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Still one regular season to go, but two quarter finals series are already fixed:
Bamberg (3rd seed) will take on Bonn (6th), while Cologne (4th) faces Bremerhaven (5th).
Berlin is a lock at 1st place, but the last gameday will decide whether they play Quakenbrück (currently 8th) or Leverkusen (7th). Ludwigsburg, the surprise team of the season, has already secured 2nd seed.
Let me just try to characterize the eight playoff participants:
ALBA Berlin is probably the most athletic team in the country, featuring players like Julius Jenkins, Koko Archibong, Chris Owens and Sharrod Ford. They calmly locked the 1st seed, however, they did not do that in convincing fashion. Criticism is mainly addressed to headcoach Hendrik Rödl, who is said to not bring the best out of his players. Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje has been sitting on the bench for most of the season, but now that he is finally trusted in, he delivers. William Avery has been injured for weeks now and the Jovo Stanojevic thing added some controversy here. 1st offensive option Chris Owens is said to often overpace and not pass the basketball enough. I think Berlin will have no problems surviving the first round, but after that there is a hell of a series against either Cologne or Bremerhaven ahead of them.
ENBW Ludwigsburg has been the surprise team of the season. Coached by Croatian Silivino Poropat, lead by example by regular season MVP Jerry Green, a player who has slowly progressed over the years and has finally become one of the top players in this league, carried by a strong, versatile roster featuring players like veteran Milan Goljovic, comboguard Je'Kell Foster (is having a good rookie year), inside players do Nascimento, talented Pavelas Cukinas and the efficient Nate Harris, smart playing Nils Mittmann and shooter Gordon Scott. A refreshing, high scoring team, that has made some heads turn this season. Questionmark is their defense and whether or not they can hold pace, when all their opponents step it up in the playoffs.
Brose Baskets Bamberg had a nightmare start, highlighted by the dismissal of topscorer DeJuan Collins. Ironically, that was when the season turned from bad to good. They did not shy away from splashing out lots of money and restructured their roster, disissing Collins, Adam Harrington, and Jermaine Anderson, acquiring homegrown point guard Steffen Hamann and, quite surprisingly, Ex-Tau Vitoria Casey Jacobsen. Now they finally look like a team, making a late run, relying on strong defense and the do-it-all Swingman Jacobsen. However, this is one of their weaknesses: Almost every play is run through Jacobsen, who likes to either spot up, drive to the hole and draw the foul, or kick it out to Darren Fenn for the three. Other guys have to step up, namely K'Zell Wesson, Vincent Yarbrough and Steffen Hamann. Bamberg has not been getting enough offensive production from those guys.
RheinEnergie Köln (Cologne) had an up and down season, finishing fourth. Coached by Sasha Obradovic, but the great influence of assistant Prodanovic is not a secret. Top players are veteran Aleksandar Nadjfeji, probably the most intelligent player in the league, diva Demond Mallet, and allround-ace Imanuell McElroy, who just recently won the Defensive Player of the Year award. The champion will need stellar perfomances out of their three main guys in order to compete with Bremerhaven. Devin Green has not been able to step out of Marcus Faisons shadow, doing lots of rookie mistakes and not providing the outside shooting that made Faison a dangerous weapon on this team.
Eisbären Bremerhaven will face Cologne in an even first round series. Topscorer and rebounder Charles Judson Wallaces injury could have been a setback, as he has not been anywhere near top form since, but other guys have stepped up, mainly RT Guinn, a sharp shooting power forward who had not seen much playing time in the first half of the season. Brian Jones has developed a good feel for the game and is probably the best point guard defender in the league. Shooting guard Nick Jacobson has struggled at times, but remains a dangerous weapon, as do Small Forward Zigimantas Jonusas, who is playing a fantastic season and athletic big man Adam Chubb. They're a two way team that will find a way to defend and score, maybe kind of a dark horse. Give all the credit to coach Sakalauskas, in my opinion the best coach in the league.
