NBA Europe Live: FCB Regal defeats Dallas in finale - Preseason 2012-13

May 18, 2013

NBA Europe Live: FCB Regal defeats Dallas in finale

Marcelinho Huertas - FC Barcelona Regal - NBA Europe Live 2012 (photo German Parga - FC Barcelona Regal)

FC Barcelona Regal remained undefeated in NBA Europe Live by downing the Dallas Mavericks 99-85 at Palau Sant Jordi on Tuesday. Barcelona had beaten the Phildelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers in previous editions of NBA Europe Live. Pete Mickeal and former Euroleague MVP Juan Carlos Navarro led the winners with 19 points apiece. Nate Jawai had 13 while Ante Tomic and Marcelinho Huertas each contributed 12 for Barcelona. Chris Kaman led Dallas with 15 points. Darren Collison added 14 while Elton Brand had 10 for the Mavericks. Brand and Kaman stepped up early to give Dallas a 8-15 margin but an 8-0 run allowed Barcelona to regain the lead, 16-15. Navarro and Jawai helped their team to stay ahead, 21-19, after 10 minutes. An outstanding Alex Abrines boosted the hosts' lead to 35-27 but Kaman and Shawn Marion brought the Mavericks within 42-40 at halftime. Barcelona rolled after the break and a put-back layup by C.J. Wallace made it a double-digit game, 59-49. Navarro and Mickeal shined to give Barcelona a 68-51 margin late in the third quarter. Dallas managed to get within 89-83 with 3 minutes to go but Tomic and Navarro stepped up in crunch time to seal the outcome down the stretch and make Barcelona get yet another win against a NBA squad.

Brand got Dallas going with a mid-range jumper but Joe Ingles erased it with a fast break layup ane Mickeal soon gave Barcelona its first lead, 4-3. Kaman hit free throws and soon added a big basket in the post to put Dallas back ahead, 6-9. Mickeal sank foul shots but Dallas kept finding easy points in the paint, Brand followed a dunk with a turnaround jumper to boost his team's lead to 8-13. Huertas stepped up with a floating layup and a wild assist for Joe Ingles's three-pointer which forced Dallas to call timeout at 13-15. Marko Todorovic shined with a put-back basket and Tomic provided a highlight with a big block on Brandan Wright. Barcelona had held Dallas scoreless for more than 2 minutes and a free throw by Xavi Rabaseda capped an 8-0 run which gave his team a 16-15 edge. Kaman kept pacing the Mavericks but Navarro struck from downtown and Nate Jawai dunked to keep Barcelona ahead, 21-19, at the end of the first quarter.

Joe Ingles - FC Barcelona Regal - NBA Europe LIve 2012 (photo German Parga - FC Barcelona Regal)

Joe Ingles - FC Barcelona Regal - NBA Europe LIve 2012 (photo German Parga - FC Barcelona Regal)

Dahntay Jones took over with a layup-plus-foul early in the second quarter but a three-pointer by Navarro allowed Barcelona to regain a 24-22 edge. Jones and Sarunas Jasikevicius traded free throws and a dunk by Vince Carter tied the game at 25-25. Abrines struck from downtown off a timeout and a free throw by Jawai made it a four-point game, 29-25. Kaman swished a mid-range shot but Jawai answered in the other end. A red hot Abrines hit an off-balance runner and Mickeal buried a shot off the dribble to boost the hosts' lead to 35-27. Brand tried to change things with a fallaway jumper and Marion followed it with a fast break layup. Huertas and Collison traded free throws but a three-point play by Mickeal gave Barcelona a 40-33 edge. Marion nailed one from beyond the arc and Collison scored off a steal to keep Dallas as close as 40-38. Both teams kept going to the foul line often, as Huertas and Kaman fixed the halftime score at 42-40.

Tomic scored in the paint immediately after the break but Kaman brought Dallas closer, 44-43. Navarro made free throws and a three-pointer by Wallace gave Barcelona some fresh air, 49-43. Marion shined with a big basket off the baseline that Tomic matched with a mid-range jumper. Dallas kept struggling to score against Barcelona's well-adjusted defense and a fast break layup by Mickeal made the Mavericks call timeout at 53-45. Collison nailed back-to-back jumpers but Mickeal scored in transition for a 55-49 score. Tomic hit a jump hook and a put-back layup by Wallace made it a double-digit game, 59-49. Brand hit a jumper but Navarro found Jawai for an easy basket and connected from downtown to make the Mavericks stop the game at 64-51. Mickeal kept pacing Barcelona with a running layup and Huertas banked in a shot that broke the game open, 68-51, after a 13-2 run. Jasikevicius and Jawai allowed Barcelona to keep a 74-56 margin after three quarters.

