Low tide: This is how the upheaval of Maccabi Tel Aviv is explained in Europe

Basketball people from the continent are analyzing: How did a saturation season with negative highs end with the Yellows qualifying for the playoffs for the first time since 2015, with a coach no one counted?

And are they considered an underdog against broken Real Madrid?

Sasha Vargas

20/04/2022

Wednesday, April 20, 2022, 1:45 p.m.

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Summary: Real Madrid - Braugen 65:90 (Sport 1)

It is doubtful if Maccabi Tel Aviv ever had a season in which it stood so many times on the negative side of a historic event, as happened to the Yellows in 2021/22.

So let's start, with your permission, with a reminder of all those events: the club's record of consecutive losses in Europe (8) has been compared;

Anadolu Zero scored a Euroleague record against her in threes in one game (22);

Against Bayern Munich, Maccabi recorded a historic low in points (52) in a European framework;

Olympiacos celebrated it by a record margin of one quarter in the Euroleague (27).

It also happened in the local factories: the national champion recorded the worst season opener in its history in the league, dropped to a 3-0 balance in meetings with Hapoel Tel Aviv for the first time in 53 years and even surrendered to the city rival in a knockout game - something that never happened until two months ago.

So how did it happen that in such a season, which included the dismissal of one of the most esteemed coaches who have been here in recent years, and subsequently harsh criticism from the fans towards the club leaders for appointing the inexperienced Avi Even coach, thus "raising hands and throwing the season in the trash" , How after all this - Maccabi Tel Aviv will advance tonight (Wednesday) to its first playoff series in the Euroleague since 2015, against the most decorated team in Europe, when it has no home advantage, and yet is not considered an underdog?

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To the full article

There is a lot of talk about the star who is allegedly asked to attach Maccabi Tel Aviv to the playoffs, but just as written here a few days ago, when we turned to basketball people from different countries in Europe to understand how they perceived the most successful team in Israel, only two months after the deep crisis. Mianis Sapropoulos - None of them thought to mention the relegation of the Russians among the reasons why Maccabi Tel Aviv is in the quarterfinals when it has the best momentum among all the teams left in the competition.

The first successful episode of Maccabi's Euroleague season opened after an away loss in Milan, while the second began with a home win over the Italian rival less than a month ago.

Giuseppe Negro from the Gazzetta dello Sport saw both games, and analyzed the change the Yellows went through from his angle: "The difference in points scored by Maccabi Tel Aviv in the second game (58) compared to the first game (83) does not show the full picture, but does help It is very understandable who the new Maccabi is, "he claims.

"It is no coincidence that from the loss to Milan, Maccabi went out to a seven-game series, of which they lost only one - against CSKA.

In the second game, Milan threw only nine times from the line with a shocking 20%, because Maccabi locked the color with its athleticism, and demonstrated another level of activity that made it difficult for Armani to produce shooting situations.

Here, too, it is no coincidence that five more in a row were added to that victory, using the same elements. "

Both runs started against Milan.

Yiftach Ziv drowns (Photo: Danny Maron)

Even a full two months have not yet passed since Avi Even's first game as the permanent coach of the Israeli representative in the Euroleague.

As you may recall, Sapropoulos was temporarily replaced by him when he fell ill in Corona in early February, but Stone's debut as head coach was the same 32-point defeat to Anadolu Zero.

A week later, she settled in Yad Eliyahu in the Spanish Ascona, in the middle of a season that was rather modest for her, and squeezed Maccabi Tel Aviv to the end before giving up 94:93.

from Radio Vitoria accompanied Basconia to that away game, and has since continued to follow the Yellows.

"I admit I was surprised by the dismissal of Sapropolus in mid-February, as the team's results did not look so bad to me and she still had a chance to sneak into the top 8," admits Gera.

"In any case, it was quite clear that it was a successful decision, because since the Greek left, I see Maccabi much more relaxed on the field."

Negro also did not exactly understand at the time the shock on the lines of Maccabi Tel Aviv: "For those who follow the Euroleague and did not know much about Maccabi's results in the local factories, it was strange to see the change of coaches. "After the long streak of losses in December, which was more or less offset by the streak of victories achieved before that."

The low season has become a great success.

Avi Even (Photo: Danny Maron)

With all due respect to his professional knowledge and resume as an assistant to former past coaches at the Yellow Club, it is impossible not to be surprised that Even, who has never coached a senior team regularly until this year, became the senior head of Maccabi Tel Aviv for the playoffs. In view of the fact that his predecessor managed to lead a team to the final of the European Final Four in two cases even before landing in Israel.

Well, although Even himself recently mentioned that "miracles happen at Maccabi Tel Aviv", and one should definitely take into account the degree of luck that the current coach of the Yellows has had, his success has clear professional explanations.

"Avi Even's management has been just amazing so far," praises Gera.

"It's always hard to run a locker room full of so much ego, but Even knew how to divide the roles well and I think he found a great balance between the back line and the inside players. I had the opportunity to be in the game against Basconia in March, and I loved the connection between the stands and the team. I think the fans "Yes, we now identify with the style of play - and that is important in order to achieve."

Negro expands in basketball terms: "Beyond the mental upheaval, one of the keys to change is abandoning the defensive method that Sapropolos tried to instill in a team that doesn't actually have many defensive players. Through a less sophisticated - but not necessarily less tactical - approach Also the defense through a faster pace of play, which contrary to expectations lowered the average absorption per possession, because the aggressiveness hurt the quality of the opponents' shots. Regarding the formation of the players around the style of play. "

Real Madrid is going through a serious crisis.

Pablo Lasso (Photo: GettyImages, Sonia Canada)

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With the upgrade that Ibn brought, the active streak of six victories in the Euroleague and the enthusiasm for returning to the playoffs after seven years, combined with the fact that Real Madrid settles into the series with four consecutive losses, Maccabi Tel Aviv has much better momentum than its quarterfinals.

, the Greek "SDNA" reporter who saw the Yellows sailing to victory over Panathinaikos a few weeks ago, claims: "Real is better quality than Maccabi, but it has a lot of problems. "They are not playing well. Maccabi is not a team in the Final Four level, but with Real in this situation, the Tel Avivians have a great opportunity to qualify for the Final Four. I think this is the last season of 'The Great Real' and Lasso. A significant summer awaits them."

Kodzias' prediction, however, tends in favor of the Blancos: "Ultimately Real are favorites, they are not in a good position but they have the home advantage and I do not think they can play worse than how they have played recently. The odds are 40:60 in favor of Real."

Gera actually thinks differently: "I see a very balanced balance of power, but Maccabi's excellent momentum, plus the fact that Real Madrid is going through a serious crisis in terms of identity and results, may tip the scales in Maccabi's favor."

We have not yet managed to digest the move of Maccabi Tel Aviv, from the low half of the season saturated with negative records under Sapropolos to the tide that Avi Even brought with him in his two months in office, but whether the Yellows' European season ends with an inconceivable trophy in hand or not, at the end Who sought in the hand of Elijah for the seven evil years "hid" from him all this time in the corridors of the temple.

• sport

• basketball

• Euroleague and European basketball

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• Maccabi Tel Aviv in basketball

• Real Madrid in basketball