Telekom Baskets Bonn have played a stellar season under sophomore coach Mike Koch, playing tough all year and relying on their great defense. The ultimate glue team that will not win big against bad opposition and won't give up against strong opposition. They've beaten Berlin and Bamberg twice this year. Bonn against Bamberg will most probably turn out to be an intense, close series. On offense they rely on point guard Jason Gardner, a sometimes streaky playmaker who has proven to hit the shots when it matters most. A stellar big man rotation around veteran Bernd Kruel, rookie center John Bowler, defensive workhorse Gyasi Cline-Heard, some kind of a key player to this team, and shotblocker Patrick Flomo/reconvalescent Tyray Pearson is key to the Bonn team. Flomo will not play in the playoffs due to a bad knee injury. It's the guards that are rather not reliable. Bonn needs a lift from guys like Jason Conley and Jeff Schiffner in order to hold pace with Bamberg.
Bayer Giants Leverkusen has made a late run around the comeback of underrated point Guard John Goldsberry to secure a playoff spot. Their freelance offense has turned out to pose a threat to many oppositions, as they have beaten some of the top teams in the process. Leverkusen is a enthusiastic bunch, and once rolling, they're tough to stop. Shooter Brandon Woudstra and Power Forward Dominic Allen are other key players here, while Eric Taylor has slowly emerged into an offensive force. And don't forget about crazy athlete Jared Newson and jumshooting big man Nate Fox. I doubt they'd have a chance against ALBA Berlin, but as it looks now, they're facing Ludwigsburg, who might fit them with their style of play.
Artland Dragons Quakenbrück is currently 8th seed. They've struggled all year with injuries to key players such as Adam Hess and Brian Bailey. They've recently dismissed shooting guard David Jackson due to disciplinary reasons. They look like the weakest team of those eight, but you never know what great shooter Adam Hess and workhorse power forward Darius Hall plan next. I'd rather not expect a first round surprise here though, whoever they end up playing against.
Bamberg (3rd seed) will take on Bonn (6th), while Cologne (4th) faces Bremerhaven (5th).
Berlin is a lock at 1st place, but the last gameday will decide whether they play Quakenbrück (currently 8th) or Leverkusen (7th). Ludwigsburg, the surprise team of the season, has already secured 2nd seed.
Let me just try to characterize the eight playoff participants:
ALBA Berlin is probably the most athletic team in the country, featuring players like Julius Jenkins, Koko Archibong, Chris Owens and Sharrod Ford. They calmly locked the 1st seed, however, they did not do that in convincing fashion. Criticism is mainly addressed to headcoach Hendrik Rödl, who is said to not bring the best out of his players. Ruben Boumtje-Boumtje has been sitting on the bench for most of the season, but now that he is finally trusted in, he delivers. William Avery has been injured for weeks now and the Jovo Stanojevic thing added some controversy here. 1st offensive option Chris Owens is said to often overpace and not pass the basketball enough. I think Berlin will have no problems surviving the first round, but after that there is a hell of a series against either Cologne or Bremerhaven ahead of them.
ENBW Ludwigsburg has been the surprise team of the season. Coached by Croatian Silivino Poropat, lead by example by regular season MVP Jerry Green, a player who has slowly progressed over the years and has finally become one of the top players in this league, carried by a strong, versatile roster featuring players like veteran Milan Goljovic, comboguard Je'Kell Foster (is having a good rookie year), inside players do Nascimento, talented Pavelas Cukinas and the efficient Nate Harris, smart playing Nils Mittmann and shooter Gordon Scott. A refreshing, high scoring team, that has made some heads turn this season. Questionmark is their defense and whether or not they can hold pace, when all their opponents step it up in the playoffs.
