With three minutes left and the score tied at 77, Anadolu Efes was on the verge of a big win in Barcelona. A string of mistakes and a breakdown in teamwork swung the game, handing Barcelona an 89-82 victory and leaving Efes frustrated.
Efes came out firing, attacking the basket to build a 19-4 lead in under four minutes. Ball movement and hard drives set the tone, and Barcelona looked rattled. Efes led 25-16 at the end of the first quarter, poised to exploit a Barcelona team still trying to find its rhythm after a full roster shakeup. Anadolu Efes said the game was its 666th EuroLeague appearance since its debut in the 2001/02 season.
The game turned quickly. Efes moved away from team play and began forcing isolation shots, stalling its offense as Barcelona chipped away with timely threes. Barcelona cut the deficit to two before Dario Brizuela hit a late three to give his team its first lead, 45-44, heading into the break.
The numbers told the story: Efes hit only 4 of 19 from deep, while Barcelona made 6 of 15 threes in the first half alone. Efes struggled from outside and slipped on defense as Barcelona clawed back. In the third quarter, Efes briefly took control again. Mike James put the team ahead 61-58, and Ercan Osmani grabbed a tough rebound and scored. Efes led 67-63 after three, but the advantage looked shaky. Sofascore reported that Barcelona shot 51.6% from the field, compared with Efes's 45.9%. Efes narrowly won the rebounding battle, 33 to 31, but Barcelona's efficiency and 26-15 fourth-quarter run proved decisive.
Pressure mounted, and Efes cracked. Mike James finished with 22 points, along with 4 rebounds and 5 assists, but started forcing shots as the team's rhythm broke down. Defensive lapses left Efes exposed. Kai Jones tried to hold the paint, but it wasn't enough. With the game on the line, James committed a backcourt violation. A missed call on a late turnover hurt, and Justin Robinson drilled a three with 49 seconds left to put Barcelona up 86-82. Efes had no answer.
Dario Brizuela led Barcelona with 20 points, and Kevin Punter added 19. For Efes, Dario Saric scored 17 and grabbed 5 rebounds, while Matthew Strazel chipped in 12 points with 3 assists. Efes let a big lead slip against a Barcelona team still finding its feet.
The game exposed Efes's current fragility. When the team shares the ball and attacks together, it looks strong; when players go solo, the offense stalls and the defense falls apart. Top European teams punish those mistakes. Efes couldn't close out a winnable game, a warning that more nights like this could follow if the team doesn't regain its discipline.
