Maccabi Tel Aviv's Three-Point Woes Threaten Early Season Success

Maccabi Tel Aviv has endured its worst EuroLeague opening in the competition's history, losing its first three games. This poor start makes Sunday's Winner Cup semifinal against Hapoel Jerusalem a critical match for coach Oded Katash's team. Despite a summer of high-profile signings and what chairman Shimon Mizrahi claims was the club's highest-ever budget, the team is struggling significantly from beyond the arc, shooting a league-worst 24% (18 of 75) in the EuroLeague. Opponents, in contrast, are hitting 46.6% of their three-pointers.

The article suggests the issue is deeper than just having an "off night," arguing that many of Maccabi's current players are not strong shooters. Furthermore, the team's best long-range shooters from the previous season, Marcius Santos (40% on 1.6 attempts), Tamir Blatt (38% on 4.8 attempts), and Lonnie Walker (35.1% on 6.9 attempts), are no longer with the club. Newcomers Bonzie Colson and Kithon Wallace are expected to take on larger roles, which could lower their shooting percentages. Other players like Oshee Brissett, Jalen Hudson, and Jimmy Clark also underperformed from three last season, and Yiftach Mader shot just 29% in his EuroLeague career prior to a recent surge.

To address the problem, the team could rely more on naturalized players Jake Reiman and John DiBartolomeo, who shot 38% from three last season and can space the floor. Strengthening the roster through new signings, potentially after NBA players are released, is also a possibility. The article notes that Maccabi has lost to teams like Strasbourg and Besiktas, which reportedly have guards superior to Maccabi's current roster. The team might also need to find a more effective way to utilize Bonzie Colson, its primary scorer, encouraging him to take more shots, similar to his role in previous seasons.

Defensively, the article acknowledges the difficulty of guarding three-point shots, especially with the risk of fouling. However, it points out that opponents have consistently hit a high percentage of their threes against Maccabi in the early games. While tactical adjustments and improved player coordination are expected as the season progresses, the team needs to better identify and stick to good shooters, even if it means choosing which threats to prioritize. The defense in the paint is also a weakness, particularly with the current center rotation. Ultimately, Maccabi needs to find solutions to prevent opponents from consistently hitting open threes, a strategy that has proven costly in the early part of the season.