The Audi Dome will once again be packed with more than 6,000 fans, and the team is highly motivated to shoot its best shot. In the penultimate home game of the regular season, the Bayern Basketball team will host one of the secret favorites for the EuroLeague title alongside the well-known contenders Olympiakos, Real and Barça - AS Monaco. EuroCup champions in 2021 and already in the playoffs last season the squad is comfortably fourth in the standings and have their sights clearly set on playing the first round at home.
Sunday vs Ludwigsburg
In the BBL, Munich hosts Ludwigsburg on Sunday (18:00) and then they travel to Ulm on Tuesday (19:00) and Real in Madrid on Thursday (20:45).
"Monaco is playing an outstanding season, just like last year they are an athletic team and the spectacular guard lineup around Mike James will be a tough challenge for any opponent in the playoffs," said FCBB head coach Andrea Trinchieri. "But we also have to look at ourselves and, despite all the adversity, go into this tough duel with more energy and clearer focus than we did in Athens."
Monaco booked the playoffs early in March with five straight wins before Kaunas slowed down the favorites in front of 15,000 fans on Wednesday (79-70). They currently hold a two-game lead over fifth place with a record of 20:11. The leader of the French LNB Pro A has also clearly surpassed rival (and defending champion) Lyon-Villeurbanne nationally at the moment - showing again their high ambitons for the season. Since coach Sasa Obradovic took over in November 2021 things have looked nothing but up.
"Spectacular group of Guards"
Everything continues to revolve around perennial MVP candidate Mike James, currently the eighth-best scorer in the top flight with an average of 16.4 points (4.7 apg). In the backcourt, former NBA champion Jordan Loyd (12.0) and former NBA guard Elie Okobo (12.7) have been playing themselves more and more into the spotlight in recent weeks. Center Donatas Motiejunas (8.9) and Alpha Diallo (11.2, 4.3 rpg) will be a challenge on the boards for Bayern without their injured big men - Rubit, Harris and Hunter.
Mocaco narrowly won the first matchup 80-79 on the tenth game of the season.