Spanish Liga Endesa Final Four Complete
June started off with a bang as two decider games in the Spanish Liga Endesa quarterfinals saw FC Barcelona and Herbalife Gran Canaria advance to the Final Four. They join Real Madrid and Baskonia, which swept their respective matchups. Real Madrid will face off against Gran Canaria tonight, while Baskonia and Barcelona will hit the hardwood on June 4th.
FC Barcelona vs. Andorra, 91-71
Andorra managed to steal Game 1 of this series but Barcelona made sure that Game 3 would not be a risky situation. This was an easy blowout win for Barca as they got off to an early lead and never relinquished control of the game.
Barcelona went to their bread and butter and demolished Andorra from long-range with 13 3-point shots. Ante Tomic was a dominant force for them in the paint with 15 points and 10 rebounds. He helped Barcelona maintain a massive advantage on the glass, as they outrebounded Andorra 41 to 29.
Jaka Blazic was Andorra’s top scorer with 13 points.
Valencia vs. Gran Canaria, 89-92 (OT)
In stark comparison to the other game, this matchup was a thriller that needed an extra period for its outcome to be decided. This was an upset that was hard-earned by Gran Canaria. Valencia led for most of the game but towards the end, Gran Canaria pulled a rabbit out of their hats and forced overtime with a spirited rally.
To their credit, Gran Canaria played the more efficient game and committed fewer turnovers than Valencia. In the end, it paid off for them as Valencia was forced to commit fouls to slow down the action.
Gran Canaria is the only team outside of the regular season top-4, so they are going to be underdogs throughout the post-season. Can they keep their Cinderella story going and be the dark horse to win it all? They have the tools, for sure. They will just have to find a way to execute.
Final Four Predictions
If all things fall into place, Spanish Liga Endesa fans could be treated to an El Clasico matchup in the final. Real Madrid is the heavy favorite to end Gran Canaria’s run in the playoffs. Gran Canaria has some momentum and boosted morale after their upset over Valencia and pose as a thorn in Real Madrid’s side. In the end, Luka Doncic should be able to lead the 2018 EuroLeague champs to the promised land in the domestic arena.
The Baskonia-Barcelona Final Four matchup is a whole other animal. This could go either way. At the end of the day, you’d have to earmark Baskonia as the slight favorites in this tilt. Barcelona has shown weakness through their inconsistent play but they should be able to push Baskonia to the limit and even come away as the victors.