© Ozel
Eight games to go, four of them on the road – there aren’t many chances left for Bayern Basketball to climb further up the EuroLeague standings. Their strong record since the turn of the year stands at 8–4 (and 13–17 overall), and they’re looking to build on it in two upcoming home games: This Thursday (8:30 p.m.) two-time champion Efes Istanbul visits Munich, led by head coach Pablo Laso and playmaker Nick Weiler-Babb. Despite high expectations, Efes have underperformed so far (9–21). One week later – same time, same place – the new franchise from Dubai will make its debut at the SAP Garden.
Pesic: “They can explode at any time”
In mid-December, former Bayern head coach Laso (double winner 2024) took over the Turkish side, but a real turnaround has yet to materialize. At times, their injury list was even longer than Bayern’s; currently, top scorer Shane Larkin is once again sidelined. His role has recently been filled by Saben Lee, who also joined in December, arriving from Olympiacos (14.2 ppg, 3.9 apg).
The Efes roster is still loaded with talent: former NBA champion Jordan Loyd (10.2 ppg), French international Isaïa Cordinier (10.0), Turkish EuroBasket silver medallist Ercan Osmani (10.9) and NBA-tested U.S. guard PJ Dozier (10.4), to name just a few. And Weiler-Babb, who spent five seasons in Munich, is also a key figure in Istanbul, averaging almost 30 minutes per game along with 8.4 points (36.5% from three) and 4.9 assists.
Dubai coming to town next week
“We’re playing against a team with tremendous individual talent,” says FCBB head coach Svetislav Pesic. “They’ve had a turbulent season, and Pablo Laso is now trying to establish consistency in their performances. With their quality, they can explode at any time – hopefully not against us. But it’s also in our own hands how we start the game. I expect a close one.”
Niels Giffey seems to feel the same way: “Even though Efes are having a difficult season and don’t look great in the standings, they’re not far off and have a lot of quality. If we look at the table, we’re three games off the play-in spots right now – a win against Efes would be huge to stay in the race and keep all our theoretical chances alive. It’s cool to see Nick again, I’m really looking forward to catching up with him.”
Before Bayern face Dubai the following Thursday, they have a shot at revenge in the easyCredit BBL, visiting cup winners Bamberg. Tip-off is Sunday at 6 p.m., with Dyn broadcasting the game. The clash with Efes will be shown live on MagentaSport.