A defeat in Tel Aviv
Olympiacos did not reach usual standards and lost to Maccabi in Tel Aviv 84-69, for the 22nd round of the Euroleague.
Terrible choices in the offense and back to back turnovers (they had already submitted 5 before even the first 5 minutes of the game were over), forced the ‘reds’ to trail the score from the jump ball (8-2). However, thanks to some good defense, as well as to Kostas Papanikolaou having momentum, they succeeded in balancing the game (14-14 at 9’).
A three by Giorgos Printezis gave Olympiacos the lead for the first time (21-19 at 12’), while mainly relying on Shaquille McKissic, they got a +5 lead (23-28). However, Maccabi was quick with its reaction… Taking advantage of the bad percentages of the ‘reds’ (8/20 twos and 4/11 threes), they passed the ball to Zizic and regained the lead (40-38 at 20’).
In the beginning of the 3rd quarter, Walkup found target from the three point line and once again put the ‘reds’ in the driver’s seat (40-41). But they did not manage to build on that… Olympiacos did not find solutions when attacking, succumbed to unforced turnovers and allowed Maccabi – that continued relying on Zizic – to build a +11 difference (60-49) at 28’.
With a 5-0 streak by Sloukas and Fall, our team closed in 60-54, but lacked the energy to make the upset… Maccabi put pressure in the defense, took advantage of the fact that Olympiacos had not succeeded finding rhythm in any part of the game and skyrocketed the difference to 22p. (81-59 at 37’), securing the win early on.
The quarters: 19-16, 40-38, 66-56, 84-69.
