Maccabi Tel Aviv Opens EuroLeague Season With Road Loss to LDLC ASVEL

Maccabi Tel Aviv began their new EuroLeague campaign with a disappointing 84-74 road defeat against LDLC ASVEL in France on Thursday. This loss extends Maccabi's winless streak in opening EuroLeague road games back to the 2017-18 season, serving as an early reminder of the work needed to achieve their season goals.

The game started evenly, with both teams trading baskets and ending the first quarter tied at 19-19. However, ASVEL's strong three-point shooting, including five triples in the first quarter, began to put pressure on Maccabi. The French team's aggressive defense and continued long-range accuracy allowed them to build a 15-point lead by halftime, with Maccabi trailing 42-32.

Maccabi showed signs of a comeback in the third quarter, with strong play from Yiftach Mader and the introduction of Jimmy Clark injecting energy into the team. They managed to erase the deficit and even take a brief lead. However, ASVEL quickly regained control with key three-pointers, ending the third quarter ahead 62-57.

In the final quarter, ASVEL's defense tightened, and they consistently found ways to score, preventing Maccabi from mounting a serious challenge. Jaylen Hoard led Maccabi with 15 points, while Roman Sorkin and Yiftach Mader added 13 each. For ASVEL, veteran Jaylen Crowder was the top scorer with 19 points, supported by 15 from Yovel Zoosman. Maccabi will now look to regroup before a challenging week with three games, including matchups against Hapoel Ironi Kiryat Ata, Besiktas, and Panathinaikos.