A Trip to Game 5

FC Bayern's basketball players made the seemingly impossible possible and delivered a memorable evening for the club's history at the Audi Dome: Head coach Andrea Trinchieri's team fought off EuroLeague title contender Olimpia Milan in the fourth playoff duel with its back against the wall with a 22-11 run in the final quarter - and with a thrilling 85-82 triumph they managed to tie the best-of-five series, despite the 0-2 start. This means that next Tuesday evening, in Milan, it will come to the all-decisive fifth game for a place in the Cologne Final Four (May 28-30). The game in Milan kicks off at 20:45 with MagentaSport broadcasting live.

In a fiercely contested game, the Milan team with its high-quality lineup looked like they would win for a large portion of the game and still led 73-63 (31st). But threes and a fabulous poster dunk by Paul "Zip" Zipser, the best home team in the EuroLeague (15-4) plodded ever closer to a championship. The seemingly unreal highlight of crunch time was also Zipser's alley-oop to Vladimir Lucic, who slammed the ball through the rim. 

Points per quarter Bayern - Milan: 23-19, 17-31, 23-21, 22-11

Stats: Two-point shooting: 57% (FCBB) // 54% (Milan); Three-point shooting: 24% // 40%; Free-throw shooting: 85% // 77%; Rebounds: 28//32; Assists: 15 //13; Turnovers: 11//14.

Quotes:
Andrea Trinchieri: "Hard to imagine what would have happened in a full Audi Dome. What a game, what a series, what an opponent! Milan had great, great play today, through Delaney, Shields, Punter, they hit great shots. Our backs were against the wall, ten behind. And they played better. But again, we showed great character and played excellent defense. We just didn't give up and changed some things, were more aggressive. And to be honest with you: When you win a game with an alley oop plus and-one in the last 20 seconds - you are either totally crazy or just special. (...) Game one was very similar to game four, game two was similar to game three - and now game five comes and I can't imagine what happens then. Maybe tomorrow I'll have a better vision of it. I'm really proud of my players: To go into the fifth game against a Milan like that, against players like that, and with us two players out in the same position - that's incredible. We know the next game is going to be tough, they're going to come out with their best performance and we're going to have to raise our level again. We know what's coming for us."

Vladimir Lucic: "It was a great game. I think everyone enjoyed this one. It's a real playoff battle. As always this season, we didn't give up and showed character until the end. I think we deserve the game in Milan. We need to regenerate now because we play again in the BBL already in two days. Also, we have to prepare for Tuesday and try everything to get a good result there. We are ready, we are hungry, we have been working hard since pre-season and we never make it easy for ourselves. In games like today we want to be there and we have to be on Tuesday. Zipser's pass at the end was outstanding, especially in that moment. I just tried to make the best of the position, But also the stop by James afterwards was great, as it often is. That won us the game. I just try to always stay calm in those situations and be there for my team."

Paul Zipser: "I didn't think much. I did that too much in the first half. I just wanted to play. That just suits us: we were down 0:2, then we make it 1:2. Today, the first half didn't feel good and we realized that we have to bring more, especially mentally.  Then we just played. Now we've come back and it's time to get the first win of the season in Milan."

Wade Baldwin: "I feel great. We outboxed them well. We found a way to win the game and force a fifth game. Now it's back to Milan and we have one more game to make it to the Final Four. We have a great team with players who can decide a game. For example, Johnson is incredibly strong in this series and does important things, especially defensively. D.J. Seeley also had a hot first half. Lucic and Paul Zipser are also doing a really good job. Game five is always the toughest game. We have to give everything again."

Marko Pesic: "When the guy (Zipser) throws an alley oop pass to Lucic with 20 seconds left. I was thinking, what is he doing! That's crazy, just huge respect to the guys. We were 0-2 in Milan and now we're facing a fifth game.  This season, anything is possible. I had the feeling that we didn't have that much energy. I was probably wrong about that. The mentality is just special this season. No matter what the score, everyone just goes with it. Andrea also did an excellent job tactically, rotating the big guys in particular - and Paul was great in the second half. He showed courage and talent. It will be incredibly difficult in Milan, but anything is possible with this team. We're relaxed going to Milan now, but first have to go to Goettingen on Sunday and play a good game there."

