Hapoel Tel Aviv lost 102-98 to Maccabi Tel Aviv on Thursday and dropped into a 2-0 hole in the playoff final series. The Reds began well and built an early 14-0 lead, but could not hold it, as Maccabi clawed back and moved one step closer to the championship.
After the game, coach Dimitris Itoudis tried to project confidence ahead of Game 3 on Sunday. "The result is not good for us, of course, but we came to fight. Unfortunately we are down 2-0 now, but the series is still open. We are still going with fire in our eyes to force Game 4," he said. He added that his team must make adjustments, praised the opening run, and thanked the crowd for staying behind the team: "It was important." He also said, "There is no day off tomorrow. We will do everything, go over everything, train, do three hours of video and come stronger on Sunday."
One of the most talked-about moments came at Hapoel's final timeout, when assistant coach Stefanos Dedas, not Itoudis, handled it while the game was within one possession. Players were confused, exchanged looks, and later discussed it in the locker room. "It was weird, we didn't understand what was happening. There was chaos and that does not happen in games, we did not understand why it wasn't Itoudis," one player said.
With the series now at 2-0, Hapoel know a loss in Game 3 would end their season. The club believes tactical changes and fan support can still revive the series, and it has not ruled out roster moves, with Dan Oturu and Kyandre Cook under consideration. Hapoel also praised its 7,200 supporters who backed the team from the stands.
