EuroLeague Night in Belgrade: Maccabi Tel Aviv Falls 101-94 to Paris Basketball
As the EuroLeague season opens with talk of a changing of the guard in Tel Aviv, Maccabi Tel Aviv dropped a 101-94 decision to Paris Basketball in Belgrade, collecting their second defeat in as many games. The result reinforces the narrative of upheaval and realignment in the city’s basketball scene, even as Hapoel Tel Aviv started the season with two early wins over Barcelona and Anadolu Efes.
Game Flow: First Half Keeps it Close, Second Half Pulls Away
The game unfolded with Paris taking control early, but Maccabi managed to stay within striking distance through the first half. The Yellow-and-Blue trailed at the break, 48-41, thanks in large part to Lonnie Walker, who came off the bench to contribute 11 points in the opening 20 minutes. The home side fought to limit the damage, keeping the deficit manageable as they headed to the locker room.
In the second half, Paris surged ahead. The third quarter ended with Paris up 74-63, and the visitors extended the cushion in the final period, reaching a 20-point advantage at times. Maccabi clung to hope and traded baskets, but the required defensive stops and bucket-for-bucket efficiency never fully materialized, leaving little room to orchestrate a comeback.
Standouts and Key Numbers
Lonnie Walker led Maccabi with 16 points, though only 5 came after halftime as the offense stagnated in the third and fourth quarters. Jeff Dowtin also finished with 16 points and added 6 assists, showing flashes of playmaking that could anchor the backcourt in coming weeks. Jalen Hoard contributed 15 points, while T.J. Leaf chipped in 14 in a balanced effort from the bench. On the winning side, Paris’ Nadir Hifi led all scorers with 21 points, providing the consistent scoring punch the visitors needed to pull away in the final period.
Where This Leaves Maccabi
With a second loss in two EuroLeague games, questions will again be raised about how far this version of Maccabi Tel Aviv is from contending at the highest level this season. The loss against Paris, a team that has already forced a testy pace in the early rounds, signals that improvements must come quickly—both in transition opportunities and in tightening the defense to avoid behind-the-ball breakdowns late in the game.
Next Up: A Heated Local Clash
Next on the schedule for Maccabi is a highly charged matchup against Hapoel Tel Aviv, reigniting a classic cross-town rivalry just as both teams navigate the early EuroLeague landscape. The result could set the tone for the early-season narrative in Tel Aviv, where leadership discussions have been part of the season’s prelude. A strong response against Hapoel could help steady the ship, while another setback would intensify the broader debate about the club’s direction this year.
Takeaways and Looking Ahead
The Belgrade game underscored the need for more consistent offense across the 40 minutes, and for stronger execution in late-game situations. With a pair of losses to start the EuroLeague campaign and a highly anticipated local derby on the horizon, Maccabi faces pressure to translate competitive stretches into sustained runs. For Paris Basketball, the victory reinforces their growing threat in the competition and their ability to execute a balanced offensive attack against a team eager to reassert itself this season.
