The two surprise teams of the EuroLeague so far are set to face off: Zalgiris Kaunas and Bayern Munich. A glance at the standings takes some getting used to, as after seven EuroLeague game days, the Lithuanian powerhouse Zalgiris Kaunas leads the league with a 6-1 record, while FCBB, with a similarly unexpected 5-2 record, sits just behind in the chase. As such, their clash on Thursday evening (8:45 p.m. / live on MagentaSport) at the SAP Garden can officially be dubbed a "top game." It’s sure to be exciting.
And emotional, too, as the new EuroLeague venue in Munich, with its electrifying atmosphere, has already been the stage for three (winning) home games so far. Additionally, Zalgiris brings along two particularly charged personalities: Coach Andrea Trinchieri, who coached Bayern for three years until 2023, and guard Sylvain Francisco, who made his EuroLeague debut last year with FCBB.
Emotional Leaders Trinchieri and Francisco
Trinchieri took over Zalgiris at the end of 2023. Although the Italian coach led the team to an 8-8 record, they ultimately missed the play-in tournament and, somewhat surprisingly, the Lithuanian championship, which Vilnius celebrated after a 3-1 final series win. But currently, he’s steering the hottest team in the EuroLeague: Lithuania's storied club has lost only once, to Olympiakos (68-74 on the second matchday), and especially at home, with nearly 15,000 fans cheering them on, Kaunas has proven formidable, with four wins, most recently in dramatic games against Crvena Zvezda (86-84) and the favorite Monaco (63-62).
In terms of stats, Kaunas doesn’t rank high in any particular category; their average of 75 points per game only places them 17th (compared to FCBB: 1st/88.3 PPG). However, as in recent years, they rely heavily on collective effort and passionate defense, allowing only 71.4 points per game.
NBA Arrival Walker Set to Debut for Zalgiris
French playmaker Francisco has quickly become a fan favorite in Kaunas and is currently their top scorer (11.7 PPG, 5.6 APG), maintaining his clutch-time prowess. Among the many homegrown players, the 24-year-old guard Dovydas Giedraitis (11.0 PPG) has been particularly impressive.
Zalgiris signaled their playoff ambitions even before the season by announcing a significantly increased budget. This is further emphasized by the recent addition of U.S. wing player Lonnie Walker, who was recently released by Boston after six years in the NBA (343 games, 9.8 PPG). He’s expected to make his debut on Thursday.
For the top game at the SAP Garden, only a limited number of the 11,200 tickets remain. The German champion will next play at their home venue, BMW Park, on November 17 against Bonn.