Both Maccabi Tel Aviv and Real Madrid didn’t exactly play a great game of basketball to open up the postseason. But this is Euroleague playoff basketball and it just won’t be the most pleasing eye candy as the host’s came out on top thanks to their depth, experience and all-around know how to take the 84-74 win and a 1-0 best of five quarterfinal series lead.

Pablo Laso decided to use his main advantage which is the 3-point shot that the Yellow & Blue have had problems all season long defending which was yet again the case on this night as Real went 16/29 for 55% to take the 10-point victory. Fabien Causeur who didn’t play the last time the two teams faced each other drilled home shot after shot after shot from deep going 4/6 from beyond the arc as he played a perfect Thomas Heurtel impression who was not dressed this time around after the controversy surrounding his on/off/on the team situation.

Along with Causeur, former NBA guard Rudy Fernandez also got to work for the outside rolling off of Water Tavares screens as he also scored 3-pointers galore with 4 from 8 to spur his team to the win. There was even a stretch near the end of the second quarter when the score was tied at 34-34 when Causeur nailed a pair from lone distance and Adam Hanga added one as well to create a 9-point lead in just 50 seconds of play.

“I thought we were too naive in many parts of the game,” Maccabi coach Avi Even explained. “We let them beat us with their biggest weapon, their 3-point shot. We gave up three 3’s in a row and you can’t play Real and l give them this type of opportunity. We didn’t take advantage of the opportunities that we had and we needed to chase them the entire second half.”

Roman Sorkin who was making his Euroleague playoff debut with a solid 12 point and 5 rebound performance, but he as well knows what needs to change after this game, “We had a chance to take the advantage and momentum but we didn’t do it and now we have to focus on our next game in 48 hours. We did a good job on the rebounds but we gave up way too many 3-pointers.”

Maccabi’s leading scorer Scottie Wilbekin is also well aware as to what needs to change next game, “We didn’t play well tonight and we can play a lot better and I am excited about game two. They got too many 3’s, open ones and they made some tough ones but we have to limit the open ones next game.”

It was clear that Laso went right for Maccabi’s weak point and took full advantage of it in game one, however, he also knows that his team will need to find a way to get his big men in Tavares and Vincent Poirier more involved in the game.

“I think that the way Maccabi is playing defense, they helped a lot on Tavares and Poirier, and that gave us opportunities to find open threes. But we are going to find other solutions to find our bigs,” Causeur noted.

Laso also commented on his bigs, “This is something we have to improve [finding Walter Tavares and Vincent Poirier]. We didn’t shoot free throws. We were trying to get the ball against their switches and were getting no advantages, no calls. So, we got the feeling that we need better passes inside to create better situations, but also they were collapsing the zone. That way, we had so many open threes and we got a good percentage.”

Avi Even also spoke about Real’s shooting, “We let them play freely a bit too much and we were there. We missed some of our shots as well. We can make some adjustments and we will prepare for this game. They made some really tough 3-pointers. We played in a tough place against a very good team. We let them play free and they hit 16 3’s which was the difference in wining and losing. We have to get ready for another game in 48 hours.”

While Real has issues with their bigs, that was also the same case for Maccabi’s Ante Zizic who had all kinds of problems in the paint and finished the game with only 2 points in 13:33. Jalen Reynolds had ten points which all came in the third quarter and that was it. The only Maccabi big that played solid basketball was Israeli Roman Sorkin who had an excellent game as he put his emotions in check.

“I was excited a bit at the start,” Sorkin said “But it’s basketball and in another 48 hours we have to be back playing another game.”

Both teams are saying that this will be a long series and while that could be, should Maccabi not win game two on Friday, all Real will need to do is win one of the three remaining games in order to punch their ticket to the Final Four in Belgrade.

“They got game one and it’s a long series,” Wilbekin said. “They have to win two more and we have to win three more. They got one game on us. For the next game we got to be more locked in as they won every quarter except the third which we tied. We got to do a better job to get to their 3-point shooters. I’m confident that we can do it.”

“We got to play like we know how to play. Maybe it was a little bit of nerves being in the playoffs, I don’t know but for whatever reason we couldn’t get going. But we will be more comfortable next game.”

Maccabi will need to make every single effort to take home a split of these two road games or else they may be in for a very short series. The entire roster has to start playing their best basketball which in most cases was seen over the past few months.

Derrick Williams scored only a pair of points as did Zizic while Keenan Evans and Khyri Thomas also had a tough day at the the office and they will all need to get back on the right track in order for Maccabi to have a chance to punch their ticket to the Final Four.

“I believe in this team,” Even commented. “I have said that every time when I have been asked that question. There are two good teams here and we will take a look at the game and learn what we need to do as we head into the next one.”