Napier brought the energy that allowed Bayern to protect its perfect home record
Edwards took over from game-changer Napier for Bayern’s eighth home win
When Tamir Blatt nailed his fourth triple of the night with 5:35 remaining in the third quarter, FC Bayern Munich was down by 50-65 and nothing seemed to be working on either end of the court. The hosts were trailing for most of the game against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, who threatened to end Bayern’s seven-game winning streak at the new SAP Garden.
However, Shabazz Napier had yet to say his piece. Andreas Obst netted a couple of threes to keep Bayern in the game before the experienced guard got the crowd involved. Napier delivered on defense - where Bayern struggled the most for 25 minutes - getting a steal on one end before finishing on the other to trim the deficit to 64-70 with just over 2 minutes left in the third.
Obst netted his sixth triple of the night to bring Maccabi within 67-72 heading into the closing quarter, when Napier inspired the final comeback. The 33-year-old guard opened the fourth with a three-pointer before dishing out a pass for a powerful Devin Booker slam to tie it at 72-72.
Game Videos
A confident Napier then picked up a defensive rebound before pulling up for a triple to get the fans off their seats by putting Bayern in front for the first time since very early in the first quarter.
“When Shabazz came in and made a couple of defensive plays, the fans got behind us,” head coach Gordon Herbert said in the post-game press conference. “Andy Obst made a couple of shots, the defense got excited and we started playing with some emotion, enthusiasm, some energy. We were active.”
Then it was time for the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague’s top scorer to take over. Carsen Edwards ended the first half with a game-high 13 points but hadn’t scored a single one in the third quarter. Yet, he proved again why he is considered one of the most clutch players in the league, as he netted 12 of his team’s 20 points in the last 6 minutes to seal a 98-93 victory - his team's eighth in eight home games.
Napier produced a complete performance, finishing the game with 13 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and two drawn fouls. As for Edwards, he netted 25, meaning that he’s now recorded over 20 points in 10 EuroLeague games this term.
Having improved its record to 10-5, Bayern will now be called to replicate its home form on the road with tough clashes at AS Monaco and EA7 Emporio Armani Milan coming up next week. Boasting the finest scorer in the competition in Edwards and an experienced game-changer in Napier, Herbert’s side has nothing to fear and it’s proving it week in, week out.