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

Maccabi Tel Aviv began their 2026/27 EuroLeague campaign with a disappointing 84-74 road loss to LDLC ASVEL. Despite erasing a 15-point deficit in the second half, Maccabi faltered in the crucial fourth quarter, succumbing to a team considered one of the weakest in the league on paper. ASVEL, coached by Tony Parker in his debut and facing financial difficulties over the summer, had a strong shooting night, particularly from beyond the arc.

Key performers for Maccabi included Yam Madar with 13 points and 8 assists, Roman Sorkin with 13 points, and Jalen Hudson with 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals. However, many other players failed to deliver, and Madar himself committed two costly turnovers in the final minutes. Jimmy Clark made his season debut in the third quarter after recovering from injury, contributing 9 points and 6 assists, and sparked a run that erased the deficit. Nevertheless, ASVEL's veteran players, including Jaylen Hoard and Patty Mills, helped their team regain control.

For ASVEL, Jaylen Hoard led the scoring with 19 points in his debut, supported by Patty Mills with 15 points and Yves Pons with 14 points and 5 assists. ASVEL shot an impressive 47.1% from three-point range (16 of 34), while Maccabi struggled at 24.1% (7 of 29). Maccabi also committed 20 turnovers compared to ASVEL's 19 assists.

Daniel Theis also debuted for Maccabi, scoring 9 points but committing 4 turnovers. Other Maccabi players like Jaron Blossomgame and Wade Baldwin IV had limited impact, with Bonzie Colson not playing in the second half and Keeton Wallace posting a game-low plus-minus of -17. Maccabi Tel Aviv will look to secure their first win of the season against Besiktas on Wednesday.