Burstein: "Every game is more important this year"

This week Tal Burstein will open his ninth season with Maccabi Tel Aviv, but this one has a different feel to it. For the first time since 1994, and only the second since 1970, Maccabi tips off the season without any titles to defend. Like in any season Maccabi aims for three crowns, but this time they are on a mission to re-conquer the title they feel "belongs" to them – the Israeli championship. On top of that the Euroleague is always a competition Maccabi aims to and can win, and the previous season was the perfect example, when an underdog Maccabi came 20 minutes shy of grabbing the European crown again. Burstein was a starter on the great Maccabi teams that put the club back on top of the continent. From the SuproLeague title in 2001, when he was only 21 years old, till the two amazing title runs in 2004 and 2005 and the loss in the finals in 2006, the tall Israeli guard played a key role on one of the most exciting teams in the history of European basketball. But the past two years have gone differently as two different injuries kept him out for most of the seasons. This year, for the first time since 2006, he started the preseason with the team, and it makes a big difference for him. As a Maccabi and a Euroleague veteran Burstein has a lot of work ahead of him on and off the court to help six new Maccabi players, several of them without a single Euroleague game in their resume, to adapt to their new environment. But if there is anyone up to the challenge, it’s No. 10. In this Euroleague.net, Burstein talks about his time away from the floor, Maccabi’s success and his hopes for more in the future. “Maccabi is a club that is always there. Sometimes even I don't know how to explain it, but that's the reality,” he said. “We have a lot of talent on this team. We need to gain confidence and have the players know what kind of club they are playing for."

Let’s start with you Tal. After missing parts of the last two seasons with injuries, how do you feel ahead of the new season?

"It helps to get to know the players on court already from the first day. It's very different than joining the team in mid-season and trying to find your place in the system and on the court. I can say I went through both sides of this experience. With Neven Spahija in 2007, I managed to come back and become part of the team, and last year it didn't happen, but surely I'm very happy to be with everyone right from the first day."

Has the time you spent away from the court changed the way you look at the game today?

"On the psychological aspect it has some effect, but I don't feel it on the court. I'm not trying to avoid contact and I still go to the rim whenever I see a chance. On the personal level it was very frustrating, especially when there was a time of uncertainty, because we couldn't find a solution to my problem, but I'm happy eventually we did. Back then some people tried to comfort me and tell me at least I have more time to spend with my family, but basically I even had less because I had to work a lot in the gym, in the swimming pool, lift weights and work through all the habilitation process, which takes a lot of time, but I'm so happy to be back. Obviously, everybody wants to play, especially when I know I can do it and do it well. Last year I felt that if I was on court I could have helped, but the times when I didn't know if I could come back, how I could come back and when certainly weren't easy."

For the first time in your career at Maccabi, you are not the reigning Israeli champion to begin the season. How does that affect the team’s outlook?

"It's a very strange feeling, and I can say we actually feel it. In the small things, but it's there. For example when we played the League Cup game and the announcer said 'Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv the vice-champion' it felt very strange. Other than things like that we don't feel it all the way yet. Maybe when we get to crunch time it will feel heavier, but for sure it's in the air that we need to prove ourselves and win back the titles, first of all the Israeli Cup and championship. People say the hardest thing is to stay on top, and for many years we felt it's true, but now when everybody expects you to be where you're not, it also puts a lot of pressure and doesn't seem that easy. I hope we'll know to handle this as we knew to stay on top for so many years."

Despite a poor ending in Israel, Maccabi had a strong Euroleague campaign. What did last year's run to the final say about this club's neverending will to contend?

"Maccabi is a club that is always there. Sometimes even I don't know how to explain it, but that's the reality. If we're not there, then we're one game from being there. We had lots of ups and downs during the past season, but we knew to bring ourselves to the best shape right in the perfect time for the Euroleague season. When you get momentum it helps a lot. In money time we were in a great shape, and that got us the home-court advantage in the quarterfinals. When Maccabi holds the home court advantage against any team, in this amazing arena in front of these incredible fans, it makes life easier on us."

Maccabi has undergone many changes in the last few seasons, including four coaches in three years, and now has a new-look roster once more. As one of the club’s veterans, how has it felt to go through all these changes?

