Third Quarter, 1:21 Remaining: Hapoel Holon 58, Maccabi Tel Aviv 42

Hapoel Holon is hosting Maccabi Tel Aviv at Toto Hall in Game 2 of the Winner League playoff semifinal series. The Yellow Blacks took a 1-0 lead in the series two days ago after a 93:107 win at Menora Hall, of course in front of empty stands, which was their seventh straight victory over the Purples in the playoffs. Despite a shorter-than-usual rotation and the absence of fans due to Home Front Command directives, Oded Katash's team managed to protect home court in the opening game of the series. In fact, from the moment it took the lead late in the first quarter after an 0:8 run, the hosts never relinquished it until the final buzzer. Tamir Blatt set personal playoff highs with 20 points and 12 assists. Maccabi Tel Aviv is averaging 107 points per game since the start of the playoffs, and 104.3 over the 12 games since the return from the forced break. Overall, Katash's team has crossed the 100-point mark in 15 games this season, including the playoffs. In Game 1, the Yellow Blacks hit 12 three-pointers, and together with their opponent set a joint playoff record for three-pointers. The previous record, 28, was also set in a game between the teams, in the second meeting of the 2022/23 semifinal series. Hapoel Holon, meanwhile, set a club playoff record in Game 1 with 18 three-pointers, seven of them by Darrin Green Jr., and is now tied for third all time with Maccabi Tel Aviv. Only Hapoel Jerusalem, with 21 in 2019/20, and Hapoel Tel Aviv, with 19 in 2023/24, have made more three-pointers in the playoffs. By the way, Hapoel Holon's only home win over Maccabi Tel Aviv in the playoffs came more than 40 years ago, on April 1, 1985, when the hosts celebrated a 70:72 victory in Game 2 of the semifinal series.

First quarter: Maccabi Tel Aviv 9:23

Maccabi Tel Aviv lineup: Iffe Lundberg, John DiBartolomeo, Will Rayman, Jaylen Hoard and Roman Sorkin. Hapoel Holon lineup: Yair Kravitz, Kevion Taylor, Darrin Green Jr., Netanel Arzi and Adama Sanogo. The game started at a good pace, with Sanogo leading the home team, while Hoard scored 10 early points to make it 9:14 for the visitors. Maccabi's momentum continued, as Hoard stayed hot and sparked an 0:8 blue-and-white run. Captain DiBartolomeo buried a three-pointer to push the lead into double digits, 9:19. The visitors kept running with an 0:15 spurt and went into the break between quarters leading 9:23.

Second quarter: Maccabi Tel Aviv 32:42

Zach Hankins continued his team's momentum, but Sanogo scored to give his teammates a little breathing room. Lundberg buried two three-pointers and another basket to stretch the lead to 17 and continue his team's dominance. The two teams remained roughly at the same gap, as Holon cut it slightly, and Maccabi Tel Aviv went into halftime with a double-digit lead, 32:42.

Third quarter: The hosts opened the second half better and cut the gap to single digits, 40:47, thanks to a Sanogo three-pointer, but Hoard and Lundberg restored the double-digit lead. Hoard and Hankins continued to widen the gap, and free throws by David Apianu completed an 0:11 run for a 40:58 lead.