FC Barcelona tied the ACB League final series in a thrilling game, which was decided in the last seconds. Nikola Mirotic led the Blaugranas with 26 points, 20 of them in the second half. 

The first ACB League finals game left a scary moment. A few minutes before halftime, Anthony Randolph fell down in a defensive situation with Nikola Mirotic. He made a foul, but it did not matter.

Real Madrid outscored FC Barcelona in the first game of the ACB League finals at Palau Blaugrana. The Blancos destroyed the Catalan powerhouse in the paint.

FC Barcelona made it to the ACB League finals on Friday night after defeating Joventut Badalona 63-60 in an intense fourth game of their semifinal series.

Bitci Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz lost the Spanish ACB semifinal against Real Madrid 0-3, and head coach Neven Spahija summarized the team's season and talked about his future in the club.

Joventut de Badalona. Lenovo Tenerife. Zenit St Petesburg. Bayern Munich.

Both Spanish powerhouses FC Barcelona and Real Madrid asked for the Joventut Badalona's youngster Joel Parra, as it has been reported and confirmed by BasketNews.

FC Barcelona squandered the chance to win the EuroLeague second year in a row after losing against Real Madrid in the semifinal.

Zoran Savic will be one of the hosts of the upcoming Final Four in Belgrade. The current Partizan's General Manager, former FC Barcelona, and Real Madrid player has been interviewed by Diario AS.

Savic played in two different periods at Barcelona. From 1991 to 1993 and one season at the beginning of this century (2000-01). In between, he moved to Real Madrid, where he replaced Arvydas Sabonis in 1995, losing the European semifinals against Barcelona in Paris. 

Throughout his successful career, Savic has been on the same roster with Pablo Laso and Sarunas Jasikevicius, two of the great European masterminds that will clash on Thursday. 

Savic talked about them, praising their capabilities. 

"Both are top, great," he said. "I have always thought that Saras made a mistake. He should have retired earlier. We have lost three or four seasons from him as a coach," the Serbian added. 

"When someone aims to be a head coach, he must begin as soon as possible. I love the way he led the team. He is talented and ambitious. He does not let the team to relax, that's why Palau is always packed," Savic followed in his statement about Jasikevicius. 

"Laso was one of the best assistants in Europe. He had personality and loved basketball, which is the most important thing about becoming a coach. He has been at Madrid for eleven years, winning titles and managing a deep roster. It's not easy at all," recognized Savic. 

During the interview, Savic admitted this Final Four is one of the most exciting and unexpected in recent years. 

"I can't tell you who is the favorite," he said. "I see more equal teams in each game. There are great players on each team, and I hope to see good games."

Asked about the competitiveness of the European clubs compared with the NBA franchises and how the young players leave their teams to play in the United States, Savic gave a deep vision of young players' mentality. 

"In the short term, there is nothing to do, but we can think in the future. We need to improve our facilities and build good places for youngsters to practice and study. 

Players now can easily move to Madrid to grow up before joining Partizan. There is no other way than to bet on them and explain it will be better to have success here in Europe and then go overseas being 24 or 25 years old, ready and mature enough," he stated. 

"They want to achieve things quickly. They have personal trainers as if they were tennis players. The best way to work in the summer is playing with the national teams, but no one sees this in Serbia. 

Those who succeed here will also do it in the NBA. I can't see a better place to improve than being coached by Zeljko Obradovic. Every practice is a clinic," he concluded. 

Zoran Savic will be in the Stark Arena to watch both EuroLeague semifinals. 

Olympiacos Piraeus and Anadolu Efes will open the Final Four at 6 pm CET. Afterward, another edition of El Clasico will take place at 9 pm CET.

Dante Exum grabs the rebound and waits for another opportunity to pass a ball to deadly shooter Kyle Kuric. Swish. One time. Twice. Six in a row after a shot from Michael Caicedo hit the ball to avoid the basket.

"He can't miss," said the Australian guard looking at BasketNews journalist during the FC Barcelona's Media Day ahead of the EuroLeague Final Four. 

Exum and Kuric have become good friends in Barca. Both are important in Sarunas Jasikevicius' plans. When Cory Higgins was sidelined, Exum erupted as a key piece for the Blaugranas. 

Meanwhile, Kuric is still the best executor for the Lithuanian playbook. Despite some injury problems in the last few days, the American sharpshooter will be ready to rumble at Belgrade. 

Exum attended the media after the practice in the middle of Palau Blaugrana's court.

"I am excited to play the Final Four. We are waiting to get out of there and show what we are capable of. We want to win. It won't be easy, but we are ready," stated Dante, while Kuric was next to him nodding his head.

Pablo Laso will be in his 7th EuroLeague Final Four as Real Madrid's head coach. No other coach has been it more times in the last decade.

The Spanish mastermind attended the media in the press conference ahead of Belgrade, some hours before the Blancos took off to the Serbian capital.

Laso confirmed that only Carlos Alocen will be sidelined at the event, but he will travel with the team too. 

"I see my team prepared for the Final Four. Everyone is ready except Alocen," Laso said.

Real Madrid struggled as never before during March, downgrading from 2nd seed to 4th in the EuroLeague regular season. An unexpected streak that turned on all the alarms in the Casa Blanca.

Far from sinking, Madrid bounced back as they used to, improving the offensive fluency. They will face FC Barcelona in the semifinals with a nine-game winning streak. More than a month without a loss.

"I understand that a month ago no one believed in us. I did. I don't think we were that bad, but it's also true that in the last month we have competed very well and that the series against Maccabi gave us confidence," Laso admitted.

Nikola Mirotic was not included in the All-ACB team announced by the Spanish league on Sunday.

