After three weeks that included winning the State Cup and an international break, Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv returns to the final stretch of the EuroLeague season. Oded Kattash and his players will host Fenerbah?e in Belgrade on Thursday at 10 PM Israel time, in a spicy matchup against former Maccabi players Wade Baldwin and Bonzie Colson.

Jaylen Hoard, who has recovered from a hamstring injury, has returned to training and is expected to play. Rokas Jokubaitis (ankle) and Tamir Blatt (back) are dealing with injuries, and a decision regarding their participation will be made before the game. The team has also added new guard Jimmy Clark, who arrived from Bnei Herzliya and has already completed several training sessions with his new teammates.

Fenerbah?e is another team that has dealt with many injuries and changes this season. Scottie Wilbekin is injured since the first game of the season, and Baldwin also struggled with injuries. Boban Marjanovi? and Skylar Mays were released, and coach ?ar?nas Jasikevi?ius has since added guard Errick McCollum and center Jilson Bango to the squad.

Despite this, Fenerbah?e has a deep and talented roster, currently ranked second in the EuroLeague standings with a 17-8 record ahead of the game. Their primary offensive weapon is Nigel Hayes-Davis, averaging 17.4 points, 44.9% from three-point range, and 5.1 rebounds per game in the EuroLeague. However, guard Marko Guduric, always a threat from beyond the arc, might miss the game due to injury.

The all-time head-to-head record between the two teams in the EuroLeague, since its establishment in 2000, stands at 17-13 in favor of Maccabi. Last season, Maccabi won 78-73 in their matchup in Belgrade. The first-ever meeting between the teams in the competition took place in the Top 16 stage of the 2001/02 season, where Maccabi won 91-78 in Istanbul, led by Ariel McDonald’s 22 points, Gur Shelef’s 19, and Derrick Sharp’s 17.