The Bayern basketball team arrived on Thursday afternoon in the most beautiful corner outside Munich, but things won't be any easier on the Côte d'Azur. Nevertheless, FC Bayern Basketball's goal is to end its losing streak in the EuroLeague on Friday evening against AS Monaco, the Final Four team, when the ball goes up for tip-off at 7:30 p.m. in the smallest arena in Europe's elite league.
“Finally take better care of the ball”
The German champions have been waiting for their sixth win of the season since the beginning of November. Since then, they have lost five games by one or two points or (as in the 85:92 defeat to Partizan) in crunch time. Monaco is now ninth in the league in its last ten away games and seventh in a row in the EuroLeague.
The unprecedented circumstances are one thing, but their own mistakes, especially in the final phase, are another. “It's about how we execute our attacks on offense; we finally have to take better care of the ball,” says Gordon Herbert in this regard. “We have to value possession more and allow fewer easy baskets in defense.” The head coach knows that last year's semifinalist is the clear favorite: “Monaco is one of the most talented teams in the EuroLeague and they're playing at home. It's going to be a tough challenge. The guys always give their all and fight hard, but we definitely need to improve a few things.”
The team from the principality is currently sixth in the table (9:7), having recently suffered two defeats, 86:92 at home against defending champions Fenerbahce and 73:85 at Baskonia on Tuesday. A key player for Monaco is world champion Daniel Theis, who averages 10.2 points and 5.4 rebounds. Other potential top scorers in this All-Star team coached by Vassilis Spanoulis are the indestructible Mike James (17.0), Nikola Mirotic (10.8), Elie Okobo (11.0) and the energetic Alpha Diallo (12.5).