Jasikevicius shocked by fight in Madrid: 'It will go down in history' / News - Basketnews.com

Jasikevicius expressed shock and disappointment, stating that such fights have no place in basketball. When asked if he had ever witnessed anything similar, Saras referenced the infamous NBA brawl, Malice at the Palace.

Credit: IMAGO/900/Cordon Press, ZUMAPRESS.com - Scanpix Credit IMAGO/900/Cordon Press, ZUMAPRESS.com - Scanpix

FC Barcelona moved another step closer to reaching the 2023 EuroLeague Final Four by taking down Zalgiris Kaunas 89-81 in Game 2 of their best-of-five series at Palau Blaugrana on Friday night.

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FC Barcelona Zalgiris Kaunas91-69 FC Barcelona Zalgiris Kaunas89-81 Zalgiris Kaunas FC BarcelonaWed17:00 Zalgiris Kaunas FC Barcelona05-0517:00

After the game in Catalonia, Barca head coach Sarunas Jasikevicius was asked about the infamous fight in Madrid between Real and Partizan players, which ended up with 21 disqualifying fouls and Dante Exum's injury.

"Everyone is shocked," Saras told the Lithuanian media. "Of course, it's a shock when you sit in a hotel and calmly watch the game, but then you get up and walk around by grabbing your head. It is not one-day things, that will go down in league history. It has no place in basketball. However, sometimes it happens."

Jasikevicius was hit with a follow-up question about whether he had ever witnessed anything like that in his own career. The 47-year-old responded by saying that he was a part of the Indiana Pacers (2005-07).

He landed in Indiana one year after the most infamous brawl in NBA history -- Malice at the Palace -- that involved the Pacers and the defending champion Detroit Pistons.

"I have seen [something similar to the events in Madrid]," Jasikevicius said. "I was a year after the 'beauties' of the Indiana Pacers. There were a lot of conversations about it. But in the EuroLeague, I think they did the best boxing in history."

Guerschon Yabusele received the harshest penalty out of all parties involved in the Madrid fight -- a five-game suspension. Meanwhile, Kevin Punter will have to miss two games, Mathias Lessort one, and the same goes for Gabriel Deck.

Aren't the penalties too small?

"I do not want to talk about it," Saras responded. "You have to understand the situation with Madrid. I simply don't want to be in the press."

Jasikevicius reiterated his position in the press conference by assuring that the fight between Real and Partizan players damaged the EuroLeague image and "has no place in sport."

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