what did you do last week
Under the auspices of the national team break, Maccabi Tel Aviv were given seven consecutive training days without playing, traveling or any other harassment.
Only secondary players were absent from the game in Belgrade, and it was a real gift in the middle of the intense schedule of Euroleague games, to reorganize, make adjustments, refine instructions and deepen and refine tactics.
And in the first half it seemed that Maccabi did make good use of the break period.
New quintet: The nerf quintet with the two talls and Hollins returned gear.
Brodwin and Poythers were joined by Hilliard and Sorkin, who respectively solved Maccabi's two main problems: shooting from a distance, and wisdom at the 4 position. Hilliard is an absolute scorer and it is possible that his injury early in the season disrupted many of Ketch's plans.
The importance of such a shooter is enormous, because he creates a passing game around him that looks for him, punishes the defense that helps him, and can generate momentum on his own with two good shots.
Sorkin continues to progress and brings game wisdom and diversity to Maccabi's desolate 4th position.
This time he also added beautiful assists, transferring the weight of the game from side to side, and even accurate shooting from the post area.
When he is not afraid to throw and score from three, Maccabi will have a European asset in this position.
And so Poythers was freed from the terror of having to decide and deliver, he concentrated on the ring area and that's where he excels.
Sorkin.
He will turn into a loser if he continues like this, photo: Maccabi Tel Aviv
It is evident that there was also work on physical fitness (Yapa Regev) which led to running, pressure in defense, steals and bursts in the opening game.
The first 5 triples went in a lot because of the freshness, the clear head, and the strong legs from rest combined with precise training.
Under the auspices of all these, Maccabi went to the break after its best offensive half of the season, with 8-14 for threes, 60% from two-point range, an excellent ratio of assists and turnovers (12-5) and even controlling the rebound under its basket.
it looks good.
It looks promising.
Then the break ended and the real game began.
Some of our best plays in the 1st half in Belgrade @The_Fourth_Wade @DHilliard6X @AlexTheGreat22 @ pic.twitter.com/LDKFn3eJrE
— Maccabi Tel Aviv BC (@MaccabitlvBC) November 18, 2022
Defense is the name of the game
The problem that is evident in Maccabi is that most of the work and training is spent on coordinating the attack.
That is where the greatest effort will be made, and this is also the philosophy of Ketch, who wants to score and control the game through the attack - and as for the defense, we will manage, we will make adjustments, after all, the majority depends on the motivation and energy of the players.
So it's true, but the second half proved that Maccabi lacks energy, lacks defensive concentration, and lacks leadership in moments of crisis.
And also on the tactical level, it lacks the small and precise coordinations that stop big baskets.
A large part of the defense's job is "defending the last seconds".
The ability to stay focused and make the right defensive decision in the final seconds before the shot clock buzzer.
Should I press or go back, should I double up or stay with my player?
Is it to help with penetration and open the three-pointer?
These should be group decisions, and also specific according to the opposing players.
The defense in the second half was random and trailed behind the opponent, did not initiate change, and did not attack Partizan's strengths.
And so the Serbs ate away at the lead throughout the third quarter, with Maccabi's defense allowing the very talented Dante Exum to score unhindered with simple penetrations to the basket.
A big part of "focus all the way" is getting the defensive rebound.
You made a substitution, you got a penetration, when the ball is in the air you must maintain absolute concentration and get the rebound.
But the menacing Lasor, dismantled the basket in the second half and put despair in the eyes of Poithers and Sorkin, who could not handle his energy.
catch
No emphasis on protection, photo: EPA
Minister of Energy
and about energy?
Despite Ketch's first successful challenge of the season, this was actually the turning point for the worse.
Instead of a basket by the Serbs, the challenge resulted in an intermediate ball in the middle of the court.
Round of 5 points in favor of Maccabi.
But it already fired up the huge crowd to the end, and despite the very unfriendly refereeing (which Maccabi will get in every away game) Maccabi collapsed at the level of intensity brought by the crowd, perhaps the only one stronger than Yad Eliyahu.
Leadership is energizing, and Partisan has a crazy motivator on the lines that players kill themselves for.
So Ketch is not like that, but he also lacks a charismatic figure on the field like Zach Liddy or even Yam Medar, who would fire up the players.
Maccabi's leaders are opposites.
Brown is introverted, doesn't talk and isn't a real leader, and Baldwin is extroverted and aggressive but he's not a leader either.
Both are good at basketball but not at leadership.
If the first half of every game depends more on the coach's preparation, the second half already belongs to the players, or at least to the change that the coach will bring, but it didn't come.
Maccabi's core at the moment is simply not good enough.
Zack Liddy.
Brings energy, photo: EPA
A deep and
mediocre squad After Nikola Vujic announced his retirement, they rushed to look for his worst signings.
Indeed there were.
But hasty releases are also mistakes.
Matthias Lessor was here only a year ago, showed spectacular ability, connected with the team, and it was obvious that he was a real steal.
But Vujic released him in order to reserve a place for his personal apprentice Ante Zizic, who although returned excellently from the injury, but even at his peak did not give Maccabi what Sur could have given under the basket.
Zack Lyday also passed under the eyes of Maccabi who played in Gilboa.
The type of players who are not brilliant but are efficient and justify their low salary, and Maccabi with its medium budget is completely dependent on such thefts.
It is already evident that there are three unnecessary foreigners in Maccabi's foreign-laden squad.
What Adams, Martin and Hollins give can easily be given by John Dee, Sorkin, Jake Cohen and Rafi Manko.
Paradoxically, this was probably the first time in history that in a game against an ex-Yugoslav team, Maccabi gave more minutes to local players than the opponent.
And still Maccabi's game will be better in a shorter and more Israeli rotation.
Overdovich.
Figure on the lines, photo: EPA
A critical week
It turns out that Maccabi's comfortable draw did bring confidence and early victories, but now the yellows are already at 4:4, with three consecutive losses, and still without an away win.
Macchiv enters a week of 4 games in 8 days, and all of them are important to her.
Baldwin and Brown played 34 minutes each, and the freshness in the legs will turn into a thick lactic acid that will be difficult to release in a week like this.
The bench will have a critical meaning, and after this week Maccabi will understand its place more clearly.
In the meantime, it will look for new sources of energy.
were we wrong
We will fix it!
If you found an error in the article, we would appreciate it if you shared it with us
