Bayern allow Efes too much

Much better, but still not good enough: FC Bayern Basketball suffered their second consecutive away defeat at Efes Istanbul, losing 90–101 (48–56). This brings their EuroLeague record to 8–5. In three quarters, the defense struggled to contain the high offensive quality of the Turkish team. Nevertheless, Gordon Herbert's squad had a long-lasting chance for their third away victory. The game's top scorer was Devin Booker with 27 points.

It continues in just 48 hours: On Thursday, the German champions will host Spanish side Baskonia Vitoria, led by coach Pablo Laso, starting at 8:30 PM. The SAP Garden will once again be sold out, though a few remaining tickets are still available.

Full boxscore

Thursday Against Baskonia

In Efes' new arena, the guests initially tried to implement their plan of playing at a high pace on offense. However, too few shots fell, and Istanbul repeatedly attacked the rim with little resistance (10–18, 6th minute). At least Devin Booker could be relied upon, as he tallied 13 points in the first quarter (22–27).

But the gaps in Bayern's defense remained significant, and their overall defensive intensity was hard to detect. Efes pulled ahead, stretching the lead to 47–34 and later 52–36 (18th minute). A late Munich surge before halftime offered some consolation, bringing the game back to a somewhat manageable state.

Rally to 73–74

Shortly after halftime, Booker surpassed the 20-point mark, and Bayern gradually closed the gap. Alongside Edwards (20 points), Weiler-Babb stepped up as a third scoring option, contributing 17 points, including a perfect 5/5 from beyond the arc in the third quarter. Bayern came within a point at 73–74 (30th minute).

However, FC Bayern lacked the extra hustle plays needed to take control, while Efes capitalized on some improbable shots, such as Thompson’s deep three for 93–86 (37th minute). Despite showing strong spirit, much like their performance in Belgrade (77–101), Bayern once again conceded triple digits.

Now, the team returns to the SAP Garden, where they hold a perfect 6–0 record this season.

Quotes:

Gordon Herbert, Head Coach of FC Bayern Basketball: "Congratulations to Efes. I liked our response in the third quarter. Our defense in the first 20 minutes was not where it needed to be. We had the momentum at the start of the fourth quarter but then committed some frustrating turnovers that cost us that momentum. (…) Our one-on-one defense needs to improve. Pick-and-roll defense is a team effort. Since the national team break, we've had issues with our defense. Before that, we had made good progress over four or five games. Now, in two consecutive road games, we've had defensive problems in many areas: we gave up easy baskets and didn’t use fouls effectively. (…) I don’t think our offense was the issue; it was our defense. In the first half, we managed only ten stops in 20 minutes. Offensively, we were okay, but the problem was on the other side of the court. (…) Regarding Vladimir Lucic, there are no updates. He has not yet returned to training with us."

Devin Booker: "We lost the game on defense, plain and simple. Now we need to rally together, improve in that area, and focus on the next game."