Bayern vs Alba: Analysis and Prediction – Bayern and Alba will play a “german derby” in the EuroLeague season opener.
Bayern vs Alba Odds
Bayern Team News
Bayern opened the preseason promisingly. They consecutively defeated Virtus, Crvena Zvezda, and Partizan, only to lose to Panathinaikos. They carried this good form into the start of the Bundesliga, where they defeated Syntainics, but then surprisingly lost to Oldenburg.
It will take some time for the team’s new coach, Pablo Laso, to implement his system. History suggests he’s been successful using these methods in the past, so the highs and lows this season should not be surprising. Carsen Edwards is expected to be a significant part of this team, contributing with his three-point shooting. Andreas Obst will form a duo with Edwards, and his performances in the FIBA World Cup are promising if he managed to maintain his form. It’s needless to say how impactful Serge Ibaka can be if he integrates well into Bayern’s basketball mosaic. There’s no reason to think otherwise since he collaborated with Laso a decade ago, and the coach is the main reason he joined Bayern.
The loss to Oldenburg can serve as a wake-up call to better prepare for their debut in the EuroLeague this year. Serge Ibaka did not play in that match, but he’s expected to be ready against Alba, as he stated he’s physically in fantastic shape.
Alba Team News
After extremely tough pre-season games, Berlin’s Alba successfully started the Bundesliga season. They achieved two win, with the second one by 110:75 against Crailsheim, serving as a warm-up for the EuroLeague clash against Bayern.
Alba’s most significant loss was undoubtedly the departure of Luke Sikma, who, after several years as the team’s leader and captain, decided to change clubs. On the bright side, Sterling Brown, as their major acquisition, has been performing well from the start of the season, while Johannes Thiemann, after winning the world gold, is inspired to continue his good form at the club level. In the guard line, Matt Thomas is undoubtedly the biggest threat, while on the wing, Louis Olinde consistently delivers. The question arises, is this enough for such competition in the EuroLeague?
Alba will certainly find additional motivation in the fact that Bayern is a significant rival in the domestic league, and they’ve had notable clashes over the past few years. However, it must be said that, at the moment, their opponent possesses a higher-quality roster. This is a statement we will often come across when discussing Alba’s EuroLeague matches.
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Bayern vs Alba H2H
During the previous season, they played a total of five matches. Bayern won three encounters, while Alba celebrated wins in the remaining two games.
Absences and Injuries
Both teams have significant absences in the squad. In Bayern, Vladimir Lucic will definitely not play, while Niels Giffey is questionable. On the other side, Yanni Wetzell will not be available for the roster, and the participation of Khalifa Koumadje is still unclear, with the decision expected on the game day.
Bayern vs Alba Prediction
In the last two years, during the mutual encounters of these teams, no one celebrated with a difference greater than six points. It’s clear that the teams haven’t fully reached the desired level of form, and injuries dictate a lot, so both are significantly weakened. Also, only twice in the last eight matches did the home team win. Because of all this, we predict that the team from Berlin will not lose by a margin greater than the offered handicap.
Tip-off Time: Thursday, 05.10.2023, 20:30 CET
Prediction: Alba +10.5
Odds: 1.71
Sportsbook: 22Bet
*Odds are active at the time the article is published
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