Real Madrid signed off 2013 with a 98-84 win at home to Barcelona in the first el clasico of the season.
From the second quarter though, it was clear that Madrid had too much firepower for their Catalan opponents, as they built a double-digit lead and despite being pegged back, never looked in any real danger.
With this result Real Madrid stay top in 2013 with a 13-0 record, while Barcelona stay in third but lose touch over second place Valencia, who would have been the happier of the three teams, whatever the result.
Rudy Fernandez led Real with a game-high 18 points while Juan Carlos Navarro led Barca with 17.
Valencia were comfortable 95-77 victors at Cajasol Seville as they end the year in second place, and with some breathing space on Barcelona.
Justin Doellman hit 27 points and Romain Sato, 24 points as Valencia never looked troubled. They enter 2014 with an 11-2 record but still two games behind Real Madrid.
Joan Sastre Morro led Cajasol with 15 points as they drop down to 12th.
Gran Canaria are level with Barcelona at the top following a 63-56 win over Gipuzkoa.
Ben Hansborough led the winners with 14 points as Gran Canaria shook off a 15-12 deficit after one quarter of play and out-hustled a strong Gipuzkoa side through three quarters to get the win.
Euroleague side Laboral Kutxa survived a late flurry in Compostela to beat Monbus 94-92.
Leading with six seconds left, Vitoria defended the last Monbus attack with Pavel Pumpria’s hail mary three-pointer missing the target.
Andres Nocioni led the winners with 26 points.
Joventut Badalona’s stock keeps rising as they topped bottom club Estudiantes 81-74 on the road.
Estudiantes made the Catalan side work for their win though. It looked like business as usual with Joventut up 26-16 after one quarter of play but the hosts came back and at the half it was a one-point game at 40-39.
Badalona though put in a strong third quarter and held on in the fourth for the win.
Nacho Llovet led Badalona with 18 points in the win.
Other games in the Liga Endesa saw Unicaja Malaga defeat Fuelabrada 81-71 away from home as Nik Caner-Medley led the scoring for the victors with 19.
Zaragoza were comfortable 95-79 winners at home to Valladolid. Bilbao eased to victory away at La Bruixa d’Or 88-66 and Canarias cruised to an 82-69 win against UCAM Murcia.
