Pablo Laso's side came out on top in the German derby.
Solid defense and Brankovic's energy helped Bayern end losing streak
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3 Mins read
FC Bayern Munich finally tasted victory in 2024 in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague thanks to a really solid defensive performance and a career night from Danko Brankovic.
Bayern shut down ALBA Berlin’s three-point shooters to the tune of just 3-of-18 for 16.7% in grabbing a 65-82 win in the German derby to snap a four-game losing streak.
“I don’t think we played a great game but we were solid from the beginning and we got an important victory,” said Bayern coach Pablo Laso, whose team conceded a season-low in points in the game.
“Overall I think our defense was very solid during the whole game. We shut down their three-point attempts and we were able to defend that line very well. We were stopping their fast breaks and we played solid defense. That gave us the rhythm of the game. We controlled it. Offensively we were very smart, passing it and finding the open jumpers. Very good performance. I am very happy for the victory. We needed to be rewarded for the work that we are doing.”
Bayern allowed just 4 ALBA fastbreak points and shot the ball well from the outside, hitting 13-of-30 from long range for 43.3% - four players hitting multiple triples.
Bayern gained control of the game with the first 13 points of the second quarter. And one of the keys to the second stanza was Bayern’s 23-year-old center Brankovic.
The 2.17-meter Croatian big man dominated the second quarter with 12 points and 6 of Bayern’s 9 offensive rebounds in the frame. That production came in just 7 minutes of action in the quarter.
“I don’t know what happened. My role is to just be a young energy guy to get rebounds and set screens. When things open up I just take them. That’s how it was tonight. It just opened up for me,” said Brankovic, who set career highs with 14 points and 9 rebounds. He added 2 assists, 1 steal and 2 blocks for a new career-best index rating of 20.
“It’s a huge win because we are back on the winning streak, especially fighting for the playoffs. It was a good game for us. We played together and when we play like this, things just go good. And it’s really nice to watch us,” Brankovic added.
Bayern can now be happy about finally winning in 2024 with a strong all-around showing.