Maccabi Tel Aviv – Olympiacos

International - Euroleague, Round 8

14/11/2023 - 20:05 CET

Maccabi Tel Aviv continues to perform well in the EuroLeague despite the challenges related to the situation in Israel. With a 4-2 record, they have managed to navigate through a tough schedule. The return of Wade Baldwin to the team last week further enhances their roster, forming a formidable backcourt tandem with Lorenzo Brown. Bonzie Colson has consistently delivered strong performances, and Jasiel Rivero has seamlessly integrated into the team. Despite the unconventional home court in Belgrade at the "Aleksandar Nikolic" hall, Maccabi has been adapting well to the new environment.

On the other hand, Olympiacos is facing offensive struggles early in the season, influenced by the departures of Sasha Vezenkov and Kostas Sloukas. The absence of Nikola Milutinov, who broke his toe, adds to their problems. The offensive production has been lacking, with Isaiah Canaan being the only one who can create for himself. Even when Alec Peters and Canaan combined for nine three-pointers against Baskonia last week, Olympiacos still suffered a defeat. Thomas Walkup is in poor form, and Kostas Papanikolau has struggled with three-point shooting accuracy.

If this game were held in Tel Aviv, Maccabi would be significant favorite. But even here in Belgrade on neutral court, they have greater chances than Olympiacos. Baldwin and Brown have more scoring potential from beyond the arc compared to Olympiacos. Without Milutinov, the red and whites may struggle to control the boards, as Maccabi, with Rivero and Nebo, is dominant in the paint. Maccabi also has more quality options coming off the bench than Olympiacos. Unless Maccabi has an off-night while Olympiacos excels in three-point shooting, anything other than a home team win would be surprising.