1. Maccabi Didn’t Show Up

Maccabi Tel Aviv can talk all it wants before EuroLeague games about how winning is a must, but the team has done little to demonstrate that on the court. After opening the season with a road loss to ASVEL, Maccabi was thoroughly outclassed on Wednesday night, suffering a humiliating 109-93 defeat to Turkish side Besiktas in its temporary home in Belgrade.

Following a convincing win over Ironi Kiryat Ata in the Winner Cup quarterfinals, head coach Oded Katash expressed his desire to watch the Israel national football team take on Ireland. In hindsight, that match was effectively over almost immediately. Three days later, Katash’s own team found itself on the receiving end of a comprehensive beating.

Playing in Belgrade rather than Israel is certainly less than ideal, but that is no excuse for such a lackluster performance, one that showed a complete lack of urgency. Maccabi was simply far too accommodating to its guests.

Almost every player failed to deliver. Bonzie Colson appeared to find his rhythm, finishing with 17 points and enjoying an excellent fourth quarter, but by then it was far too late. Earlier in the game, he had struggled to make an impact after scoring Maccabi’s first basket.

Roman Sorkin, who recently signed a contract extension, briefly breathed life into the team with a series of dunks, finishing with nine points on 4-of-5 shooting from two-point range. However, he played just over 11 minutes, recording a team-high 12 efficiency rating but also a minus-13 plus/minus. He spent virtually the entire second half on the bench, aside from a brief stint. Perhaps Katash was sending a message that the team’s defensive shortcomings could no longer continue, despite Sorkin recording two blocks to go along with two rebounds.

Keaton Wallace is still struggling to adjust to European basketball, shooting just 1-of-5 from three-point range while finishing with nine points. Daniel Theis was the only Maccabi player to post a positive plus/minus, finishing at plus-3. He recorded a 14 efficiency rating, thanks in part to a perfect 6-of-6 performance from the free-throw line. However, nine points simply weren’t enough in a game like this, and neither were his two rebounds. His 0-of-2 shooting from two-point range was another concern.

Oshae Brissett scored eight points but left plenty of opportunities at the free-throw line, making just four of seven attempts. Iffe Lundberg also finished with eight points, shooting 0-of-3 from beyond the arc, while Jaylen Hoard added eight of his own. Yam Madar recorded six points and six assists against just one turnover, while TJ Leaf, who was left out of the lineup in the season opener, contributed four points.

Will Rayman played fewer than three minutes without making an impact, while Armando Bacot did not see the floor. On top of that, Maccabi also appeared to be missing a leader, with the absence of captain John DiBartolomeo clearly felt. He will also miss the team’s next game due to his brother’s wedding.

2. Is the Starting 5 Overrated?

Following Jaylen Hoard’s minus-17 plus/minus, the next-lowest figures for Maccabi belonged to Yam Madar at minus-15 and Roman Sorkin at minus-13. However, despite both players coming off the bench, they were hardly responsible for the hole Maccabi found itself in.

The starting five set the tone for the evening and the team simply couldn’t recover. Madar did manage to find Sorkin for a few baskets after entering the game, but those moments were not enough to change the course of the contest.

Over the years, Katash has often argued that the importance of the starting five is overrated. However, getting off to a good start still matters, and opening the game without any of the team’s leading Israeli players certainly didn’t help. By the time they entered the contest, Maccabi was already chasing after the game.

3. Scottie Wilbekin

The man who orchestrated Besiktas’ impressive performance was none other than former Maccabi Tel Aviv star Scottie Wilbekin.

The veteran guard has endured several injury-plagued seasons at Fenerbahce and at least on paper, appeared to be past his prime. However, on Wednesday night, he turned back the clock with a performance reminiscent of his best days.

Wilbekin poured in 20 points, shooting 4-of-5 from three-point range in just 23 minutes off the bench. More importantly, he displayed the commitment and intensity that defined his time at Maccabi, qualities that appear to be sorely lacking in the current squad based on its opening performances.

And speaking of former Maccabi players, while David DeJulius was sidelined and Wenyen Gabriel struggled, another former Yellow-and-Blue, Ante Zizic, also joined the party. The center, who has also moved past his prime, contributed nine points on 4-of-5 shooting from two-point range.

4. Anthony Brown

Alongside Wilbekin, Anthony Brown was one of the standout performers for Besiktas.

The forward, who was relegated with Maccabi Rishon LeZion during the 2021/22 season through no fault of his own, was virtually unstoppable, scoring 20 points on an incredible 6-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc. He also grabbed five rebounds and finished with a 24 efficiency rating.

Devon Dotson was another key contributor, scoring 17 points on 3-of-5 shooting from three-point range and also recording a 24 efficiency rating. Together, Brown, Wilbekin and Dotson proved far too much for Maccabi to handle.

5. The 3-Point Shooting

One troubling trend that has continued throughout Maccabi’s EuroLeague campaign is its shooting from beyond the arc.

Daniel Theis finally broke the ice from three-point range in the second quarter after the Yellow-and-Blue had struggled to connect from outside. However, the final numbers told a familiar story, with Maccabi shooting just 5-of-18 from three-point range, a dismal 27.8%.

Even more concerning was Besiktas’ performance from downtown. The Turkish side connected on 17 of its 30 attempts, an outstanding 56.7%. The problem was already evident in Maccabi’s season opener against ASVEL. In that game, the Yellow-and-Blue shot just 7-of-29 from three-point range (24.1%), while allowing its opponent to make 16 of 34 attempts (47.1%).

Through two EuroLeague games, Maccabi has been unable to contain opposing shooters while struggling to find its own rhythm from beyond the arc. That combination has proven costly.

6. Jimmy Clark

The one Maccabi player who truly delivered on Wednesday night was Jimmy Clark.

The point guard finished with 15 points, five assists, three steals and three rebounds, good for a 19 efficiency rating. Unfortunately for Clark, his efforts weren’t enough to prevent another defeat. He simply cannot do it alone. Despite the loss, Clark can hold his head high after bringing the right energy to the court and helping Maccabi cut into Besiktas’ lead toward the end of the first half.

His performance was one of the few bright spots on an otherwise disappointing evening.

7. Panathinaikos Looms

Maccabi viewed Wednesday’s matchup against Besiktas as a must-win, particularly after its surprising defeat to ASVEL in the season opener. The challenge now becomes even greater, with a road game against Panathinaikos, coached by Zeljko Obradovic, awaiting the yellow-and-blue on Friday.

Instead of heading to OAKA with a victory under its belt, Katash and Maccabi will arrive following a heavy defeat, with the odds seemingly stacked against it. Panathinaikos has dominated its first two games of the season, most recently crushing ASVEL 102-79 at home, winning by 23 points.

And with a Winner Cup semifinal against a well-organized Hapoel Jerusalem waiting on Sunday, Maccabi suddenly finds itself in a very difficult position. After just two EuroLeague games, Maccabi already has plenty of questions to answer. The team’s lack of defensive intensity, inconsistent shooting and inability to establish itself offensively have all been exposed, and the schedule offers little opportunity to catch its breath.