The first mission was accomplished with flying colors. FlaBasquete wanted to bring the advantage back to Rio and performed with unparalleled efficiency. On an inspired afternoon from Marquinhos, JP Batista, Olivinha, and Marcelinho, Flamengo crushed Minas Tênis Clube 84-70 at Arena Minas Tênis this Sunday, opening up a one-nil lead in the NBB playoff series. The next match will be on Tuesday at Arena Carioca 1 at 20:30 pm. 

It was a very good joint performance, a symbol of a balanced team. Marquinhos, on his way to being named season MVP, led all scorers with 16 points and was humble in other areas. The same cannot be said for JP Batista, who scored 14 points and grabbed 05 rebounds; Olivinha (12 points and 04 rebounds); and Marcelinho, with 15 points and 04 rebounds. 

Flamengo started the game focused on opening up a series lead and preventing Minas from breathing room. Early on, they took a 7-0 lead, a crucial factor in maintaining their lead in the fourth quarter. With excellent performance, particularly from Marquinhos, who scored 10 points, and Olivinha, who scored seven, Flamengo finished the half ahead 25-19, far superior to their rivals. 

The home team tightened the game at the start of the second quarter. The lead gradually narrowed, and Minas closed the gap. JP Batista commanded the paint, and thanks to the pivot, Flamengo maintained its lead. JP scored 12 points in the quarter alone, but it was on the rebounds that his effectiveness truly shone through, with five, finishing with a score per play. But it was at the end that the team loosened up. In the final two minutes, Minas failed to score, and on the final play, Marcelinho hit a three-pointer to close the half at 45-34. 

Maintaining the momentum was essential to come away with a positive result. And that's when Marcelinho stepped up. Decisive as always in key matches, the Captain used his GPS and achieved 100% success on three-pointers, hitting 3/3. Marquinhos didn't let it go and also took risks. The result? In the end. With 27 points to their rivals' only 17, it was the most relaxed period, and Flamengo finished with a huge 72-51 lead, very comfortable. 

The final quarter was simply the crowning glory. Minas Gerais felt the strain of the five-game series against Vitória, especially the final match, and Flamengo held on to control the situation until they finished the first chapter with an advantage and can now close out the series in front of their home fans in Rio de Janeiro.