The hall in Milan reminds the Maccabi management of forgotten and good things.
In 2014, magic happened to him, miracles were performed in him, and the club's last and very special European Cup was born.
But the only connection to that wonderful season was not played yesterday.
In fact, even then he did not play.
That year, Jake Cohen was registered in the team, but was loaned early to Maccabi Rishon Lezion and did not receive a mini-cup at the end.
Milan have progressed since then, Niccolò Mali no longer loses critical balls, Ettore Messina does not do nonsense like Luca Banky, and Maccabi does not have a coordinator at the level of Tyrese Rice.
Not that it was a game that Maccabi planned in advance to win, but it continues to look bad, and it is not allowed to give Mini back at the end to give a feeling that is too good.
It happened after he had already been decided, and it is a pity that Maccabi starts to keep and be aggressive only when it is far behind or when the game is over.
It is a matter of mental preparation, and in the first half it seems that Maccabi respects the opponent too much and is too busy with thoughts of attack and too little with thoughts about the basics of defense and stopping the opponent.
Yannis Sapropoulos' reputation as a defensive coach is cracking.
This is not how a team that fights to prove its quality looks.
I recently wrote regarding Yiftach Ziv that he should hope that Keenan Evans will be good enough so that Maccabi does not bring in another coordinator.
To his chagrin and to the chagrin of the whole team Evans does not rise to the next level, and Maccabi is forced to put the ball early in Wilbkin's hands, and then he does not score (first field goal in the third quarter!) And gets tired of dribbling.
Photo: EPA,
Maccabi's return at the end was when Wilbkin scored two quick threes, and especially when Evans mentioned for a moment his great moments from last season in Haifa.
Evans' ability probably depends on a very large part of Maccabi's success in maintaining its chances for the playoffs in the coming month.
Then it might be too late, for the team, for Evans and also for Yiftach Ziv (who played 42 seconds and contributed nothing).
Maccabi's second problem is James Nanley, who does not fulfill almost anything of his promise.
He is already on 3 of 16 for three points (19%) in the three games, and missed three completely free threes in moments that could have brought Maccabi back into the game.
At least he contributes on rebounds and assists (7 and 5 respectively last night), but not for that they brought him.
Because it is difficult for him to dribble, he greatly limits the line-ups that can be placed with him, so most of the minutes Maccabi does not have another goal near Wilbkin.
And since Reynolds and the ban still do not pose a threat just below the baskets, Maccabi does not find ways to score enough points, and scores less than 70 points per game.
The victory over Bayern keeps Maccabi from being on zero victories, but it is currently (along with Bayern) one of the weakest teams in the Euroleague.
Photo: EPA,
The only thing Maccabi can take from this game is the aggressiveness that erupted in the last quarter, and bring it from the first quarter on Thursday at the Willerban.
At the moment, Maccabi needs to stop thinking about basketball, and think about war and defense.
This is not a cliché, a team with a balance of three undefeated victories awaits it, all of which came from the same source, teeth and nails.
Chris Jones, who studied the Euroleague last season at Maccabi, is also waiting for her, and this year is implementing well, elsewhere.
There is a situation that on the flight back home to the surfer, Nikola Vujicic and Yannis will regret the decision to release him.
Because in the meantime, the distance between him and Keenan Evans is the distance between who Maccabi wanted to be, and who she really is.