For that reason, FC Barcelona have expressed their disagreement with the All-ACB team of the season through Josep Cubells - an executive responsible for the Blaugranas basketball team, sources told BasketNews. 

The Catalan club does not understand how it could be possible that a player who has been elected to the All-EuroLeague First Team is not included in the domestic league's one. 

Cubells expressed his discomfort to the ACB for Mirotic's absence, requesting a review and a turnaround of the voting systems. 

Instead, Dzanan Musa (Rio Breogan), Marcelinho Huertas (Lenovo Tenerife), Nico Laprovittola (Barcelona), Chima Moneke (BAXI Manresa), and Giorgi Shermadini (Lenovo Tenerife) were included in the All-ACB team.

Throughout the regular ACB season, Mirotic averaged 14.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 16.7 EFF.

Meanwhile, in the EuroLeague, his numbers were 16.7 points, 5.1 rebounds, 1.3 assists, and 19.4 PIR.

The votes for the All-Team ACB are divided into four branches: fans, players, coaches, and media. Each of them has a 25% in the final saying.  

"It does not matter which team is the favorite. We are 80 minutes away from winning the Euroleague, just as the others". 

Sarunas Jasikevicius sent a clear message in the FC Barcelona's Media Day ahead of the Final Four. The Lithuanian mastermind did not care about which team has more options to lift the trophy at Belgrade. 

Minutes later, after the practice, Jasikevicius attended the media in a crowded press conference room - there was a huge expectation before the 16th FC Barcelona's Final Four. 

The 46-year-old revealed all his players should be ready to play the semifinals on Thursday.

"Everyone has practiced today except Sergi (Martinez), who has a cold. At this stage all the teams have problems, but we will count on everyone. It's a pity that Kyle (Kuric) hasn't been able to play much lately," admitted Saras. 

The iconic city of Belgrade will host the 7th Clasico of the season. The Blaugranas have beaten the Blancos five times in a row this season. 

Despite the numbers, Jasikevicius reminded that every game is a new story.

"Maybe the fact that we've beaten Madrid in the last few games could be against us. Possibly they are hungrier than us to beat us. We have to match them in that, first of all. They are in their best moment of the season," he praised Madrid's momentum. 

Saras analyzed possible could be the game's keys. 

"We already know the opponent very well, we have played them many times this season. We have to do a lot of things right and not give anything away. That's the key to everything.

It will be difficult to surprise them. If in any game against them the scoring is high it is because we have given away many easy baskets," he said. 

Asked about two of the most determinant players of FC Barcelona, Nikola Mirotic and Cory Higgins, Saras highlighted the importance of the whole team.

"We need all the players. We have shown it these two seasons, we don't depend on one single player, not even the best player in Europe," Jasikevicius confessed.

"We expect Niko (Mirotic) to be at his level, of course, but if he is not, as he is quite human, others have to step up," Saras continued. "Cory (Higgins) will surely play. His experience is very important for us. He has been in several Final Fours and he has won two. He is not at 100%, but I think he can be important."

Jasikevicius will seek to join Svetislav Pesic, Armenak Alachachan, and Lolo Sainz as the only people to win the EuroLeague both as a player and as a head coach. 

"The secret to face a Final Four is to have experience. I've always said that in my first one I was super nervous. I was without sleeping like one week before. I'm sure this will happen to some people. I take it differently now. I sleep much better than before," he concluded. 

Three times EuroLeague champion Dejan Bodiroga gave an interview to Radio Marca ahead of the Final Four. Bodiroga spent a season with Sarunas Jasikevicius at FC Barcelona back in 2002-03, crowning after an exciting final against Benetton Treviso. 

Bodiroga praised his former teammate and current Barcelona head coach, admitting he knew his capabilities.

"I knew he was going to be a great coach. He gave character to the team," expressed Bodiroga, who played both in Madrid and Barcelona. 

The legend analyzed the upcoming semifinals in which the Spanish powerhouses will seek a spot for the final. It will be the 7th Clasico of the season. Barcelona have won 5 of them so far. 

"Barcelona has been more consistent during the season. They have a slight advantage, as we have seen during the season in their head-to-head. Madrid suffered some ups and downs in the last weeks, but this is over.

Both teams are in a good moment, so it won't be easy for both of them. I hope to see a thrilling game," explained Dejan. 

Asked which team he will support in the Final Four, Bodiroga preferred to be polite. 

"It's difficult, I've been lucky enough to win it three times, but there are many competitive teams. You have to have continuity in the regular league, the Playoffs, and the Final Four and know how to withstand the pressure. Being in a city with four teams and fans is like a celebration of basketball, and it's something special," the legendary player continued.

Finally, Bodiroga could not hide his admiration for Luka Doncic. The Slovenian superstar completed a historical series against the Phoenix Suns to lead the Dallas Mavericks to the Western Conference Finals after 11 seasons. 

"Even when he was young, he was seen as a spectacular talent, he is a great player with great character on the court. He has everything, and I see great things for him in the future," he concluded.

Ante Tomic ended the ACB League Regular Season with a stunning performance in Vitoria-Gasteiz against Baskonia, dominating with 24 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists. He was unstoppable in the paint, handing out free lessons to Steven Enoch.

Tomic established a season-high with 34 PIR. He has averaged 23.5 points and 29.75 PIR in May. Joventut Badalona's center looks like a rookie who wishes to take on the world.

The Croatian big man has surpassed Bernard Hopkins in the historical ACB League ranking this weekend. Tomic occupies the ninth place in PIR. Darryl Middleton and Juan Carlos Navarro are next on the list. Will he reach them? It remains to be seen.