1. The game against Barcelona shows how much power Maccabi Tel Aviv has this season. Meet the second best team in the Euroleague, without two significant rotation players like Tamir Blatt and John DiBartolomeo (yes, Barca lacked two more central players), and still get to a close game until the last minute. 40 minutes that can give a lot of encouragement for the future. But, no one remembers Bar Kochba's deputy. Keep in mind that this is already the second home loss this season. At the Maccabi Arena, it usually achieved victories against the big teams as well, thus creating a certain advantage over the rivals with which it competes for the last tickets to the playoffs. The Yellows will have to cover with away wins in less predictable places.
2. What will happen to Wade Baldwin? How does a player of this caliber allow himself to be sent off against such an opponent at this stage of the game? Baldwin missed many games this year because of an injury and an abdominal virus, and yesterday "abandoned" his teammates in the decisive minutes. In other words, irresponsibility.
Nivo. Performs well defensively, photo: EPA
3. Every game we talk about Maccabi Tel Aviv's defense. In every game, the lax defense, especially inside the paint, costs it dearly. Sometimes the good attack atones and Maccabi wins, and sometimes it doesn't. Nicholas Laprovitola, not the continent's greatest athlete, took advantage of the breakout paint and scored a personal season high. Luckily, Jan Wesley didn't play, because he probably would have taken advantage of the lack of defense for a high double-digit number of points. Josh Nivo is an excellent defensive player, Jaciel Rivero and Roman Sorkin also do a decent individual job in this aspect of the pitch, improvement has to come from a team standpoint. Standing, coordinating, helping, concentrating. The professional staff has a great responsibility in this matter.
4. The bad news: The next opponent is Real Madrid, 0-9 in the Euroleague by an average margin of more than 14 points, 1-9 in the Spanish league. He averaged 88.2 points per game in the Euroleague, and think about how much that could end up against the yellow defense. Sorry we're putting it in the story, but God really needs to keep.
We wrote during the season that Maccabi needs to play at a high pace and run offensively. Against Real Madrid, it is not certain that this method will be correct. Not just for Maccabi, for every team in Europe. The Yellows will have to play in control because the Blancos punish every mistake and lack of concentration, while at the same time bringing out the advantages in the open field. The key, of course, lies in a good defense that will force turnovers and bad shots. The good news: 48 hours later, Alba Berlin, the weakest and crunchiest team in the factory, will arrive in Belgrade.
Grimeau. Nice choice of Barcelona. The question of how much patience there will be with him, Photo: EPA
5. In the last 15 years it has been understood in Spain that when you have a quality squad full of experienced players, and also enough money to maintain continuity and bring worthy replacements to the players who leave, you do not need "stars" on the lines, but editorial staff who think together with the management about the future of the club and promote young players (in Spain there is no shortage of those). These coaches don't have to be great tacticians, but those who run the team well. In Spain they call it "work bouncers", and not in the insulting sense of the word. They conduct training well, manage their egos in the dressing room, choose the right lineups and know what defense and drills need to be played according to the players on the field.
Sergio Sacriolo has failed in almost all of his recent teams, but in the Spanish national team he is doing an amazing job. The Golden Generation reaped achievements under him and then incorporated the next generation of actors, and now he is further rejuvenating La Roja. Real Madrid did a similar job with Pablo Lasso, who for a decade won many trophies and led a squad that ran for many years, promoted young players and turned the Blancos into role models. Last summer, his assistant Chos Mateo was promoted in his place and continues his work wonderfully. The two were not considered great tacticians before arriving at Real and neither of them had recorded an outstanding achievement before, yet the Madrid club understood that in the situation that was created they were the most suitable people.
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Is Roger Grimão Barcelona's new man who can lead them in the coming years, Xavi Pascual style from 2008 to 2016? Very could be. Grimão played for the team and was considered a smart player and a quiet leader. He coached in the youth team and enjoyed the trust of sporting director Juan Carlos Navarro. His conduct radiates calm and calm. So far it looks good, we will see what happens when Manic Time comes closer, and whether Barca will give him the tools and time to succeed.
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