Record squeak
Had Maccabi Tel Aviv’s current season been filmed with the aim of becoming a feature film, the opening scene would probably have started with the sound of a record squeak plus the freezing of the image of Yannis Sapropoulos, as he spreads his hands in despair during last night’s (extra) loss to Andulo Zero. Then, as he stared at the camera, he would burst into a monologue in the style of “It’s me. You must be wondering how I got here.” And now Kat to the press conference of the season opener, when the people of Maccabi in general and Sapropolus in particular told how satisfied they are with the staff that was built, and how confident they are that the team has strengthened compared to the failed one of the previous season. And now Kat for the same round last season, is the 16th round, which the Israeli champion 2020/21 finished with a balance of seven wins and nine losses, just before she settles for a home game against Zenit, in the last round of the first round. And now Kat is back to the desperate and hands-on Yannis, as he and his seemingly strengthened team hold the exact same balance, meaning seven wins and nine losses, just before they meet Zenit in the final round of the first round this season – only this time the game is out.
Okay, okay, I admit. I do not know how to write a script. It’s about me. On the other hand, the question is whether Maccabi Tel Aviv knows how to build a team. How to get stronger. Because if this is how an improved, failed team of last season looks, then where is the same improvement. And if these are the fruits of the budgets and funds invested last summer, assuming that the staff was indeed built in the summer on the basis of an upgraded budget, then – in the words of Israel’s alternate prime minister, before his coronation – where is the money?
Time to manage
As it maintains a streak of six losses, a negative balance and worse: a sense that teams holding a similar or improved balance of their own currently look better and of better quality than it, the yellow club management should be, first and foremost, honest with itself. And since everyone probably understands that the current situation will not resolve itself, meaning the quality will not suddenly come with the same players and the same coach, the big question is whether to fight for the current season or wait for a miracle and wait for next summer, ahead of the next press conference. Because if you fight at all costs for the current season and believe that something else can be taken out of it, and when I say something, I mean the Euroleague playoffs, then do everything to create a budget that produces change, here and now. And no, that’s not a euphemism for something else. And no, they are not just afraid that the potential decisions you make now will have an impact on next season’s team.
Maccabi Tel Aviv, in my humble humble opinion, cannot afford to give up. As much as the current situation looks like Derek, one can still turn momentum and produce enough victories to finish in the top eight. But, and the grief here is great, the road there is likely to pass through in decisions. And there are people, at the level of ownership or management, that is exactly their job. That is, not just explaining that there are not too many options, but producing options and decisions. The Yellows have problems with the staff that can be aspired to and renovated. That is, even if it is more difficult now to do things that should have been done in the summer, one can point to one or two problems in casting the players running around the floor, and strive for a solution through change. And if there is a problem with the identity of the coach who is on the lines, a problem that was familiar to them during last season, then now is the time to manage and decide. Without fear and without explaining, internally or off the record, that the coach is responsible on the one hand, but who assures them that the next one will be better on the other hand.
Whoever believes is not afraid. to manage. And if the yellow bosses believe, it’s time to manage.
Williams does not exist
As part of the post-loss column in Madrid, we stood here on Ante Žižić’s terrible defense. And after the loss to Kazan, on the defensive catastrophe of Jaylen Reynolds. And after the loss to Fener, we talked here about the defensive failures of all of them in general and the bad decline in the defense of all of them in particular. And this time, with your permission, let’s talk a little bit about Derrick Williams’ defense. I mean, let’s talk a little bit about something that does not exist.
Because one can continue to talk about Williams’ helplessness on offense. The man, who started the season with a blatantly unreasonable percentage of shots from outside the arc, which still hits close to 45% in the streak category, is still not connected to his current team’s attack, in any way. It’s not clear what needs to be done to use it properly, but it’s certainly not. Currently, there is no offensive element, offensive exercise or offensive position, where he feels an integral part of the ideas in yellow. Well, you already understand. And if you did not understand, please go to yesterday’s column. Or take a look at another man’s lost move last night, in moments when his team was desperate to get something from him.
But what about the defense, what? Because Williams, for his physical and athletic abilities, for his advanced basketball education, especially if you remember in which clubs and under which coaches he played, should give Maccabi Tel Aviv added value. Probably when you remember that he is still supposed to save his chins from the defensive challenges next to him. And that is, that it does not happen.
