FC Bayern disciplines powerless Alba Berlin's decline
The Basketball Bundesliga final began under challenging circumstances. FC Bayern had much more time to rest than Alba, which led to a victory in the first game due to this advantage. Alba, who had to play longer in the semi-finals, was exhausted.
Alba Berlin's energy ran out as favorites Bayern Munich took the lead in the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL) final. Head coach Pablo Laso guided his tired team to a 79-67 (46-43) victory over a depleted Alba team that played without injured world champion and captain Johannes Thiemann. Bayern Munich only requires two more wins to end their championship drought since 2019.
"We displayed fantastic team defense," said Bayern's ex-NBA star Serge Ibaka after the match. "Naturally, we all have weary legs," admitted Berlin's Tim Schneider, referring to the intense semi-final series against the Chemnitz Niners. The visitors played without Thiemann but were still brave fighters.
The Berliners, who had three days less time to prepare, only scored two points in the odd fourth quarter (10:5) over a nine-minute period. Berlin almost failed to score in the entire fourth quarter, with their only points coming 50 seconds before the final whistle when Louis Olinde scored from the foul line. They managed a paltry five points in the final quarter. "We ran out of steam in the fourth quarter," acknowledged Berlin's Matt Thomas. Additionally, the team of coach Israel Gonzalez had numerous ball losses. Bayern's scoring rate was significantly lower, but two dunks each from Devin Booker helped extend their lead to 73-62.
The most points in the clash between the German powerhouses were scored by Vladimir Lucic (17) and Andreas Obst (15) of Bayern, who sunk five of his eight three-point attempts. Alba, who had three injured point guards, relied on Sterling Brown (15) the most.
While Bayern Munich had a three-day rest after a 3-0 win in the semi-finals against the Würzburg Baskets on Tuesday, Alba had only two days of prep time after their victory over the Chemnitz Niners on Thursday. The next game of the series is scheduled for Monday at 8:30 PM (CET) once more in Munich. "I'm positive we will be back here, giving our all and doing everything we can to make it 1-1," said Schneider. However, Alba's exhausted state and the need to replace several injured players are not signs of a positive outcome.
