Zvezda win the thriller in Game 1 to take the lead in the Finals

2021 ABA League Finals, Game 1, Sunday, 16 May 2021:

CRVENA ZVEZDA MTS - Budućnost VOLI 82:78 (20:20, 24:18, 19:17, 19:23)  *1-0 in the series

PHOTO GALLERY

POST-GAME COMMENTS

Game recap: Crvena zvezda mts have taken the lead in the 2021 ABA League Finals as they defeated Budućnost VOLI in Game 1 in Belgrade. We watched a hard 40-minute battle at the start of the final series, while at the end it was the home team who prevailed in a thrilling ending. Jordan Loyd made two key free throws to give a 4-point lead to the red-and-whites – 82:78, with less than 20 seconds remaining on the game clock, while in the following play Zvezda’s defense did their part of the job to secure the win.

Crvena zvezda mts therefore lead by 1-0 in the 2021 ABA League Finals, with Game 2 just around the corner as it will be played on Tuesday, May 18, also in Belgrade.

Key moments: Crvena zvezda mts have been in front during most of the match, while early in the 4^th quarter they managed to increase their lead to 15 points – 70:55. Still, Budućnost VOLI did not want to surrender that easily and the blue-and-whites almost pulled off a sensational comeback. The visitors managed to reduce the gap to just 4 points – 80:76, with a minute-and-a-half left to be played. Budućnost VOLI even had a big chance to reduce that margin to just a single point, but Justin Cobbs missed an open 3-pointer at the start of the final minute.

As we have previously mentioned, Budućnost VOLI did reduce the gap to 2 points – 80:78, but they had to make a foul on Jordan Loyd who scored two key free throws to seal the win for Crvena zvezda mts – 82:78.

Man of the match: Well, this award should be shared between Jordan Loyd and Ognjen Dobrić as each of them scored 23 points. Loyd also had 6 rebounds and 5 assists, while Dobrić made 6 rebounds and had the crucial role at the start of the 4^th quarter when Crvena zvezda mts escaped on a 15-point lead.

Can’t trick the stats: Crvena zvezda mts made 18 offensive rebounds in Game 1! That just shows how much the red-and-whites wanted to grab the win tonight.