Inside the stressed capsule of Maccabi Tel Aviv, where it has not recorded a victory in a Euroleague playoff game since 2014, the victory is not the most important thing, but the only thing that matters.
So Maccabi recorded a W in the opening game, which of course is better than a loss, but it's the best thing to take from the game.
In practice, Maccabi was 3 tenths of a second away from losing at home to one of the weakest teams in the field.
The one who gave her the victory is fresh ex Keenan Evans, who, although he was excellent all game and gave the feeling that he had nothing to prove, folded in the last attack, gave up the decisive shot and gave a casual pass to get rid of the ball, as if he went back in time a year and saw a grumpy Scotty Wilvkin on him and shouts for the ball in the corner.
So maybe Maccabi was right about him, but the way it has been building its squad in recent years is a slippery slope that will not bring it closer to its next playoff victory.
Israelis in exile
The creeping devaluation of the status of the Israelis and the lack of identity and continuity of Maccabi reached a new peak with the first five, which included only American foreigners who arrived only this summer.
Without digging too far into history, this has never happened before.
And precisely with an Israeli coach who was, and maybe will be again, the coach of the national team.
Rafi Manko.
The significant Israeli, photo: Alan Shiver
It's true, everything is according to the rules, it's true, you don't need to check IDs within the team, but the five that come up, certainly in the first game, has meaning - symbolic, ceremonial, and also professional.
In all respects, and especially for visibility and to justify the name "Maccabi Tel Aviv" on the jerseys, at least one Israeli should appear.
You could bring up Panini who returned this summer to correct a mistake, you could bring up Manko who is professionally important but hardly used, and you could possibly bring up John Dee, who is the captain and the oldest player in the team.
But going up with the strongest five (on paper) without considering the significance and identification, will make Maccabi the modern Jezreel Sabers, and the fans customers of victories only, who will not stick around if or when the losses come.
That's why Singolda's guitar wails during the playing of the anthem sounded more jarring in retrospect, after it turned out that the Israelis only played 15 minutes out of 200.
And regardless - the anthem should only be played at meetings between countries.
And if at least once the fans sang it spontaneously, this time it was organized in advance, and as usual it was done with only one side standing (the opponent's is not played), which creates unfairness and Israeli insolence in front of the guests, who always seem embarrassed by the situation.
Singolda plays the anthem, photo: Alan Shiver
Minister of Defense
All coaches work on both defense and attack.
But what the players absorb from a coach is inspiration, focus and a request for commitment, and most of the game it seems that Katz focuses and thinks mainly about attack, and in defense he trusts the ability and experience of the players.
This hurt Maccabi significantly in rebounding and loose balls, most of which landed in Lithuanian hands.
Only for a few minutes in the third quarter, which came after Kesht's briefing in the dressing room, there was urgency and defensive panic, which led to steals, bursts, and the opening of the gap that was just enough for the victory.
Maccabi has enough offensive talent, and Lorenzo Braun relieves Ketch of a lot of offensive work.
Therefore, Maccabi must concentrate on producing a team core through defense and rebounding, and that is precisely where the coach's fingerprint is required.
Keenan Evans.
The ex returned to the hall,
There is a super deep and athletic squad, what's the dilemma?
Pressing all over the field should be the basis of all connections, producing pairs and trios of players who play well together and are compatible.
First of all, protection.
Then in the attack you have to identify what comes naturally (individual play and penetration, running when possible), and what doesn't (play against a regional team for example) and give special emphasis to that.
strange strangers
Every year Maccabi brings eight foreigners because it can, and then gradually eliminates at least three of them.
It's not that they aren't good, there just isn't room for that many players in the rotation, and the foreigners have lower absorption capacity and durability than the Israeli squad, especially when three of them don't dress in the local league.
This year's candidates are Hollins, Jarles, and maybe one of the Nibo - Poyters duo.
Baldwin, photo: Alan Shiver
Poiters is strong and athletic but weak under both baskets and easily blocked.
Colson is the only one (besides Brown) whose spot is guaranteed, with shooting talent from all ranges and intelligent movement without the ball.
So who will play?
When Maccabi hits only 6 three-pointers at 25 percent, the lack of use of Manko screams to the sky.
He is not only an absolute scorer, but also creates communication and connection between the players.
And after last season, Roman Sorkin should play at least 20 minutes.
Euroleague.
And if not, he must go somewhere else.
Of the other outsiders, the talented and intelligent Hilliard seems to not get enough credit that is excessively given to the talent-laden, ego-laden and "emotional" Baldwin.
Hilliard is also a better three-pointer.
Baldwin decided to take the game over at the end and for a moment we were once again reminded of Scotty Wilbkin's stubbornness;
Baldwin's fifth foul may have won Maccabi the game, because it left the ball in Brown's hands, on whom Maccabi is currently completely dependent.
With him it is an organized and smart team, without him it can sometimes resemble, at least at the moment, a second division college team from Queens.
When Brown came out for a breather in the second quarter, Zalgiris immediately ran away.
And apart from the double-double he achieved, he was also the one who missed a hit to the last ball and wasted the critical half-second until the buzzer.
Right now, Lauren is Maccabi.
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