FC Barcelona took a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series against Zalgiris Kaunas after defeating the Lithuanian team 89-81 in Game 2 of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague playoffs. The win takes Barca one step closer to reaching its 17th Final Four since the format was introduced in 1988.
Jan Vesely was the star of the game, leading the winners with 26 points, six rebounds, and a PIR of 33. Nikola Mirotic was not far behind, contributing 22 points to the victory. Meanwhile, Nico Laprovittola added 10 assists and just one turnover to the game.
Zalgiris, who faced an uphill battle after losing Game 1, put up a good fight, with Ignas Brazdeikis scoring 20 points to lead his team. Edgaras Ulanovas contributed 13 points, and Laurynas Birutis scored 10 points for the visitors. The series now moves to Kaunas, where Zalgiris will be hoping to turn things around in Game 3 at the Zalgirio Arena.
