BBL postseason games - Prominent squads return for the finals: Bayern considered favorites over Alba.
The top teams return! After the unexpected final between ratiopharm Ulm and Telekom Baskets Bonn last year, Germany's basketball powerhouses have balance the power once again. Bayern Munich's showdown against Alba Berlin marks the championship series beginning this Saturday - for the sixth time in the last ten years, these two Euroleague teams will decide the champion among themselves. "It's always nice to see the supposed German classic in the final," said Bayern's world champion Andreas Obst.
Last year, Ulm knocked out Berlin and then Munich en route to the title. And this season, the road to the final for the top candidates was not easy. Bayern had to wait in the quarterfinals, and lost game one against the MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg. Alba had to push their limits against the Niners Chemnitz and made it to the finals on Thursday night with a perfect 97:84 in game five.
Bayern comfortably rested
The Bayern squad could comfortably sit on the couch during the action in the Berlin Uber Arena. Five days before the first final on Saturday (8:30 p.m. / Dyn) in Munich, the star ensemble from the Isar had a break, while Alba only had roughly 48 hours for recovery.
As a result, the Bayern are favored. In addition, Munich's team has won three of four duels in the championship and the Euroleague this season, although with different levels of success - only in that insignificant Bundesliga regular season game did the Munich team give away the victory in Berlin.
However, the Munich players are careful. "Berlin will always be underestimated, but it's a team that plays well together and causes us problems," Obst said on Friday. "We have to be ready as a team."
The fact that Alba managed to win on Thursday night should not be a detriment. "A victory like that can create great euphoria and team spirit." And Munich's seasoned coach Pablo Laso said, "A team in the flow is usually faster in pace and plays better."
Alba management praises mental fortitude
At Alba, they're mostly proud that the team has made it to the final despite all the hurdles. "I'm very proud of the team. We faced a lot of challenges this year, had a lot of issues. But the team had the ability to fight through all misfortunes," said coach Israel Gonzalez.
Against Chemnitz, the Berliners essentially played with their last squad. Without four injured players, without a professional point guard. And world champion Johannes Thiemann dealt with knee pain through the whole game. In the first half, he couldn't move due to the ache. "He was in pain and cried, completely destroyed," reported sports director Himar Ojeda. But the captain showcased the impressive mental strength of the Berliners.
Bayern star, Ibaka, creates laughter
For Bayern's NBA veteran Serge Ibaka, anything can happen in the series. "Whatever happened so far doesn't matter anymore," warned the NBA champion of 2019. The experienced center highlighted that every final has its own dynamics. However, a minor slip-up arose when he said, "This is the NBA final..." His teammate Obst corrected Ibaka with a smile at the press conference: "It's the BBL final."
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The Bavarian team, Bayern Munich, will face off against ALBA Berlin in the BBL final, with Bayern considered favorites due to a break before the game and a history of success against Berlin. Last year, Ratiopharm Ulm and Telekom Baskets Bonn surprised everyone with their final matchup, but this year, the traditional powerhouses are back in full force. Alba Berlin overcame hurdles to make it to the final, including a tough series against BV Chemnitz 99, while Bayern Munich had a relatively easy time in the quarterfinals.
Despite Bayern's favored status, they are cautious not to underestimate Berlin. Andreas Obst, a Bayern player and world champion, acknowledged that Berlin is a team that plays well together and can cause problems. However, he also noted that Alba's victory against Chemnitz can create euphoria and team spirit, which can make them faster and play better.
Alba's management is proud of their team's mental fortitude, having played through injuries and other challenges to make it to the final. Even their captain, Johannes Thiemann, played through knee pain in their series against Chemnitz. The team's mental strength was evident in their ability to push through despite the pain.
Bayern's star player, Serge Ibaka, reminded everyone that anything can happen in the series. He compared it to an NBA final, but was quickly corrected by teammate Andreas Obst who pointed out that it was actually the BBL final.
FC Bayern Munich's journey to the final is reminiscent of Dortmund's journey to the European Cup Finals, while the prodigies of sport in Germany have had their own impressive performances. Nagelsmann's announcement caused unease among national team players, who will have a restless Christmas. Nagelsmann himself arrived in heavy rain to begin tuning for the European Championship.
