By Stefan Djordjevic / sdjordjevic@eurohoops.net
Bayern Munich pulled off a big comeback in Game 4 against Olimpia Milano with 85-82 and it will be the third of the four EuroLeague quarterfinal series going into Game 5.
“When you win a game with an alley-oop in the last 23 seconds, ‘and one’… We are either totally crazy or we are really special,” coach Andrea Trinchieri said after the game and it perfectly describes Bayern’s run in this game and perhaps even the whole season.
“We had character. We found a way to come back, to change the momentum, due to our defense, because we played great defense. And then we made big plays. When you make big plays, usually you win,” he added and ‘bypassed’ any jinxes by avoiding to give special mentions to individual players.
“When you win a game with an alley-oop and one in the last 23 seconds, we’re totally crazy or we’re really special”
– Andrea Trinchieri pic.twitter.com/WXOKVVErCr
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) April 30, 2021
Wade Baldwin scored 18 points for Bayern despite going 0-6 from long range while Paul Zipser put on a heroic performance with 16 points.
Zipser also recognized the pattern in Bayern’s regular comebacks: “It’s the story of our season. We like to win comebacks, I guess. It didn’t look well in the first half for us, but we just kept our composure. We stayed in it. We had a few players out of the game, but we were just mentally strong to come back like that.”
JaJuan Johnson showed off a big presence in the paint with 12 points and seven boards. Vladimir Lucic also scored 12 including two free throws down the stretch to seal the deal.
On the opposing side, Malcolm Delaney went off with 28 points on 9-14 shooting as he constantly tried to keep Milano afloat but it wasn’t enough in the end. Shavon Shields followed with 17 points.
After a balanced start, Olimpia Milano secured a solid ten-point lead by halftime (50-40) and it seemed as though they would keep the control until the very end, especially after Shavon Shields hit a deep shot to end the third quarter (71-63).
However, Bayern has shown this season lots of tenacity and character, and they did so this time around as well. Paul Zipser, who didn’t score at all in the first twenty minutes of the game, went for all of his 16 points in the second half to spark his team’s comeback including a crucial dunk and triple.
ZIPSER!!!
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) April 30, 2021
Zipser was also the one to push transition after a defensive rebound and throw an alley-oop to Vladimir Lucic for two-and-one play which gave Bayern an 83-82 lead with 23 seconds remaining.
LUCIC!!!!! ???pic.twitter.com/DvAbaQnA8k
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) April 30, 2021
Bayern recovered from losing the first two games and the series will move back to Milano where the decisive Game 5 will be held on May 4th.