Hapoel Tel Aviv delivered a statement performance in Game 3 of its playoff series, defeating Maccabi Tel Aviv on Sunday and forcing the question of whether the championship race can still be decided by miracles. The win came in a game that was supposed to be Hapoel’s last of the season, but instead extended the series and raised the prospect of an unexpected title push.
The story of the night was Vasilije Micić, who played with unusual freedom and control. He scored seven three-pointers on 12 attempts, handed out 10 assists in nearly 34 minutes, and committed only three turnovers. He also added four fouls and active defense. The report said this was the version of Micić Hapoel had been waiting for, after a season in which he had often been criticized for his decision-making.
Hapoel’s defensive plan was equally important. Coach Dimitris Itoudis made a bold call to start or feature Kyandra Cook instead of pure scorer Chris Jones, choosing athleticism and defense against Maccabi’s guards. Cook helped limit Maccabi’s flow, while Micić, Yam Madar, and Isaiah Wainright gave Hapoel the balance it needed. Hapoel also controlled the paint and rebounding better than in earlier games, with Odiase providing size, pressure, and a late basket that helped seal it.
Maccabi looked flat and tired, and the article said Game 4 may depend heavily on physical recovery and medical staff. Tamir Blatt’s absence hurt Maccabi’s spacing, and the team shot only 27% from three. Even with 17 offensive rebounds, too many possessions ended in forced threes or broken sequences. Roman Sorkin finished scoreless, and several Maccabi momentum swings disappeared quickly because of missed layups, turnovers, and poor offensive continuity.
