ALBA Berlin starts on Friday in the BBL Playoffs final. After the hard-fought victory against Bamberg, the FC Bayern awaits. The Best-of-Five-Series begins with two away games in Munich. Game three in Berlin takes place on June 17. It was a demolition that lingered. The immediate aftermath of Alba Berlin's crushing dominance in the fifth semifinal against Bamberg was a chorus of cheers. Their Franconian guests were already in the locker room and summer break – sweaty jerseys on hanging shoulders, glassy eyes from empty faces. Alba's basketball players, on the other hand, celebrated on the court. Captain Jonas Mattisseck started the Humba, Alba's entourage responded adrenalin-tinged. ALBA has achieved its season goal. On Wednesday morning – a night later and with a regulated hormone balance – the echo of Alba's victory in the decisive semifinal changed: from the euphoria of the moment to the assessment of the achievement. ALBA Berlin has reached the final of the Basketball Bundesliga with its entry into the final, its most important season goal. Since then, the seemingly overwhelming FC Bayern awaits, making everything that comes next a foregone conclusion. A Bavarian budget of almost 50 million euros and a correspondingly high-profile squad would make every Berliner victory in the Best-of-Five-Series a success. The idea that ALBA wins the series and thus the title? It's as absurd as a 31-point victory in a do-or-die game against Bamberg. Even the most ardent ALBA fans in their unconditional optimism couldn't have predicted such a game, as on Tuesday evening. From a sovereign Bamberg victory to a hard-fought ALBA victory, everything seemed possible. But ALBA dominated Bamberg from the back of the wall from minute one and led by 39 points at one point. It was a scenario that was not supposed to be. ALBA is crisis-tested, Bayern is not. But ALBA basketballers made the unthinkable a reality. They ensured that their previously threatened and almost complete collapse in the spectacular fifth game faded into the background. That ALBA had to enter this game at all after a 2-0 lead is forgotten by many, because the Berliners under great pressure again demonstrated their nerve and resilience. In the final against the big rival from the south, ALBA now has little pressure. Almost no one expects the Berliners to have a real chance with their, marked by cost-cutting measures, seven million euro expensive squad. Finally, Bayern has assembled a squad around sharpshooter Andi Obst for around 18 million euros, which alone has six current world or European champions in its ranks. Accordingly, the Munich team has marched through their playoff series against Trier and Bonn – undeterred and undefeated. In addition, they earned a whole free week before the first final game on Friday evening (20:30). The only question that Bayern's team left open is how they will fare in tight or even decisive playoff games. Numerous losses in close Euroleague games have created a certain Bavarian unpredictability. This will give ALBA hope. The same applies to the fact that the Berliners will go into the series with tired eyes, but with an unshakable will.