Maccabi Tel Aviv will return to Menora Mivtachim Arena as the visiting team for Game 2 of the Israeli playoff final against Hapoel Tel Aviv, after winning the opener on Tuesday night. The series continues after that big first-game victory, but coach Oded Katash stressed that the 0-1 lead means little heading into the next matchup.
Katash said the team had little time to prepare because the games are every two days, so it held only a tactical practice. “There are some adjustments we want to make,” he said, adding that Maccabi must be ready for every scenario. He said the first game was outstanding but also unusual, especially because of turnovers and points off turnovers, and emphasized, “It is clearly only 0-1 and we have no advantage for tomorrow.”
“We trust the players,” Katash continued. “We need to be ready for Hapoel’s response. The atmosphere will be a little different. We will need to stay very focused and react during the game.” He also addressed Jimmy Clark’s condition, saying, “Jimmy Clark is fine, he had a cramp, but it was a blunt blow.”
Guard Efe Lundberg said Hapoel is expected to make changes and Maccabi must be prepared. He said the team needs to stay focused on its own style, continue the defense from Game 1, and avoid the dips it had, especially in the third quarter. Lundberg also called for aggressive rebounding, noting Maccabi’s size, and said the team’s identity is ball movement and unselfish play. “To win Game 2 we need to continue like this,” he said.
