Lo, Bayern blow out ASVEL by 41

FC Bayern Munich put the clamps early on a commanding 104-63 victory against visiting LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne to end the latter's undefeated run to the start the season. Both teams now have 2-1 records. Maodo Lo scored 16 of his 19 points in the first half to lead the winners. With equally efficient offense and defense, Bayern scored the game's first 9 points, had its first double-digit lead at 14-4, was up 30-13 after one quarter and 57-35 at halftime. Nihad Dedovic added 14 points, Vladimir Lucic and Paul Zipser 12 each, and Mathias Lessort 10. Bayern hit 10 of 12 three pointers on the night. Amine Noua with 16 points and Antoine Diot with 13 were the lone bright spots in ASVEL's offense.

Lo scored 5 points in a row to send Bayern to a quick 9-0 lead. Edwin Jackson broke the ice for ASVEL, but Lo was got free for 5 more points and a 17-7 lead. Dedovic joined Lo from downtown, Lessort came on with a dunk and Zipser converted a three-point play for a huge 25-7 difference. Amine and Diot steadied ASVEL briefly, but Petteri Koponen's three-point play left a 30-13 scoreboard after 10 minutes. Tonye Jekiri of ASVEL and Greg Monroe of Bayern exchanged inside baskets early in the second, but soon Charles Kahudi and Noua drilled back-to-back threes to get the guests within 38-28. After a Bayern timeout, Lucic shot in 8 points quickly on fine assists by Monroe, Diego Flaccadori and Dedovic to make it 48-30. Lo returned for his third triple and another 3 points the hard way as the Bayern juggernaut rolled into halftime with a huge 57-35 advantage. ASVEL cut the difference only briefly after the break, before Dedovic soon supplied the highest lead, 65-41, from long distance, and Lo followed him to make it 70-47. Not even 3 three-pointers by Diot could cut the gap below the 20-point mark as Bayern's crisp passing and defensive movement did not flag. Zipser, with Bayern's ninth triple without a miss, helped the lead stretch to 81-51. The fourth quarter was mainly a countdown to 100 points, which came on Demarcus Nelson's dish to Diego Flaccadori for a back-door dunk at 100-58 with 3 minutes remaining, long after the outcome was apparent and Bayern had taken the air out of ASVEL's early-season balloon.

Pivotal performer

Maodo Lo owned the vibe in the Audi Dome from soon after the game started, scoring in bunches as the difference climbed quickly out of reach for ASVEL. His 19 points were 3 shy of Lo's career high from less than a year ago, but on that night, to score 22 points against Gran Canaria, he played 33 minutes. This time, he did it all in 16 minutes and 10 seconds, missing just 1 shot. He was 3 of 4 on two-pointers, 4 of 4 from deep and hit his only free throw for a PIR of 21, also his second best.

Great but not greatest

Bayern's 104 points, 138 team PIR and 41-point difference were spectacular, but only its second-best effort in the EuroLeague in all those categories. Less than a year ago, at home against Darussafaka Tekfen Istanbul on November 8, Bayern was even better, with 116 points, a PIR of 156 and a 46-point difference. All three were highs in the entire EuroLeague last season.

Super stat

Through three quarters, after which Bayern led 83-51, the hosts had gone 9 for 9 on three-pointers. Lo was 4 for 4, Dedovic 2 for 2, while Lucic, Zipser and Koponen hit 1 each.

What’s next?

FC Bayern stays in the friendly confines of the Audi Dome to welcome Khimki Moscow Region on Thursday of Round 4. ASVEL stays on the road to visit Zalgiris Kaunas on Friday.