The best teams in the BBL are on the verge of reaching the finals. FC Bayern delivers a dominant performance, and Ulm is also strong. Heidelberg’s coach Danny Jansson struggles with fatal 1:30 minutes.
Finals between the top two teams in the main round within reach: defending champion Bayern Munich and ratiopharm Ulm have earned their first match points in the playoff semi-finals of the Basketball Bundesliga (BBL).
Munich took a 2:1 lead in their best-of-five series with a 98:68 (45:40) win against MLP Academics Heidelberg, while Ulm took a 99:86 (48:37) win against FIT/ONE Würzburg.
On Tuesday, FC Bayern (8:00 PM) and coach Ty Harrelson’s team (6:30 PM/both Dyn) can clinch a spot in the finals with an away win.
The defending champion, who lost for the first time to a German team in game one of their series in their home SAP Garden, made amends to their fans: Led by ex-NBA professional Shabazz Napier (18 points), the team of world champion coach Gordon Herbert defeated the Heidelberg team, who had played strongly for a long time. Shortly before the end of the third quarter, the favorite was only ahead 57:54.
But then followed an unbelievable three-point rain from Bayern until the end of the third quarter. With four successful three-point throws in 1:33 minutes, the favorite pulled away to a decisive 69:56.
“We fight. Today, for example, we are solid in the game and then Nick Weiler-Babb and Andi Obst hit two threes in a row and there is a small explosion in our heads and everything is gone in two minutes,” Heidelberg’s head coach Danny Jansson lamented after the game at the PK.
“That’s frustrating, but at the same time I understand the circumstances. We are tired – mentally and physically,” analyzed Jansson, who nevertheless showed fighting spirit: “But it’s the playoffs. Now game four is coming up, we want to get that under control and give this series 40 good minutes in which such an explosion does not happen again.”
Bayern also expect another tough game, as national player Andi Obst said in the mixed zone after the game: “I expect Heidelberg to come out with everything again. They have nothing to lose.”
Outstanding Jallow leads Ulm to victory
Ulm can also clinch a spot in the finals in game four. With 26 points, Karim Jallow led Ulm, who have now won all four of their home games in this year’s playoffs, to a comfortable victory. The Baskets’ top scorer was BBL-MVP Jhivvan Jackson (25).
With a 14-0 run, the second-placed team in the main round decisively pulled away in the second quarter, maintained the lead confidently – and took a big step towards revenge. Because: A year ago, Ulm surprisingly failed in the quarter-finals against Würzburg as reigning champions.