If we talk postcards
The “trouble” that Maccabi Tel Aviv took yesterday in Athens is nothing more than a loss. Against an excellent opponent. In an away game. If there is one key macro insight that the Yellows need to take from last night’s defeat (Friday), in a game that started and ended simultaneously, it is that there are games that must be taken. And games that make sense to lose. Against this team, in this field, the game ended with the logical team being the one to win. The shape, the difference and the way? All of these will have enough time to linger later.
Because in the end, you have to put your eyes on and in front of the goal. And the only goal of the Israeli champion, if we talk postcards, is to finish in the top eight. And left you dreams of Final Four, etc., because this is a matter that is completely irrelevant at this stage. Playoffs – and only playoffs. And this, even after the great start of the season, is not an easy goal to achieve. That in order to achieve it, one has to remember and memorize the mantra of the corona season, the one that was interrupted prematurely, when the Yellows circle around 4-5 places: win at home + sting outside once in a while = disco snoopy.
So right now, with almost a third behind us, Sapropoulos’ team is on a 1: 5 balance at home, which is great. And on a balance of 2-3 outside, which is cool. And if you keep that pace, you can reach the 20-21 win zone at the end of the season. That it’s a playoff. That it’s an achievement. Sorry, that’s the achievement.
And the time may come when our armored representative can be competitive in away games against monsters such as Milan or Olympiacos, because at the moment she really is not, and it is possible that such transcendence will come in two weeks in Madrid. The road to success does not pass there, but in seemingly simpler away games, such as this one, the upcoming one, in Berlin.
When the game plan hits the game
As is his custom in holiness, Yannis Sapropoulos came into the game in front of his personal ex with clear and decisive ideas. That it includes aspects relating to quintet crews and personal defensive missions. Which includes, accordingly, decisions on point-by-point treatments in the face of the opponent’s attacking play. A lot of times the coach from Greece showed us how his program wins games – and that’s to his credit. Yesterday, the plan contributed quite a bit to the loss. And that, this time, is on him and his duty.
Let’s start with the obvious, that is, the opening five. Everyone knew in advance that Cloiaro would go up in the top five, unlike the previous two games in which he joined from the bench. And why? Because the local opponent has a big and physical forward in position number three, and his name is Costas Papanicolaou. And if the opponent has a big and physical forward in position number three, then Yannis is in a hurry to frustrate – and place the appropriate brake in front of him.
And the truth is that I, on a personal level, have a hard time adapting to these frustrating thoughts. If Maccabi Tel Aviv thinks and aims high, it can afford, in my humble humble opinion, to be the one who initiates and is not dragged. This is my view, in a broad sense.
Point-by-point for the game against Olympiacos, it was precisely this placement that helped Bratzokas’ team, for two main reasons: 1. Offensive, Maccabi Tel Aviv opened, again, with only four players on offense. Defensively, Sapropoulos’ team refrained from trying to seduce their opponent.
For what would have happened if Papanicolaou’s keeper, a player of 6.5 points per game, had been revealed, mercifully enough, to be lower or weaker than him? At worst (and good), it was tempting for Olympiacos to force him inside. Thereby delaying the pace of her attacking play. And suppose the same Papanicolaou would have managed to get 2-3 field baskets at the one-on-one level in front of a guard like Nanelli, for example. Would that have changed the game? The answer is yes. This would have changed the game, in that it would have greatly improved Maccabi’s situation.
Next, we move on to the defensive ideas. The Yellows’ main defensive decision, ie the one concerning the opponent’s pick and roll treatments, was to make a substitution. Switch, will answer. That this, except for the truth, is a strange decision. And that too, for two different reasons: 1. When Olympiacos’ attack crashed, in the last quarter of its last game in Istanbul, it did not happen about Andulo Zero’s substitutions. If there is anyone who got confused and thought that the relatively light weight of the (relatively) thin Žižić would make him one who could get along with rival guards, then he turned out to be optimistic. every.
We will demonstrate. First attack of the game and a pick and roll initiated by Dorsey. Zizić replaces and stays on the scorer who was once yellow. Which leaves Wilbkin facing Pal. Which means Williams needs to hurry up and help. Which means Evans needs to hurry up and identify his mission in the face of defensive rotation. Which means that with the crazy pace of play that the landlady created yesterday, one can only try and chase after her, but not get her, given the speed at which she throws the ball from player to player.
via GIPHY
Now we’ll go about two minutes ahead. Another Dorsey pick and roll. Another defensive exchange with Zizic, followed immediately by another exchange with Derrick Williams. Who can not stand in front of Dorsey, the man with the murderous look in his eyes. Who fails to get any help from Žižić, who is not at all sufficient to recognize the danger, while engaged in a soothing hug session with Mustafa Pal.
via GIPHY
further. One attack forward. Another pick and roll, this time by Wakap. Another defensive exchange with Zizic. Williams, too, inside, can not stand up to Pal – and needs urgent help from Cloiaro. Wilbkin and especially Evans, meanwhile, are watching the matter. And Zankov, meanwhile, cuts to the square to punish.
via GIPHY
Pace Pace Pursuit
Anyone who knows, follows and loves basketball made in the old continent knows that Olympiacos is a team of rhythm. And when I write rhythm, I mean slow rhythm. Because it is such a group, traditional, that controls every pose. One that, sometimes intentionally, complicates its attacking game, in order to minimize the number of moves in the game. Then, in the years when it flourished and was one of the rulers of the continent, its rival could have lost to Olympiacos by a small and deceptive margin. Because the 5 difference, for example and at such a rate, was often found to be an almost indelible lag.
