tomás Satoransky and Kevin Punter, two of the cornerstones of his competitive structure, but Will Clyburn's poor performance didn't help. Furthermore, Jan Vesely could only play 7 minutes and 19 seconds due to severe lower back pain.

Paris Basketball punished Barça's defensive transitions in a frenetic start, capitalizing on their fast-paced game (5-11). Short on options, the Blaugrana tried to extend their attacks and use tactical fouls to slow down the rhythm of a French opponent that displayed energy and mobility. Dominance on the boards gave the Catalan team authority, and they went into halftime with a four-point lead (43-39).

Vesely, out of the game

Alarm bells rang at the Palau Blaugrana when Jan Vesely asked to be substituted due to physical discomfort at the start of the third quarter. Furthermore, Paris Basketball regained the scoring rhythm they had displayed at the beginning of the night (47-52). Barça only managed 4 points in a worrying 4-minute stretch. The visitors' lead grew to 12 points (55-67).

The situation worsened with 5 minutes remaining, when the Blaugrana team's poor outside shooting became a clear problem (61-78). Just like what happened against FenerbahceThe final Barça reaction was insufficient.