Hapoel and Maccabi Tel Aviv Rosters Set for Third Derby Clash

Maccabi Tel Aviv and Hapoel Tel Aviv are set to face each other for the third time in less than two weeks, with their EuroLeague derby match taking place Thursday in Cyprus, where Maccabi is playing its new home games. Both clubs have released their rosters for the highly anticipated game.

The two teams present contrasting seasons so far. Hapoel Tel Aviv, despite two recent losses in European competition, sits in ninth place and is considered one of the stronger teams in the league. In contrast, Maccabi Tel Aviv has struggled, winning only two of its first ten league games and currently resides at the bottom of the standings.

Statistically, Hapoel leads in average points per game, ranking third, while Maccabi is fourth. Hapoel also excels in defensive rebounds, placing high in the league, whereas Maccabi is ranked 125th in this category. Maccabi shows a slight advantage in offensive rebounds, though both teams are near the bottom in this statistic.

Betting agencies favor Hapoel Tel Aviv, with odds of 1.42 compared to Maccabi's 2.65, indicating a projected 65% chance of victory for Hapoel versus 35% for Maccabi. European forecasts predict Hapoel to win by up to five points.

Serbian site Basketball Sphere noted that Maccabi, with an 8-2 record, urgently needs a turnaround, suggesting a derby win could significantly alter their season. They also observed that Hapoel, despite a 6-4 record, has not met expectations. The analysis highlighted that Maccabi has won two of the three previous derby games this season, though they found them challenging. Hapoel's low ranking in assists was also mentioned, despite being the favorite.