The lack of real centers still the main problem for Bayern Munich at Olympiacos
As I wrote prophetically at the beginning of the Euroleague season, Bayern Munich has no real centers and that will cost them the playoff spot. I will quote here what I said a couple of months ago, hoping that somebody will do something about this situation:
“The German squad have talented guys on every position, but the roster is incomplete because they have just power forwards like Derrick Williams, Devin Booker, Vladimir Lucic, Danilo Barthel. The only taller player is coming from the bench for a couple of minutes: it’s about Leon Radosevic (2,08 m) who is averaging 2,9 points and 1,5 rebounds per game. Not enough even for a bench player”.
I was there in the Audi Dome Arena and I saw how the visitors from Olympiacos smashed Bayern just because of the big advantage created in the paint by their big men. Yesterday in the home game, at Piraeus, the same thing happened. Bayern Munich was dominated at the rebounds category with a huge margin: 44-23 for Olympiacos. but as well Georgios Printezis, Nikola Milutinov and Zach LeDay had scored together 54 points. On the other side, the German centers’ contribution was very low: Leon Radosevic, starter of the game on this position had only 2 points and 3 rebounds and Danilo Barthel on power forward had 7 points. The American duo Derrick Williams and Devin Booker (but again they are not centers, but forwards) were more prolific: 5 and, respectively, 13 points scored.
Bayern was a nice team this season, quick, smart but without real strong centers you cannot slip on a long term in the biggest European competition.
Gratian Cormos, info@brainbasketball.net
