A crucial showdown at Palau Blaugrana will see Barcelona (21-11) attempt to take a step closer to a top-four qualification against a dangerous Maccabi team (19-13) that must win to maintain its slim hopes of the same achievement.
Game Facts: Barcelona vs. Maccabi
Maccabi is on fire after winning six straight games with an explosive offense led by Wade Baldwin (at least 14 points in 13 consecutive games) in the backcourt and Josh Nebo (double-digits scoring in eight straight games) in the paint. Barca took a thrilling 90-92 win when these teams met in November. Nico Laprovittola led that effort with 23 points and Barca crashed the boards to the tune of 16 offensive rebounds. With the home team needing a win to keep control of home-court advantage in the playoffs, expect the intensity of a final between a pair of title candidates.
FC Barcelona
Streaks
Tomas Satoransky has at least 1 steal in 10 of his last 11 games.
Nicolas Laprovittola has scored 11 or more points in eight of his last nine games.
Laprovittola has made at least 1 three-point shot in nine straight games.
Laprovittola has made multiple three-pointers in eight of his last nine games.
Willy Hernangomez had double-digit PIRs in 13 of his last 14 games.
Season rankings
Jan Vesely ranks 12th in average index rating with 16.3 per game.
Nicolas Laprovittola is tied for 11th in assists with 4.8 per game.
Laprovittola ranks seventh in average three-pointers made with 2.4 per game.
Barcelona ranks third in assists with 19.4 per game.
Records/Milestones
Tomas Satoransky ranks second all-time with a 2.7-to-1 career assist-to-turnover ratio.
Jan Vesely is the all-time leader in two-pointers made with 1,463.
Vesely ranks third all-time with 613 offensive rebounds. Felipe Reyes is second with 705.
Vesely ranks fourth all-time with 1,665 rebounds. Felipe Reyes is third with 1,799.
Vesely ranks eighth all-time with 203 blocks. Georgios Papagiannis of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul is seventh with 208 and counting.
Vesely is sixth all-time with 3,761 points scored. Sergio Llull of Real Madrid is fifth with 3,904 and counting.
Vesely ranks second all-time with 4,782 index rating points. Nando De Colo of LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne is the all-time leader with 5,027 and counting.
Vesely ranks fourth all-time with 336 steals. Rudy Fernandez of Real Madrid is third all-time with 364 steals and counting.
Vesely ranks ninth all-time with 745 free throws made. Paulius Jankunas is eighth with 748.
Nicolas Laprovittola needs 5 points to reach 1,500 for his career.
Laprovittola needs 2 steals to reach 100 for his career.
Nikola Kalinic needs 25 points to reach 2,500 for his career.
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv
Streaks
John DiBartolomeo has made 64 consecutive free throws, which is the second-longest streak in competition history. The longest streak belongs to Kevin Punter of Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade with 69 consecutive made free throws.
Wade Baldwin has scored in double figures in 17 straight and 23 of his last 24 games.
Baldwin has had a PIR of 12 or more in 13 straight games.
Josh Nebo has pulled down multiple offensive rebounds in 13 of his last 14 games.
Nebo has pulled down at least 5 rebounds in 13 straight games.
Tamir Blatt has made at least 1 three-point shot in seven of his last eight games.
Season rankings
Wade Baldwin ranks third in average index rating with 19.8 per game.
Baldwin ranks third in scoring with 17.5 points per game.
Josh Nebo leads the league in rebounding with 7.2 per game.
Nebo leads the league in offensive rebounding with 3.0 per game.
Lorenzo Brown ranks third in assists with 6.2 per game.
Baldwin ranks eighth in assists with 5.0 per game.
Bonzie Colson ranks fifth in steals with 1.3 per game.
Maccabi leads the league with 13.0 offensive rebounds per game.
Maccabi lead the league in steals with 7.4 per game.
Maccabi ranks second in team PIR at 99.2 per game.
Maccabi ranks second in scoring with 87.6 points per game.
Maccabi ranks second in assists with 19.4 per game.
Maccabi ranks second in blocks with 3.3 per game.
Records/Milestones
Josh Nebo ranks 11th all-time in two-point accuracy at 65.0%.
John DiBartolomeo ranks ninth all-time with a 2.5-to-1 career assist-to-turnover ratio.
Lorenzo Brown needs 3 points to reach 2,000 for his career.