1 At the beginning of the season, after Maccabi Tel Aviv easily won the Winner's Cup, I met a professional from one of the teams in the Premier League. "Their qualitative advantage over the other teams is enormous. With the method of series, there is no way to surprise them."
This week it became clear - again - that Maccabi Tel Aviv's crisis in the Euroleague is no less strong than in the local arena. Although the quality of the league has known better years, the loss in Herzliya was Maccabi's fifth (!) The senior in Israel.
If you add that in three more games, Eilat at home (Cameron Taylor's basket forced a second overtime), Upper Galilee outside (was an accurate shot from a victory) and in the arena against Jerusalem (Maccabi was close to loss), the Yellows may have a negative balance in the league for the first time.
Sapropolus.
But what about passing attacks?
2 some statistical numbers that will illustrate the collapse in yellow: The main strength of Maccabi in the league was the light baskets in color and bursts, which would have brought it to an average of 90 points
Per game (currently she's at 84 and relies mostly on her good October).
Maccabi is currently ranked second in the league with two shots, with only 37 shots (leading the league in percentage with 56 percent).
She also scores 9.2 threes, but that's more than 27 attempts - her worst percentage ever from that range.
Yannis Sapropoulos' team is also in the penultimate place in points from passing attacks (about 6 per game).
For comparison, last season Maccabi scored about 9.5 points.
And the defense?
Maccabi's best catcher is Scotty
Wilbkin.
Hardly a kidnapper, Photo: Alan Schieber
(Not considered Mr. Defense), in 29th place with one steal (!) Per game.
3 Maccabi attributes the losses in the league to the non-registration of Ante Zizic for some of the games.
Until the derby, and also against Herzliya, Maccabi did not lose a game in which the Croatian is a partner.
In the final quarter of the derby, by the way, Sapropoulos went with soloist Jaylen Reynolds - and lost.
On the other hand, the good finishing minutes in the arena came after he was injured.
Maccabi will not admit it, but the Greek coach's decision in mid-October to keep the Israelis on track in most Euroleague games led to the creation of two teams: a team for Europe with the foreigners and a team for a league with the Israelis.
In the Euroleague, it turns out, the foreigners are not good enough and the team is not balanced.
In the league, the Israelis look insecure.
"I'm told 'come up and play your game,' but after an action or two - I'm out," one of them said recently.
Wilbkin on the parquet in the Jubilee Hall.
Something must change, Photo: Bernie Ardov
4 The forced corona break in the Euroleague should move Yannis Sapropoulos to rethink.
The quarterfinals of the state cup are already just around the corner, and the home advantage in the playoffs in the league is in tangible danger.
It is difficult to understand why the Israelis who won the game for him at the arena (John Dibertolomeo and Oz Blazer) did not start with a loss to Bnei Herzliya, and his insistence on preferring Cameron Taylor (15 percent to three) and Angelo Cloiaro, who hurts offensive power.
Since every away game has become a minefield, the quarter-final of the cup against Hapoel Galil Elyon (January 17, Kfar Blum) is Maccabi Tel Aviv's most important game in the near future.
Maccabi Tel Aviv fans. Waiting for the long-awaited change, Photo: Oded Karni
Euroleague.
After the postponement of the game between Maccabi Tel Aviv and Basconia, which was supposed to take place tonight at Menora Mivtachim Hall, the next home game is also in jeopardy.
Meanwhile, only one game out of nine scheduled will take place in the next round at the senior European factory: Armani Milano vs. Zenit (tomorrow, 21:30).
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