And let’s start with relatively easy things. Here, at the beginning of the game, is a pick-and-roll move in French by Boboa and Murma. Or should Morman be written? Do not know. In short, please take a look at Williams’ care, according to his coach’s instructions. Williams stings the ball with a small, level pinch and continues on his way. Which does not prevent Boboa from getting into the color. Which is the whole purpose of the move. And from there there is already a problem. A problem that Williams did not help solve. And right, the decision is up to the coach. And true, Wilbkin is not really contributing. And it’s true that neither is Williams.
Now Fast Forward to end the game. Williams maintains the same Muarma. Or Moorman. This time pick and roll with master artist Shane Larkin. The defensive solution? Same solution. Williams gives a kind of sting towards the ball, and it really does not matter to him that Evans gets stuck in the mama of the block issued by the Frenchman. Then, as Larkin reaches his destination, that is, to the point, Williams provides a half-turn in place and enough to finish it in time, to stare at the elevation up and Dunston down. You know what, even the confused Travolta degree we’ll not give him this time. he does not deserve.
But what do you get caught up in the finches and smallness, you obscure, you will surely ask. And rightly so. So leave small and leave pick and roll and other ingenious concepts. What about just keeping and just caring? Oh, well you asked. So please accept the following move. Here’s an attack by Andulo Zero, somewhere at the beginning of the second quarter. When the host is still leading, yes? Williams is defensively in charge of one Chris Singleton, who proudly maintains a season-high average of 3.5. That is, one who can not buy a basket. One that probably has no offensive significance. One that can be helped to come and be ignored. So our Williams is standing next to Singleton waiting. And looking. And looking. And when the ball reaches Larkin, with 6:54 on the clock, while Kronislav Simon locks and grabs Keenan Evans, now is Williams’ moment to step forward and pounce. But why pounce, if it can be done as if?
How do you arrest Larkin? Yannis has an idea
As usual, the Greek coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv devoted time and thought, in order to try and thwart the threat posed to his team, even from the dial area of Vasily Mitzic and Shane Larkin, perhaps the best pair of guards in the history of the old continent. Maybe. And the solution, as expected, came at the casting level, when Cameron Taylor jumped into the opening five. The same Taylor who just a week before won 71 seconds during the entire game against Kazan. And since Argin Atman started with a Larkin-free five, as he does every second game (in my life, well. I’ll not invent it. Check me out), so on the face of it it seemed possible. And-walla, Mitchic really had a hard time yesterday. Not sure (at all) that because of the guard’s identity or the defensive ideas opposite, but the mighty Serb yesterday provided his worst game since the 2019-20 season, with an efficiency index of minus 4. which is nice.
And as for defensive treatments, the idea was that under certain conditions, such as after a defensive substitution situation, another player would leap toward Harkin, with the goal of making Harkin’s life difficult and forcing him, at the very least, to give up the ball and hand it over to a friend. And it’s even kind of worked for a moment or two. And not beyond that. Because Larkin, for example here when he is in front of Reynolds and Evans, who make sure to keep a safe distance from him in the style of the green character, knows how to raise his head and identify a free friend, on the way to another Tibor Place layup.
But the story is not the tactical defensive solution, as the thought that the problem and its name is Shane Larkin can be solved through Cameron Taylor’s spot staffing. If you ask the man in the street about Shane Larkin, he will tell you that until this moment the man (on the street) does not know who the guy was who thought he could narrow his steps. Because when he’s interested, and yesterday Harkin was interested, all he needs is to get going. And here, for example, when he chose to set off, in front of Taylor, he just passed him. And if Mitchell chose not to throw, then Larkin chose to keep moving, without a ball and without the supervision of which players seemed to be defending. And Andulo’s perfect ball movement ensured that the orange object would return to its rightful owners in the corner. And thence to the ring. What a beauty.
Or the thought that a gimmick like Dibertolomeo could narrow Larkin’s steps. come on.
It is important to say: there was not a single moment in yesterday’s game in which Maccabi Tel Aviv managed to force its will on the team opposite. There was not a single moment in yesterday’s game where the Yellows ‘defense had anything to offer against the opposing players’ players. In her best moments, the host enjoyed the sins of the Turks with light and free shots from outside. that’s it. And at some point, the guests calmed down and decided enough was enough time to score when they were completely free. And when that happened, it’s over. And it’s over very quickly.