Dallas improved its defense early in the fourth quarter, as Delonte West tried to ignite the Mavericks' comeback, bringing his team within 74-61. Barcelona did not panic, however, as Jawai stepped up with a put-back basket. Jared Cunningham answered from downtown and free throws by Wright gave Dallas some hope at 76-66 with under 10 minutes left. Wallace made free throws but Dominique Jones and Cunningham brought Dallas within single digits, 78-69. Jones scored again and a dunk by Cunningham got Dallas even closer, 80-73. Wallace and Tomic made free throws and a jumper by Mickeal sent all Barcelona fans to their feet at 85-77. Mickeal scored in transition to restore a double-digit Barcelona lead, 87-77, with over 4 minutes to go. Josh Akognon hit a three-pointer but Navarro answered with his trademark 'bomba'. Carter and Collison stepped up to bring Dallas closer, 89-83, with 3 minutes left. Tomic made free throws and a corner triple by Navarro sealed the outcome, 94-83, allowing Barcelona to get its third NBA Europe Live win in as many games.

Dallas Mavericks head coach Rick Carlisle

"First of all, FC Barcelona Regal is a great basketball team, very well coached. They played a great game. I admire the way they moved the ball, pass, cut, screen and make plays. It was tremendous. They were ahead pretty much the whole game and we played behind most of it, with a couple of exceptions. I have to give Barcelona tons of credits, they have a great coach. We have a lot of work to do. Navarro was great. This is an NBA team to play, we knew that coming in. Navarro, Jasikevicius and Jawai played in the NBA, Pete Mickeal and Erazem Lorbek were drafted, Ingles is going to be in the NBA if he wants to be there. It is a very good team. When Navarro came in, he made a lot of things happen. Without Dirk, the game changed but I don't blame them winning the game because he wasn't out there. They played a great game."

FC Barcelona Regal head coach Xavi Pascual

"We are very happy that this game was brought to Barcelona, congratulations to those who made it possible. Playing against an NBA team is always a pleasure for us. I think we played a good game at both ends. We did what we wanted to do on offense, even when we were not brilliant at times. We lacked scoring in easy situations in the first half and that's why our lead was a bit narrow. But we shot better from the start of the third quarter and that let us to get a good lead, which allowed us to win. Navarro is a great finisher and he allowed us to get the lead. He is a very important player for us, making us flow better on offense with his scoring skills. Other players helped us in other moments, but we were very happy wit his performance tonight. I have to thank Rick Carlisle for his comment (Barcelona being a NBA-level team) and his kindness here in Barcelona - not only him, but his entire coaching staff. We connected well in the time we had to talk. It happened to us when we beat the Lakers. Our reality and moment is here. We have to show we are a first-class team in Europe and you only do that with wins, starting on Friday."

FC Barcelona Regal forward Pete Mickeal

"We have enjoyed ourselves a lot in this game. We changed our way tonight. There is only room for a high level in FC Barcelona Regal, the only way is looking up. We won and that is the only way for us. When you play NBA style, you get rewarded for being strong and physical, and this is the way I play. The NBA style is a better fit for my game. I can play at a higher level and that is the evidence. We work hard every day, in every practice. Every day is important for this team. When we step on a practice court every day, it is only to get better. If not, we go home. This is a very different club, there is a lot of pressure here. We changed five players this summer and these two weeks have been difficult for us. We changed today because we enjoyed the game - this is basketball. You cannot win a basketball game with your heads down. We played at a great level, kept our heads high and played tough."

FC Barcelona Regal forward CJ Wallace

"Well, we really needed a win and set the tone early. I think we took advantage of that and tried to get better and play solid to get on the winning track. It was really important that we got the win. We played really well tactically. We missed a lot of open shots, as we played with a different ball and longer distance for threes, but still we need to improve and shoot with more confidence. When the time is right, we will get better. We have a long way to go and it's absolutely crucial that we start the Euroleague with a win, to build the team confidence. We can be a great team, but we have a long way to get there."

Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki

"The atmosphere out there was great. I would have loved to be out there, but it is not the time to force a swollen knee. Scared is a strong word, but obviously this is unfortunate. I thought it was a fun game. Barcelona has been one of the best basketball teams in Europe over a bunch of years, always solid, with good playmakers, shot makers with Navarro, good bigs ruling the paint and finishing. They have a very good team. Navarro is a guy for big plays down the stretch. We were a step slower in the first three quarters but an energy group in the fourth got us back in the game. I have to give FC Barcelona credit, they played a very good game. They are an experienced, good team all around and deserved to win the game."

Tuesday, October 09, 2012

Euroleague.net