Ever wondered what the yellow nation is all about? What are its most mythical rivalries? The most memorable games and moments? The yellow and blue GOAT? This time we’re reviewing the mythical rivalries
Maccabi – Panathinaikos
Most memorable series in EuroLeague history: 201112 best of five – the reigning champs face the runner ups
Panathinaikos came to that playoff series as the reigning EuroLeague champs with the home court advantage against Coach Blatt’s squad that was only topped in the finals of the 2010/11 campaign. The series had it all as both sides gave it all, Pao took the first game by quite a margin but were caught off guard to David Blu’s clutch threes that delivered a very clear message – “you might be the reigning champs but we’re not going anywhere”. And so it was.
The series came back to Tel Aviv to a nail biting thriller as game three went down the wire with Maccabi capitalizing to take the advantage in what already proved to be an amazing series. Pao won game four to bring the series back to Athens, where it turned out the game five was nothing less than the clash of the titans, Panathinaikos managed to get one last defensive stop to claim the final four spot.
Most memorable game: Maccabi ends a 20 years drought with 81:67 win over Pao in Bercy France.
Maccabi – Real Madrid
The oldest rivalry of the three, Maccabi and Madrid’s encounters were just as prestigious as the ones against CSKA and Panathinaikos. The rivalry that has 50 years in the making dates back to the late 60’s where the teams met for the first time in the 67/68 champions cup semifinal group phase. From 53 games between the teams only two were played in the finals game, the first finals game was in the 1984/85 season were Madrid came on top, the second finals game between the sides was played 29 years later in May 2014 at the Mediolanum Forum (Milan) where Maccabi won the title after exploding offensively in overtime.
The 2014 EuroLeague championship game stared with the Blancos managing to build an 11 point lead however Blu’s buzzer beating three pointer ends the first half with Maccabi trailing 35:33. In the second half the teams stayed close with neither one finding success in imposing its will as the game went to overtime. Maccabi proved that season and in the first 40 minutes of the finals game that they had a very good matchup with Madrid, in overtime though Madrid couldn’t find the answers to Rice and Tyus who gave Maccabi the 98:86 win.
Maccabi- CSKA
Prior to the 1976/77 season no official games between the then nicknamed “Red Army Team”, that year both the Russians and Berno (Czechoslovakia) refused to play against Maccabi in the semifinals group, therefore two technical wins were given to Maccabi and the second leg of the semifinals group was set to be played in a neutral country – Belgium. Both games were held in the small city of Virton, Maccabi won the first game against Berno 91:76, they came to the second game as the underdogs, it was the fight of David versus Goliath with David winning the game 91:79 as Tal Brody coined the phrase: “We’re on the map, and we’re staying on the map not just in sports but in everything”. Maccabi continued their magical year as they won their first ever EuroLeague title after a 78:77 win over Mobilgirgi Varese.
The 2013/14 season was a nothing less of a magical one as it came clear that heart fire and passion goes hand in hand with miracles. A minus 12 with a minute and a half left in the game? No worries, minus 15 in the EuroLeague semis in the third quarter versus CSKA? Don’t sweat it… minus 11 against Madrid in the finals? Just bring us the title.
