The Playoffs are here: Maccabi and Panathinaikos renew their rivalry
22/04/2024
HOME·News Archive· The Playoffs are here: Maccabi and Panathinaikos renew their rivalry
A new chapter in a historic rivalry will be written, as Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv clash with Panathinaikos in the EuroLeague Playoffs, with a best-of-five series to decide who will go to the Final Four in Berlin. The yellows will look to steal home court advantage in Game 1 on Tuesday (8:30 PM Israel Time, 1:30 PM ET), when they visit a packed OAKA in Athens.
Oded Kattash has led his team to this stage after a 20-14 regular season record and a big win over Baskonia the Play-In. Maccabi won 8 out of its previous 9 EuroLeague games, but the Greek rivals can say exactly the same. Ergin Ataman's squad finished second with 23 wins and 11 defeats during the regular season.
The series will feature a fascinating matchups between guards Wade Baldwin IV and Kendrick Nunn, floor generals Lorenzo Brown and Kostas Sloukas and dominant centers Josh Nebo and Mathias Lessort. It will also be a battle between the league top-ranked offense (Maccabi) to the second-best defensive team (Pao).
The Israeli champs won both confrontations with the greens this season. But this rivalry goes way back. In 2012, a playoffs series between the two teams reached a fifth and decisive game, which Panathinaikos won by a point. Pao also beat Maccabi in the Final Four a year earlier, but in 2005 it was the yellows who passed through the Greeks in the semi-finals en route to the title. And we haven't even mentioned the 2000 and 2001 finals, with each team winning one against the other.
Maccabi goes up 1-0 over Panathinaikos with heroic win in Athens
23/04/2024
HOME·News Archive· Maccabi goes up 1-0 over Panathinaikos with heroic win in Athens
WIth the odds stacked against it, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv found a way. And this time, it was no less than heroic. The yellows came back from an 11-point deficit in a jam-packed OAKA in Athens to claim a 91-87 victory in game 1 of the EuroLeague Playoffs, stealing home court advantage and going up 1-0 in the series.
Oded Kattash's men did it with a big time performance by Bonzie Colson, who scored 10 of his team-leading 18 points in the final period. Lorenzo Brown (16 points) also proved pivotal with a clutch shot in the final minute, with Antonius Cleveland intercepting a Kostas Sloukas pass in the ensuing possession and Josh Nebo sealing the deal from the line.
Making the result even more impressive is the fact the Maccabi star guard Wade Baldwin IV did nnot finish the game after picking up a hamstring injury early in the fourth quarter, hoisting the muscle after scoring his 15th point. He is doubtful for game 2 on Thursday.
“We came back to our game plan”, explained coach Kattash, “It was all about the defense, and we showed character again. In the last minutes it was big players making big plays. I hope Wade’s injury is not that bad”.
The win means Maccabi remains undefeated against the Greens this season, and the Israeli champs will attempt to remain so after game 2 in an attempt to clinch a Final Four spot in Belgrade next week.