After Alba Berlin, the basketball players of FC Bayern Munich have moved into the playoff round of the four best Bundesliga teams as the second team.

In the fourth game of the best-of-five series against the Hakro Merlins Crailsheim, coach Andrea Trinchieri's team prevailed away with 86:72 (40:32) and won the series 3-1 on Tuesday evening.

After a balanced first quarter, the Munich team, in which Vladimir Lucic participated again, worked out a lead until the break.

The outsider braced himself against the impending end of the season, but with Bayern, who appeared concentrated, it was more fitting than the recent 82:96 defeat and after Trinchieri's criticism.

The coach had asked his players to show more pride.

Paul Zipser and Wade Baldwin went ahead and made an early decision in the final section.

With the Merlins, a strong Trae Bell-Haynes (32 points) was not enough to put Munich in serious trouble.

Bayern's opponent has not yet been determined, as Brose Bamberg forced the fifth game against the main round champion MHP Riesen Ludwigsburg with a 87:84 earlier. The decision will be made in the fifth meeting on Thursday in Ludwigsburg. In the second semi-final, Berlin will face the winner of the duel EWE Baskets Oldenburg against ratiopharm Ulm. The Baden-Württemberg team took a 2-1 lead on Monday.