Mirotic takes responsibility and apologizes for Barca's loss: 'I feel very bad' / News - Basketnews.com

Nikola Mirotic accepted his share of responsibility in Barcelona's loss to Real Madrid in the EuroLeague semi-final in Kaunas.

Credit: Rokas Snarskis Credit Rokas Snarskis

The curse of Nikola Mirotic in the Final Four is extended to one more season.

Player of the Game EFF 38 Walter Tavares Points 20 Accuracy 7-9 Rebounds 15 Assists 1

In Kaunas, the Montenegrin forward recorded his sixth appearance -- and also the sixth time he can't lift the EuroLeague.

Mirotic played three Final Fours with Real Madrid (2011, 2013, 2014) and lost them before Los Blancos won the first year without him, back in 2015. Upon his return from the NBA, he accumulated three other participations with FC Barcelona (2021-23) and has not lifted the coveted trophy in any of them.

This new defeat against Madrid on Friday night leaves him in a bad place because he probably registered the worst performance of his career. He finished with three points, scoring the first of them with only 4:20 left in the game. His shooting percentages were horrible: 1/10 on field goals, including a lousy 0/7 on three-pointers.

He finished with -2 in Performance Index Rating, , the third-worst number in his EuroLeague career, and lost all battles in and outside the paint.

His coach, Sarunas Jasikevicius didn't want to single him out.

"He has the right to play badly, like other players. I didn't find a way to get us to play like a team. With individual performances, anything can happen. As a team altogether, you must overcome bad performances," he said in the postgame presser.

However, the 2022 EuroLeague MVP spoke minutes after the game to Spanish broadcaster DAZN, accepting his share of the responsibility for the loss and the elimination.

"I congratulate Real Madrid, they played a great game," said Mirotic.

"I assume a large part of the responsibility for us losing this game," he continued.

"I haven't been at the level expected of me, I haven't been able to help the team. I feel very bad. I say to our fans that I'm sorry, thank you for supporting us and for coming here."

Mirotic, 32, admitted that he probably won't have too many opportunities left to win the title.

"We know how difficult it is to reach the Final Four. It's a very tough day," he concluded.

Without the injured Gabriel Deck, without the sanctioned Guerschon Yabusele and without the discarded Petr Cornelie, there were doubts about who would guard him. He was picked up first by Eli Ndiaye, who had done the same against Zach Leday in the fifth game against Partizan. Then Mario Hezonja took over and almost left him scoreless on a dreadful night for the Barca star player.

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