Game recap:
Game four featured Wade Baldwin, Diego Flaccadori, Vladimir Lucic, JaJuan Johnson and Leon Radosevic in the starting five. Milan started with aggressive drives to the basket, which ex-Munich player Delaney in particular finished consistently. Baldwin and early substitute Jalen Reynolds countered with their physicality and provided Munich's first points (6-4/3rd). With support from D.J. Seeley (11 points in the first quarter), Bayern got off to a good start in a defensively dominated game (12-12/7th). One indication: Both teams went to the free-throw line a total of 23 times in the first quarter. There, the hosts kept their cool and led 23-19.

In the second quarter, Milan took advantage of two early turnovers and took the lead with threes from Sergio Rodriguez and Luigi Datome. Johnson found his shot from the middle distance but on the other side Delaney was hard to stop (40-34 Milan/16th). Trinchieri's team now suffered some unfortunate plays. Baldwin and Lucic landed awkwardly on their backs and had to continue to play in obvious pain. Milan took advantage of the heated period and went into the break with a double-digit lead (50-40).

Controlling rebounds and one-on-one situations were Trinchieri's chosen keys to success before the second half. Zipser put that message into action, hammering the ball through the hoop despite heavy contact. But the guests also played intensively and could rely on top scorer Delaney again and again (61-51/24th). But the Munich team kept fighting, pushed the tempo after their own stops and got back to within five points. But after a wild buzzer-beater by Shavon Shields, it was an eight point deficit again (71-63/30th).

At the beginning of the final period, Zipser and Lucic showed their qualities from the three-point line despite a terrible start for the team (5/21). And Zipser followed up - after a strong move to the basket he took defensive specialist Kyle Hines to a poster slam - 75-73! Three minutes before the end, Reynolds came up with a jump shot and took the first lead since the beginning of the second quarter (80-79). The fire on the defensive end was lit. Only Delaney found his way to the basket again to retake the lead 82-80 (60 seconds left). But on the next attempt, Bayern was prepared: Sisko stopped the Milan guard and set up Zipser, who found Lucic for a crazy alley oop - 83-82 (23 seconds left). James Gist then brilliantly forced an offensive foul and got Olimpia to foul Lucic - 85-82 (eight seconds left). Milan now needed the three-pointer, found Datome in the corner -but he missed.

The game:
Game four featured Wade Baldwin, Diego Flaccadori, Vladimir Lucic, JaJuan Johnson and Leon Radosevic in the front five. Milan started with aggressive drives to the basket, which ex-Munich player Delaney in particular finished consistently. Baldwin and early substitute Jalen Reynolds countered with their physicality and provided Munich's first points (6:4/3rd). With support from D.J. Seeley (11 points in the first quarter), Bayern got off to a good start in the defensively dominated game (12:12/7th). One indication: Both teams went to the free-throw line a total of 23 times in the first quarter. There, the hosts kept their cool and led 23:19.

In the second quarter, Milan took advantage of two early ball losses and took the lead with threes from Sergio Rodriguez and Luigi Datome. Johnson found his shot from the middle distance, while on the other side Delaney was hard to stop (34:40/16th). Trinchieri's team now suffered some unfortunate actions. Baldwin and Lucic landed ungently on their backs after contact and could only continue in pain. Olimpia took advantage of the heated period and went into the break with a double-digit lead (40:50).

Lucic converted the alley oop pass with 23 seconds left - and one!
Controlling rebounds and one-on-one situations were Trinchieri's chosen keys to success before the second half. Zipser put that message into action, hammering the ball through the hoop with contact. But the guests also played intensively and could rely on top scorer Delaney again and again (51:61/24.). But the Munich team kept fighting, pushed the tempo after their own stops and got back to within five points. But after a wild buzzer-beater by Shavon Shields, it was eight again (63:71/30th).

At the beginning of the final period, Zipser and Lucic showed their qualities from the three-point line, from which only little fell overall (5/21). And Zipser followed up - after a strong move to the basket he took defensive specialist Kyle Hines to the poster - only 73:75! Three minutes before the end, Reynolds came up with a free jump shot and actually got the first lead since the beginning of the second quarter (80:79). The fire on the defensive end was lit. Only Delaney found his way to the basket again, 80:82 (60 seconds left). But on the next attempt, Bayern were prepared: Sisko stopped the Milan guard and set up Zipser, who found Lucic for a crazy alley oop - 83:82 (23 seconds left). James Gist then brilliantly forced the offensive foul and got Olimpia to foul Lucic - 85:82 (eight seconds left). Milan now needed the three-pointer, found Datome in the corner - and he missed.

SCHEDULE 

Photo credit: Eirich, Stickel, Pahnke