Maccabi keeps the same lineup, Hapoel Tel Aviv again without Oturu for Game 2

The Israeli Basketball Premier League finals continue Thursday at 20:50 at Menora Mivtachim Arena, with Game 2 between Hapoel Tel Aviv and Maccabi Tel Aviv. Maccabi lead the best-of-series 1-0 after a 96-75 win in the opener, and will try to move one step closer to the championship. Hapoel, after the heavy defeat, are looking to level the series.

Maccabi head coach Oded Katash made no changes to his roster. Lonnie Walker will miss a second straight game in the finals and was not listed for the matchup. David Epiaini and Marcio Santos also remained out of the squad, while injured Tamir Blatt and Gur Lavy will not dress. By contrast, Jimmy Clark and O'Shay Brissett, both of whom had minor injuries in Game 1, returned to practice and are available to Katash.

Hapoel Tel Aviv again will not register center Dan Oturu, who returned to Israel a few days ago but has still not been entered for a game, as has been the case since the start of May. Dimitris Itoudis' foreign lineup includes Jonathan Motley, Tai Odiase, Ish Wainright, Chris Jones and Vasilije Micic.

There was one change in Hapoel's Israeli lineup, with Igor Koulechov included instead of Itay Segev. Segev stayed out of the squad after his father's funeral held yesterday. Hapoel can take some comfort from history, as the last seven playoff derby games were won by the home team. In two of those games, Hapoel won, including a 112-74 rout in Game 2 of the 2022/23 finals, still their biggest-ever victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv.