Olympiacos 
Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv Olympiacos
Made/Att
Made/Att
Made/Att
DEF OFF TOT
CM RV
FV AG
Maccabi Rapyd Tel Aviv
Made/Att
Made/Att
Made/Att
DEF OFF TOT
CM RV
FV AG
Spahija: "We have to play team defense"
Coach Neven Spahija on the matchup against Nikola Milutinov: "We have good inside players that can play this matchup". Tarik Black: "We expect them to come out exuberated and ready to play and we would do that as well"
“We’re playing against Olympiacos who lost their last game. We hope that Scottie will play, we cannot make the decision today we have to make it tomorrow. Scottie has some EuroLeague experience and to win the EuroCup and to be the MVP of the competition and having the team on his shoulders means a lot, also David Blatt was his coach at that time and I think these things help a lot to be one of the most important players in this team and in general in the EuroLeague”.
“I think everybody now realize that now the EuroLeague became like the NBA, no more surprises when someone wins even by 20 on the road, the number of games increased and travels, it’s like NBA conditions, before if it happened when the EuroLeague teams played in the group, then it would have been a big surprise, not anymore. Every game there’s something specific and we approach every game in the same way and seriousness and with a lot of details defensively and offensively”.
Coach Spahija also talked about Coach David Blatt: “We are friends for many years, for me it’s special because he is a big coach of Maccabi Tel Aviv and he is from here, but in general in this business, every second day there’s another game so the feeling is almost the same”. When asked about Nikola Milutinov’s ability as of late coach replied: “I think it’s not all about him, they have so many good players in the team, and we have to play team defense, I think we have good inside players that can play this matchup”.
When asked about Scottie’s potential absence from the game, Tarik Black said: “That’s what we did today in practice, working on it, figuring out plays and getting into new positions situated just in case. I’m gonna get up and down and play my game, I think I’ve had a good start to the season too so they have to stop me as well, we’re gonna play some basketball and it’ll be interesting to see who comes out. Everywhere is going to be tough, every gym is tough in the EuroLeague, everybody cheers for their team, everybody loves their team so we’re not expecting a light crowed or light energy and we expect them to come out exuberated and ready to play and we would do that as well”.
Maccabi loses 88:80 to Olympiacos on the road
Maccabi had a great first quarter but the hosts took control over the second quarter not allowing Maccabi to comeback. DeAndre Kane led the fighting squad in yellow and blue with 22P, 3R, 6A and 3S
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Coach Spahija’s starting five: Kane, Roll, O’Bryant, Black and John-Di. O’Bryant scored five points to give Maccabi the 2:5 lead but Papanikolaou tied the game. Kane scored a corner three but Spanoulis kept the reds in the game (9:11). Kane increased Maccabi’s lead to 11:18 with just under three minutes remaining in the first quarter but Williams Goss scored five points to bring the reds to within a striking distance (16:18). Great transition offense found Caloiaro for a corner three but Olympiacos were the last to score in the first quarter with Maccabi having the 18:21 lead.
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Ray found Caloiaro for another corner three at the beginning of the second quarter (18:24) but Olympiacos reacted with an 8:0 run to take 26:24 lead forcing Coach Spahija to call for a timeout. Toupane made it 29:24 but Kane and John-Di brought Maccabi closer to the hosts (29:28). John-Di and Black tied the game (32:32) with just under four minutes remaining in the first half but the reds reacted with a 9:0 run as Coach Spahija called for a timeout. Johnny completed the three point play but Printezis and LeDay kept Maccabi at bay having the 45:37 lead at halftime.
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The reds increased their lead to 54:39 early in the third quarter, Kane and Black reacted with a 6:0 run to bring Maccabi closer to the hosts (54:45). Black continued trimming down Olympiacos’ lead but Printezis reacted with a dunk (61:52), John-Di scored his first three of the night forcing Coach Blatt to call for a timeout with the scoreboard showing 61:55. LeDay and Spanoulis increased Olympiacos’ lead to double digits (68:55), but Kane had the final say in the quarter as Maccabi trail 68:57 with 10 minutes remaining in the game.
LeDay scored at the beginning of the fourth quarter but Kane reacted for Maccabi; Goss completed a 6:0 run for the reds (75:60) as coach Spahija called for a timeout. Roll scored seven points as Spahija’s squad trimmed the hosts’ lead to 77:67. Spanoulis scored a layup but Black and Zoosman kept Maccabi’s hopes of a comeback alive making it 79:71. Toupane scored a
three pointer but Roll and Zoosman brought Maccabi even closer (82:75). Black scored both of his free throws but Toupane scored another three pointer to secure the win as Olympiacos claimed the 88:80 home win.