Friday April 30th 2021
Equalization in Euroleague playoffs
Incredible Bayern force a showdown
If FC Bayern had lost, the Euroleague season would have been over – and the basketball players from Munich are also behind with 23 seconds to go. This is followed by an outstanding sequence by Paul Zipser and Vladimir Lucic, which now makes you dream of a really big coup.
In a breathtaking basketball game, FC Bayern won the fourth game of the Euroleague quarter-finals and forced a play-off against Olimpia Milan. Munich fought their way to an 85:82 (40:50) victory, despite a 13-point deficit in the meantime. In the best-of-five series, this meant the 2-2 equalization. In the fight for a place in the final four tournament of the most important European club competition, the decisive game five will take place in Milan on Tuesday (8.45 p.m.).
“It was an unbelievable game, we never gave up. We are ready, we are hungry,” said Bayern Vladimir Lucic, who turned 80:82 into victory with five points in the last 23 seconds, at MagentaSport. National player Paul Zipser said: “That just suits us. We were behind in the series, we were behind today, and then we just played. It is time to take our first win in Milan.”
Bayern’s best thrower, who were the first German team to reach the Euroleague playoffs, was Wade Baldwin with 18 points. For the guests, 28 points from an outstanding ex-Bayern and ex-NBA professional Malcolm Delaney were not enough for success.
Lucic, again and again Lucic
After losing in the third game, the Milanese showed their class and the urge to make amends. Led by an unstoppable Delaney, Milan pulled away with 31 points in the second quarter alone. The Munich started well, but made life difficult for themselves with avoidable mistakes on the offensive, weaknesses in the rebound and a very miserable quota from the triple line.
Bayern showed a rebellion in the third section and reduced the gap to five points. It got bitter shortly before the last interruption: National player Zipser awarded a free three-point throw two seconds before the end of the quarter, on the other side Shavon Shields hit with a wild buzzerbeater. Instead of two points, Munich went eight points behind in the last quarter.
But there, thanks to morale and the will to fight, Bayern made an insane comeback, Zipser whipped his team forward, the deficit melted and even became the lead. The decision brought Vladimir Lucic with an alley-oop to Pass von Zipser – 82:82. Because he was fouled, he was able to put the bonus free throw to 83:82 for Munich.
Milan produced no more than one offensive foul in the next attack. Bayern brought the ball into play, Lucic was fouled and scored twice from the line. The last attack by the Italians was also unsuccessful. And so only one victory is missing to reach the final tournament in Cologne.
.