Brose Baskets Bamberg had a nightmare start, highlighted by the dismissal of topscorer DeJuan Collins. Ironically, that was when the season turned from bad to good. They did not shy away from splashing out lots of money and restructured their roster, disissing Collins, Adam Harrington, and Jermaine Anderson, acquiring homegrown point guard Steffen Hamann and, quite surprisingly, Ex-Tau Vitoria Casey Jacobsen. Now they finally look like a team, making a late run, relying on strong defense and the do-it-all Swingman Jacobsen. However, this is one of their weaknesses: Almost every play is run through Jacobsen, who likes to either spot up, drive to the hole and draw the foul, or kick it out to Darren Fenn for the three. Other guys have to step up, namely K'Zell Wesson, Vincent Yarbrough and Steffen Hamann. Bamberg has not been getting enough offensive production from those guys.
RheinEnergie Köln (Cologne) had an up and down season, finishing fourth. Coached by Sasha Obradovic, but the great influence of assistant Prodanovic is not a secret. Top players are veteran Aleksandar Nadjfeji, probably the most intelligent player in the league, diva Demond Mallet, and allround-ace Imanuell McElroy, who just recently won the Defensive Player of the Year award. The champion will need stellar perfomances out of their three main guys in order to compete with Bremerhaven. Devin Green has not been able to step out of Marcus Faisons shadow, doing lots of rookie mistakes and not providing the outside shooting that made Faison a dangerous weapon on this team.
Eisbären Bremerhaven will face Cologne in an even first round series. Topscorer and rebounder Charles Judson Wallaces injury could have been a setback, as he has not been anywhere near top form since, but other guys have stepped up, mainly RT Guinn, a sharp shooting power forward who had not seen much playing time in the first half of the season. Brian Jones has developed a good feel for the game and is probably the best point guard defender in the league. Shooting guard Nick Jacobson has struggled at times, but remains a dangerous weapon, as do Small Forward Zigimantas Jonusas, who is playing a fantastic season and athletic big man Adam Chubb. They're a two way team that will find a way to defend and score, maybe kind of a dark horse. Give all the credit to coach Sakalauskas, in my opinion the best coach in the league.
Telekom Baskets Bonn have played a stellar season under sophomore coach Mike Koch, playing tough all year and relying on their great defense. The ultimate glue team that will not win big against bad opposition and won't give up against strong opposition. They've beaten Berlin and Bamberg twice this year. Bonn against Bamberg will most probably turn out to be an intense, close series. On offense they rely on point guard Jason Gardner, a sometimes streaky playmaker who has proven to hit the shots when it matters most. A stellar big man rotation around veteran Bernd Kruel, rookie center John Bowler, defensive workhorse Gyasi Cline-Heard, some kind of a key player to this team, and shotblocker Patrick Flomo/reconvalescent Tyray Pearson is key to the Bonn team. Flomo will not play in the playoffs due to a bad knee injury. It's the guards that are rather not reliable. Bonn needs a lift from guys like Jason Conley and Jeff Schiffner in order to hold pace with Bamberg.
Bayer Giants Leverkusen has made a late run around the comeback of underrated point Guard John Goldsberry to secure a playoff spot. Their freelance offense has turned out to pose a threat to many oppositions, as they have beaten some of the top teams in the process. Leverkusen is a enthusiastic bunch, and once rolling, they're tough to stop. Shooter Brandon Woudstra and Power Forward Dominic Allen are other key players here, while Eric Taylor has slowly emerged into an offensive force. And don't forget about crazy athlete Jared Newson and jumshooting big man Nate Fox. I doubt they'd have a chance against ALBA Berlin, but as it looks now, they're facing Ludwigsburg, who might fit them with their style of play.
Artland Dragons Quakenbrück is currently 8th seed. They've struggled all year with injuries to key players such as Adam Hess and Brian Bailey. They've recently dismissed shooting guard David Jackson due to disciplinary reasons. They look like the weakest team of those eight, but you never know what great shooter Adam Hess and workhorse power forward Darius Hall plan next. I'd rather not expect a first round surprise here though, whoever they end up playing against.
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