© Pahnke
The 30th round of the EuroLeague is underway. On Tuesday evening, Paris (17-13) defeated previously level Milan 92-79, drawing level with fifth-placed Bayern Basketball (17-12) in the standings. The gap to ninth-placed Milan (16-14) remains just one win.
That could change on Thursday evening (8:30 PM/MagentaSport) when head coach Gordon Herbert’s Munich team takes on Baskonia Vítoria-Gasteiz in Spain.
Sounds simple, but it’s anything but. For the Basques (12-17), this is likely their last chance to re-enter the battle for tenth place and a Play-In spot. Bayern already experienced how tough the strong home team (10-5) can be back in December, when they secured a 94-80 (44-44) victory only in the second half, with the support of 11,000 fans.
Question Mark Over Laso’s Top Scorer Moneke
Back in December, Bayern still had Devin Booker and Oscar da Silva, who combined for 25 points against a physical opponent. On the other side, Chima Moneke (25) was nearly unstoppable. However, the Nigerian center was absent for Baskonia’s 78-83 loss at Real Madrid in the ACB on Sunday, a game that remained close until the final minute.
"Rebounds will be the key in Vitoria," said head coach Gordon Herbert before departing on Wednesday afternoon. "They are big, physical, and athletic, so we need to secure the boards. Offensively, we need pace and ball movement. It’s not just about playing freely but about delivering a strong team performance."
Besides Moneke (14.7 PPG, 6.4 RPG), American sharpshooter Markus Howard (11.4 PPG) plays a crucial role in the offense under former FCBB coach Pablo Laso. On the wings, Vitoria relies on Frenchman Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot (10.1 PPG) and Greek forward Nikolaos Rogkavopoulos (9.5 PPG, 44.2% from three). Inside, Donta Hall (8.9 PPG, 5.7 RPG) provides a presence under the basket, while Howard’s compatriot Trent Forrest contributes 9.2 points and 4.2 assists per game from the guard position.
In the ACB, Baskonia is struggling with a negative 11-12 record and is fighting for a playoff spot. However, at home in the Buesa Arena, backed by 10,000 fans, they are a different team. They have won their last four EuroLeague home games, with reigning champions Panathinaikos (77-91), FC Barcelona (86-88), and Fenerbahce (76-88) all falling in Vitoria. Bayern aims to break that streak.
Veteran Niels Giffey: “The pressure is high for many teams, and every game is extremely important. We definitely have a chance to win on the road at Baskonia, but we need to be ready from the start.”
Saturday Night at SAP Garden vs. Rostock
After returning on Friday afternoon, the German champions have just 24 hours to prepare for their BBL home game on Saturday at 6:30 PM in the sold-out SAP Garden against playoff contender Rostock (live on Dyn).