Bayern blows out Darussafaka on record-setting night

FC Bayern Munich registered it largest-ever win in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague, routing visiting Darussafaka Tekfen Istanbul 116-70 on Thursday night at Audi Dome. Bayern improved to 3-3 on the season with the win in which it set a number of club records in the EuroLeague and some of the highest-ever offensive marks in competition history. Meanwhile, Darussafaka suffered its fourth straight loss and dropped to 1-5. Devin Booker led the winners with 18 points, while Petteri Koponen and Nihad Dedovic netted 16 apiece for Bayern, which made 18 threes on 26 attempts. The only Darussafaka players in double digits were Jeremy Evans who had 20 points plus 8 rebounds, and Markel Brown with 10 points.

Booker scored 7 of Bayern's first 9 points, but Evans hit from downtown on the other end to tie the score at 9-9. That would be the last tie of the night, however, as Stefan Jovic, Dedovic and Booker helped the hosts pull away to 21-13. Berk Demir had plays on both ends of the floor that helped Darussafaka stay within 21-17 after one quarter, but Koponen hit a three-pointer to fuel a 10-0 run to start the second quarter as Bayern pulled away. Zanis Peiners and Brown hit from long range for the visitors, and Michael Eric and Evans scored inside. Koponen, Maodo Lo and Vladimir Lucic hit more three-pointers for Bayern, while Danilo Barthel and Dedovic had three-point plays, as Bayern strolled into halftime with a 54-35 lead. Any thoughts of a Darussafaka comeback were dismissed in the opening 90 seconds of the third quarter when Bayern made a 7-0 run that included a triple from Barthel and a steal and easy fastbreak layup by Dedovic to make it 61-35. Jon Diebler hit a corner three for the visitors, but Booker replied in the same manner and Lucic finished a fast break to increase the margin to 71-41 only four minutes into the third quarter. Bayern kept forcing turnovers, which led to easy baskets, while also shooting the lights out from downtown. The hosts led 87-50 after three quarters, and even though Darussafaka got its offense going, Bayern kept lighting it up until the final buzzer.

Records. Records. Records.

Bayern set its club record in a EuroLeague game for the biggest win (46 points), most points scored (116), assists (28), three-point shots made (18), three-point accuracy (69.2%) and total performance index rating (156). It was the most points any team has scored in a EuroLeague game in more than a decade. It was also the eighth-highest PIR ever in a game and Bayern was one three-point shot shy of tying the all-time record of 19 three-pointers.

Shooting the lights out

Nine different Bayern players hit at least one three-pointer and by going 18 for 26 (69.2%) Bayern achieved the highest three-point accuracy in the EuroLeague this season and the 18th best in competition history. Koponen was 4 for 4 from long range, Braydon Hobbs 3 for 3, Maodo Lo 3 of 4, Booker made 2 of 2 and Dangubic 2 of 3.

Hidden stat

Bayern scored 33 points in the second quarter, and 27 of those came in 3-point increments. Bayern knocked down 6 triples in that quarter – two apiece by Petteri Koponen and Maodo Lo and one each by Nemanja Dangubic and Vladimir Lucic – but also got three basket-plus-fouls, courtesy of Derrick Williams, Danilo Barthel and Nihad Dedovic.

Did you notice?

Bayern entered this game averaging 77 points per game, which was third fewest in the league. After this win, Bayern's average increased to 83.5 points per game.

Next game

Next week both teams will play at home. Darussafaka will try to bounce back when it opens Round 7 by hosting AX Armani Exchange Olimpia Milan on Thursday, while Bayern will welcome CSKA Moscow on Friday.