The point of light? Judge for yourself
Lanta Žižić had a great game yesterday, it is claimed. How great? 23 points, just 1 less than the man’s career high. 9/11 from the field, that it’s a wow cut. Six rebounds. Efficiency Index 31, which is Fakin ‘wow.
Oh, and no effect on the game. 48 hours after playing close to 27 minutes against Fenerbahce, the exhausted Croatian gave himself everything he had. And fought as best he could. And for nearly 31 minutes provided one of his best games in the Middle East and in general. And that could not really help. Because Zizic, unlike impressive Big Men from this factory, does not currently have the ability to be dominant. Or rather, he has no presence that makes a difference. Including on offense. Especially in defense. And in front of the group of dancers opposite, who, in addition to their individual talent, also know how to run an offensive game with perfect rhythm and even more perfect spacing, had nothing to contribute in an attempt to stop the beauty on the other side.
And rightly so, the Turks were bad at it. Because when you pick up and run the big man to pick and roll after pick and roll after pick and roll, that is, three times in a row in one go, it is neither appropriate nor handsome. For here, for illustration, Dunston signals in his hands to Krono Simon that it is time to come in his direction. And the Croatian on the other side obeys and starts running the yellow Croatian. Pick and roll first. Then comes Mitchic, an evil Serb like himself, and produces a second pick and roll, forcing Zizic to move again. Ah. Then Larkin. Pick & Roll Third Plus Fast Rolling by Dunston. And Zizić is really trying, in a heartbreaking attempt, to come out to him. And Taylor is really like trying to help a little from the inside. Then Dunston. Then boom.
And rightly so, the Turks were bad at it. Because after trying to hold out against Pick & Roll in Mitchic’s movement, at the beginning of the move, Maccabi’s opening chin still found itself facing Pete’s Bryant. That took him for a spin, in the most literal sense of the word.
And true, Žižić’s coach was bad at him. Because here, when the Turks are running another pick and roll in motion, they asked Zizic to make a substitution and get Bryant into his hands and feet. And Bryant, despite the bad times he went through, took exactly a second and a third to remember that there is no movie in the world that he does not punish, here, now and cursing.
And rightly so, Žižić’s team was bad at him. Because after he was asked to leap outside on Mitzic, and he did it to the best of his ability, the man had to run fast backwards to try and face the rolling place. Now, please do Paris as soon as the ball in the hands of the German has transformed and tightened. Four players, including the Zizić, produce an almost perfect square around him. Or is it square? Do not know, but it is very impressive on the geometric level. But less so when it comes to defense and communication between players. Then a small delivery and a small three.
Oh, and there was also Bryant Dunston who was bad at him. Because as long as Tibor Place was facing him, then the two offset points against each other. Because Place can’t handle it on one side. And Žižić, as mentioned, can not face the German on the other side. And along with the nice offensive numbers of Center Maccabi, the highest opposite produced 15 points, in almost perfect percentages, in 15 minutes of play. And when he was wounded, Dunston arrived. And he, too, as mentioned, unhapped the yellow defense when he finished pick and roll moves. Like here, when Zizic was forced to go high again. And again gets no help inside from Williams or Nanley.
But unlike Place, Dunston also hurt on the side where they tend to save. And pushed. And the top. And in this case also abducted.
Life itself
This is usually the stage where I say goodbye to Shabbat Shalom. This time, with your permission, a few words about more important things. Yesterday, in the quintet, we broadcast a moving article, for which Guy Levinkron and Moti Peshchetsky are responsible, about the war for the life of Daniel Sasson and his family. Daniel, a player of Gilboa Galil last season, had a terrible car accident about seven months ago and has since been treated at Beit Levinstein Rehabilitation Hospital. And if no change occurs in the very near future, he will find himself without a suitable rehabilitation institution in the coming days. And we all understand what the tragic significance of such a move could be. You are more than welcome to watch the article. And more significantly: if any of you, dear surfers, have a way to try to influence or help the Sasson family and Daniel, it will be a great mitzvah. Thank you.
Shabbat Shalom.
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