Playing or following basketball games - Even with a victory on the road, Alba believes Bayern remains unimpressed.
FC Bayern may have won the away game, but Alba Berlin is still considered the favorite in the final series of the Basketball Bundesliga. They secured a 79:70 victory in Munich and now face two crucial matches at their home turf against their biggest rival.
"It's going to be very tough," said Alba's coach Israel Gonzalez. "Bayern has some incredible players and an incredible coach," he added, when asked whether the situation after Game 2 with both teams tied at 1-1 had changed, and if Berlin had any psychological advantage. "No, not at all."
In the upcoming games on Wednesday (8:30 pm) and Friday (6:00 pm/both Dyn), Alba can clinch the championship with two wins, just like Bayern. However, Alba's sports director Himar Ojeda cautioned against relying solely on their home advantage and fan support. "To be honest, I've been with Alba for eight years. Honestly, they've beaten us most of the time in our hall. I don't expect them to be particularly impressed by playing away."
Over the past few years under Ojeda's leadership, home advantage hasn't been a significant factor in games against Bayern. Of the 16 games played at the Berlin Uber Arena, ten were won by Bayern. In five playoff series, Bayern always managed to secure at least one win on the road.
Bayern: Improve for game 3
To ensure a different result in game 3, Bayern needs to fix their shortcomings from the second game. The team, coached by Pablo Laso, made too many mistakes from long-range shots and allowed more rebounds to their opponents. Bayern's top scorers Matt Thomas (21 points) and Sterling Brown (17) were also difficult to contain.
The Munich players must quickly forget the frustrating loss and focus on the upcoming matches. "No matter who we play against, we always believe in our chance," said Bayern's point guard Nick Weiler-Babb in an interview with broadcaster Dyn. "That's how we'll approach it, no matter how this game here ended."
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Alba Berlin's favorite role in the final series is to defend their home turf against FC Bayern Munich. Despite their victory in Munich, Alba Berlin remains the preferred team in the Bundesliga final. Coach Israel Gonzalez acknowledges Bayern's strong players and coach, dismissing any psychological advantage for Alba Berlin. Alba Berlin can clinch the championship with two wins at home, but sports director Himar Ojeda warns against relying solely on home advantage. Over the years, Bayern has managed to secure at least one win on the road during playoff series against Alba Berlin. To improve their performance in game 3, Bayern needs to address their mistake in long-range shots and defensive rebounding. Top scorers Matt Thomas and Sterling Brown were difficult for Bayern to contain in the previous game. Bayern's point guard Nick Weiler-Babb remains optimistic, stating they always believe in their chance in every match.
