Expectations aside Reality aside.
Estimates aside, facts aside.
At the end of the two away games in Madrid, Maccabi Tel Aviv was 2-0 behind, after all the theories that preceded the opening of the series were shattered.
Maccabi's Final Four dream is very far away.
In fact, it may end the Euroleague season as early as Tuesday if it loses to Elijah at Real Madrid.
Real reached the playoff quarterfinal series in its biggest crisis of the past decade.
Maccabi arrived with great momentum with six consecutive victories and great hopes.
In practice, Maccabi is the only team in all four series that failed to achieve an away win in the two opening games.
If in the first game Avi Even's team was still in the picture, the second game was played in one side.
It seems that the all-too-experienced Real came out of the crisis just in time, with its players, who were in bad shape, taking a big step forward just in time.
Evans tries to stop Williams-Goss, Photo: EPI
On the other hand, Maccabi's key players, who have been so impressive lately, have retreated to the most important point of the season.
These are mainly James Nanley and Anta Žižić.
Avi Even does not know where to start to fix the situation ahead of game number 3. He has a sea of professional problems on the one hand, like getting the key players back in shape, and on the other hand a difficult mental problem.
Maccabi suffered a severe blow yesterday, a big game in which the score was 52: 126!
To her detriment.
The question is whether she has the ability to rise in the psychological sense from this knockout.
29 The difference is the biggest playoff defeat Maccabi has ever suffered.
Professionally, Stone marked the two key points that need major improvement: "Real's triples and its offensive rebound."
Real scored 30 threes in both games and in the second game dominated big under the baskets.
We will add that Maccabi's offensive game must undergo a drastic change.
Maccabi finished both games with an average of only 11.5 assists.
Avi Even.
Still believes in revolution, Photo: IPI
Stone said his team: "got hit", but tried to convey optimism: "I know we will find the way back. These will be completely different games. A few bad minutes took us out of the game. We lost in every parameter of the game.
"In this game we ran away from all the things that brought us to this place. It's a playoff and the difference has no meaning. Things have happened before. There were teams that snatched 25 points and came back. We came here thanks. We will find our confidence to beat Real in Tel Aviv."
Keenan Evans gave one of the most prominent examples of Maccabi's downfall: "We had more losses than assists," said the coordinator, adding: "In this game, a mistake led to a mistake.
We must stay together.
I'm trying to put this game behind me.
Should try to forget.
We have a few days to recover and come ready for a big battle. "
Pablo Lasso.
Avoid complaining ahead of Game 3,
John Dibertolomeo: "We deserve a better performance on this stage. We did not do it in the most important game of the season. It is disappointing and frustrating. Now we have another challenge, and I hope we will meet it. Now we are with our backs to the wall. In the next game there is no tomorrow There's no more room for error. "
Real coach Pablo Lasso, on the other hand, sounded pleased but cautious: "We had a great second and third quarter.
We were stable.
We played the highs well.
I know how hard it's going to be in Tel Aviv.
Center Vincent Poirier, who gave an excellent performance, added: "We played well, but the work was not completed.
"Tel Aviv is a very difficult place to play."
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