"We were used to have a great base that ran for several years, but that's a rarity and it happens in very few teams when you find such connection between players that can last a few years. Right now we need to find the connection inside the new team. Derrick and I need to do our best to guide the new players. We have lots of experience, and we know it's a long season, so when someone isn't playing or having one bad game, then we need to explain to them the situation and bring positive energy."

What can you tell us about the 2008-09 Maccabi squad and do you think it can challenge for the Euroleague crown once again?

"We're still looking for the formula and the connection between the players on offense and defense. We're looking for the small things that have big effect on the game. Our rotation, both on defense and in the sense of bench players, is something that we're still trying to find. We have a lot of talent on this team. We need to gain confidence and have the players know what kind of club they are playing for."

Tell us a little about the team’s playing style. Can we still expect to see a lot of high-paced, high-scoring battles this year?

"We have skilled and athletic players that like to run. When it works it looks very good and we're going to be attractive in those days, we just need to make sure it happens as often as possible. The things that take more time, like knowing how to read the defense and team chemistry we still lack. We can run a lot, and have a team built for that. Our big guys can run the floor. Some teams, like Olympiacos did when we played there here, won't let us run, and for those days we'll need to find the balance between running and the set game, but that takes time."

New point guard Carlos Arroyo has drawn rave reviews and many expect him to be one of the most exciting players in the Euroleague this season. What can you tell us about him?

"He's very-very positive. He wants to help the team, prove himself and whenever he has the chance, he's pushing everybody. Carlos is our main executer on offense, but it's not only that he creates for himself but also for others. He sees everything on court. He brings with himself a lot of experience and acts like a leader. Maybe because he played with the national team in international basketball he knows that every game counts and gives everything he has every game."

Head coach Efy Birenboim will coach at the highest level in Europe for the first time in a decade. How is coach Birenboim different for Maccabi than his predecessors?

"He's a players' coach. The players will die for him on the court. He can be your best friend, but on the court he'll smack you at any given moment if you make a mistake. He's very experienced, reads and feels the game very well, but not only the game, his players too. Efy feels everybody, how they enter the game if he needs to wake the player up or let him rest because he's not focused. It's true he never coached in the Euroleague, but basketball is basketball. I guess the fact we played against top Euroleague teams in the pre-season helped him as well. Experience helps everybody."

Just like Maccabi, many of your opponents-to-be have been gearing up for the Euroleague season. What was it like to play preseason games against former Maccabi stars Nikola Vujcic and Yotam Halperin, now with Olympiacos?

"It surely felt very strange. It was very clear towards the end of last season that Nik was about to leave. Yotam was more of a surprise, and everything happened so fast with him. It's strange to play against such good players that played next to you for so many years, but that's part of the profession. We're still in good touch and I wish them all the best in the world against anybody but Maccabi."

The Euroleague has changed the competition system this season, shortening the regular season. What sort of challenge does the 10-game format present?

"Even in the old format every game mattered, so now when there are less games it's even more difficult. But the goals remain the same - first make it to the Top16, and then try to finish as high as possible to get lower seeded teams. Every game is a lot more important now. We must to keep that in mind."

You are one of the most experienced players in Euroleague Basketball and your next game will be your 125th. What can you say about the progress of the competition since the start of the decade?

"What I noticed is the things around the game. The UNICEF program is something very positive that I don't think that was done before. Last year all the celebrations around the 50 years anniversary were very unique. We also had many special off-court events at the Final Four in Madrid, like the get together with the blind basketball players. And today fans have the Euroleague TV, and they can watch all the games during the season and I think that's a great addition."

During the preseason, you’ve had the chance to face a number of Euroleague powerhouses. From what you’ve seen – and excluding Maccabi – who are your favorites to reach the Final Four in Berlin?

"CSKA is always a strong contender. The top two Greek teams are obviously expected to be there. Right now Panathianikos seemed more coached, but that's because they have a team that runs for many years, and I believe during the season it will even out, because Olympiacos has great potential. A lot will depend on the connection they will build inside the team. Barcelona is another team that made big moves this summer with Juan Carlos Navarro and David Andersen, so I count them also as a strong contender."