It's finally starting: With two home games at the Audi Dome, the Bayern basketball team will kick off the 2023 BBL playoffs this Tuesday evening. The first quarterfinal against BG Goettingen begins at 20:30 with Game 2 following just two days later on Ascension Day (May 18) at 18:00. For the entry into the semifinals the cup winner must defeat the surprise team of the season three times (best-of-five). The series moves to Goettingen next Sunday (15:00) for the third duel.
All further information and facts about the playoffs can be found on the FCBB website.
The team around FCBB head coach Andrea Trinchieri has had just under a week to prepare for the postseason. They are making another attempt at a championship after two cup victories (2021, 2023), and had plenty to say about sixth-placed Goettingen: "A good team," was the Italian's verdict. "We beat them once in the first matchup, they beat us in the second. This team can score, they are driven by their guards, they take a lot of threes. It will be very important to start this series well."
"Still have enough quality and talent"
With Vladimir Lucic out due to injury and soon to undergo surgery on his hand, national team player Andreas Obst will lead the Cup winners into the playoffs. "Of course, without Lucic, Hunter and Rubit we lack a little experience, but we still have enough talent and quality in the team to stand on the podium as winners at the very end," says the 26-year-old guard. He continued, "because of the injuries and the many absences over the year, we haven't taken full risks lately - but now we want to go into the playoffs with maximum energy and fit players."
About BG Obst says: "For sure we are the favorite, but Goettingen will come with a lot of confidence after they won the last game against us. We have to show them in the two home games that there is nothing for them here. We want to get it done as quickly as possible, but we absolutely have to think game by game. We can't give them breathing room in any game and we have to be stable defensively because they can run hot offensively."
Giffey: "Work for 40 minutes"
Niels Giffey, 31, also has some experience and on the current FCBB podcast OPEN COURT he said: "We have to prepare against them less for special setups but more for their style of play, a free system, quite offensive and aggressive. The loss in the last game should give us a certain amount of respect towards them." He continued, "One of our goals has to be that they really have to work for their shots over 40 minutes and not just when they get to their shooting range. (...) We have to remember that we have a deep bench and take advantage of our energy level."