And yesterday too she wrote the rhythm. And produced a fast, fast pace. One that did not allow the Yellows, even when they were desperate to make a foul to stop the crazy dance for a moment, to get there to hit some red that got into the situation. And it felt wonderful and wonderful to see players accustomed to playing at the pace of the story, over the years, alongside and around Kill Bill Spanoulis, rushing and running as if someone was chasing them. The old and good Printses, and Zankov, Papanikolaou, Slokas, etc. The newcomers Wakap, Pal, Dorsey and Joe, who simply pounced on their opponent and landed a victorious and immediate blow on it. Achieved mostly about and thanks to the pace.
We will demonstrate. Here you will see the commitment and aggressiveness with which you run from side to side and Zankov, Papanikolaou and Pal. A speed that does not allow for the organization of the defense at all, and of the lost Derrick Williams on the other hand – who fails to identify who he should go for. Then comes Dorsey. And then late to reach him Wilbkin. Then Žižić tries to somehow respond. Then Dorsey is removed – and turns around even before Pal blows up the ring.
via GIPHY
Ah. And get another short and quick gif. Where Zizić tries again, in vain, to get ahead of Pal. Then Cloiaro helps. Then printesis closes interest. What a rhythm, yes Varadi.
via GIPHY
And one more “ah.” Because there is morality here. You can run and you can strive for a fast game even if you have players in the team who are used to playing a standing game, of five on five. It is possible, it is possible. But a basic condition is that it should be strived for. To want it. Does Sapropolus also aspire to this and want it? Not sure.
One 218-inch clearance unit (or when Nanelli met Pal)
About twenty-nine years ago a nice guy named Mustafa Pal was born in Paris. And it is possible, according to sources close to the Pal family, that when the child was born, he was not yet 2.18. Could be born only 1.80 or something. But since then the gloom has grown, and grown into a difficult problem. For the Yellows. Because last season, in the Wheelerban uniform, Pal converted 15 points in a game held in France, with 7/9 from the field and an efficiency index of 25.
Last night, in the Peace and Fraternity Hall, Mustafa destroyed everyone who came his way. And left you with the points and rebounds (12 + 11, for those who ask). And left you with the number of blocks recorded to Pal’s credit (0 one round). Mustafa Pal alone dismantled Maccabi Tel Aviv’s attempts to score points. He was there in every attempt to pick up a shot. He was there in every attempt to penetrate the ring. He was there and covered the sky for everyone around him in color. He was a wow cut.
And demonstrate, with your permission, with the kind assistance of James Nanley.
Because if James Nanley, one who knows how to make a basket, tries to take the ball to the ring, Pal forces him to back off and run to the corner. And on the second try, Nanelli has to deal with the fear he instilled in his heart the monster that is behind him.
via GIPHY
Because if James Nanley, one who also knows how to deliver, thinks it can just be raised to Zizic in the procedure, then Pal makes him regret it and quickly.
via GIPHY
Because if James Nanley, one who knows how to score from a dribble, thinks it is possible to take a shot over Pal – he is wrong and misleading. And when he gets the ball again (and dies scared on the way), then he hesitates, waits and loses the ball to Meksik who rushes towards him.
via GIPHY
Ah. moment. Remember the successful move with which Maccabi Tel Aviv started the victory game against Monaco? Well, the one who released Wilbkin for a three? So even yesterday she started with a similar idea. Notice Cloiaro’s inhibiting block on Pal (RAM SCREEN), to release Žižić to quietly block for Wilbkin. Everything is fine, only that even after he was delayed, the lovable Pal managed to stabilize and interfere with the shot of the franchise player.
via GIPHY
Maccabi Tel Aviv has a great front line this season. really. Mustafa Pal destroyed him yesterday, and not just him, with his own endless hands.
Bad day on defense
Anyone who reads this particular dialect knows that one of the ridiculous clichés to me is the one that claims there is no bad day in defense. Because obviously there is, just as there is a bad day in an attack, as there is a bad day in an office, classroom, home or government. Sometimes you are more focused and sometimes less. Sometimes you are sharper and sometimes less. that’s how it is. And yesterday, without a doubt, Maccabi Tel Aviv experienced a bad day in defense. Group and individual. Or rather, experienced a terrible quarter in defense, before the opponent lost interest and began to think about the upcoming derby against Pau.
The thing is that alongside a bad day on defense, there is also a good day on defense. And it, too, is often influenced by side events that project on the level of performance. And the question that needs to be asked, in this context, concerns mainly the ability of Cameron Taylor, and even more so with that of Keenan Evans, to be unstoppable stoppers. Because Cameron Taylor, who got into Yuval Sussman’s box, is mostly supposed to save. And if he loses eye contact, and it happened more than once last night, then it’s not good.
But Keenan Evans, who also has significant and clear offensive importance, must be a permanent and significant defensive anchor. Also to be the one covering up Scotty Wilbkin. Yesterday, unlike a thousand thousand differences from his formidable performance against Mike James, it did not happen. Even at the one-on-one level. Also and especially when it comes to identifying and resolving difficult situations.
Here, it takes Lavans too long to recognize that Zizic is the one left with Pal, and then the road to Dorsey lengthens and is destroyed (plus a round that almost earned him the Medal of Merit named after the confused John Travolta).
via GIPHY
Here, after the ball goes in for Pal, Evans overcomes the blocking of Printzis, but calms down too much and loses Slokas. Not good.
via GIPHY
Now it’s time for a summary trial. Beyond the unpleasantness, no damage was done to Maccabi Tel Aviv in Piraeus. When Yannis Sapropoulos talks about physical and mental fatigue as a cause of defeat, it is certainly possible to accept and understand it. Such things happen. Such losses occur. Also for good teams from Maccabi Tel Aviv.
And it is very important, for Maccabi Tel Aviv, not to happen again next week, in a much more important game, against the team of Yuval Sussman and Tamir Blatt.
.