Maccabi Tel Aviv 2022/23

[MikeMaccabiFan]

Lorenzo Brown G
Yiftach Ziv G
Dwain Baldwin G
John Dibartolomeo G

Austin Hollins G/SF
Darrun Hilliard G/SF

Bonzie Colson F/SF
Raffie Menko F/SF
Guy Pnini F/SF

Jarrel Martin F

Roman Sorkin F/C
Jake Cohen F/C

Josh Nebo C
Alex Poithress C

Maccabi will add junior player as per Israeli League rules.

[zubitos]

Lorenzo Brown G
Yiftach Ziv G
Dwain Baldwin G
John Dibartolomeo G

Austin Hollins G/SF
Darrun Hilliard G/SF

Bonzie Colson F/SF
Raffie Menko F/SF
Guy Pnini F/SF

Jarrel Martin F

Roman Sorkin F/C
Jake Cohen F/C

Josh Nebo C
Alex Poithress C

Maccabi will add junior player as per Israeli League rules.

Maccabi looks like the big question mark of the year.

[MikeMaccabiFan]

Maccabi looks like the big question mark of the year.

Well, yes, and no.

Questions are about how will Kattash implement his basketball in EL, and how fast team cohesion comes, and how well team will execute. There are questions about balance between rosters in EL and Israeli league. There are questions about how well Brown and Baldwin, and to some point Hilliard will fit together, how well Martin and Colson will adjust to EL.

There are no questions about: a) basketball IQ (200-300% higher than last year), b) Defensive potential - last year defence was catastrophe, this year it should be one of the best in EL, and c) versatility - while there is no pure shooter, or even purely defined positions (except Nebo and Sorkin), there are players that can contribute in different ways. There is no player which excels in one thing, but many players which are very good in different things.

And if you want to ask, who will be the shooter team makes a last play for - there is simple answer - none, Kattash doesn't have plays for shooters...

[ronmercer80]

Maccabi looks like the big question mark of the year.

I wouldn't say that, a team that should finish around 12th place. There are much more unpredictable teams.

[MikeMaccabiFan]

I wouldn't say that, a team that should finish around 12th place. There are much more unpredictable teams.

You should change your nick to maccabeo2

[janketa]

I wouldn't say that, a team that should finish around 12th place. There are much more unpredictable teams.

Strange that you supported last year roster(with much lower IQ imo) and even argued with me about that

[ronmercer80]

Strange that you supported last year roster(with much lower IQ imo) and even argued with me about that

I still believe it was a strong one and the excellent games played against some among the strongest teams (Barcelona, Real, CSKA, Olympiakos) fully confirm this. But without discipline and 2-3 players performing poorly by purpose in order to oust the coach the failure was the natural outcome. Of course I couldn't have predicted this at the beginning of the season.

Instead this roster and this coach are both mediocre so no mysteries and no particular apprehension this time.

[MikeMaccabiFan]

Strange that you supported last year roster(with much lower IQ imo) and even argued with me about that

To be honest, I also liked last year roster (in parts). I didn't take in account that Reynolds will be complete disaster, that Nunnaly will be likewise poison in locker room, that Keenan Evans is not pure PG, and that there would be no rim defence.

As for now - I agree that current teams IQ is two-three times higher than previous year. I, as mentioned in previous posts, still have some reservations about coach, but there are two strong defence oriented assistant coaches (Berrocal and Perkins), so at least we should be very good defensively.

In any case, I wouldn't call team having Lorenzo Brown, one of the best EL point guards, Bonzie Colson, Wade Baldwin, Alex Poithress and Jarell Martin (yes, lots of questions about him, but I watched few Sidney Kings games last season and he was very very good. And while NBL is not EL, it is not Chinese league either.) mediocre.

[janketa]

I have no doubt that Baldwin should be leader of the team, but if it will be or not, depends most on him and role he gets. He is prone to wild shooting sometimes but regarding skillset he is probably near top level guards.
Anyways, win in Tel Aviv will be hard task for all teams, which means there is good chance for playoff.

[GatorsGators]

Baldwin's a unique player but there's character concerns there. Ask Oly fans how they feel about him, lol.

Signing both Brown and Baldwin really felt like Maccabi's management was like "Oh shit, we're losing the star guard we've had the past four years and his buy-out left us with a bunch of cash. We have to sign the two biggest-name guards we possibly can regardless of whether they're going to fit with each other at all." And given Baldwin's history, this whole thing could be a bomb waiting to go off.

It's honestly hard to see how Brown and Baldwin work together on the same court. Maccabi's offensive spacing will be awful.

[MikeMaccabiFan]

Baldwin's a unique player but there's character concerns there. Ask Oly fans how they feel about him, lol.

Signing both Brown and Baldwin really felt like Maccabi's management was like "Oh shit, we're losing the star guard we've had the past four years and his buy-out left us with a bunch of cash. We have to sign the two biggest-name guards we possibly can regardless of whether they're going to fit with each other at all." And given Baldwin's history, this whole thing could be a bomb waiting to go off.

Blatt was the coach who brought Baldwin to Europe and he, despite problems in first season, either vouched or recommended Wade. Add to this that Baskonia did want him to continue, despite some rumours of parting ways in October last year. We will see how it will work, there is why Guy Pnini was signed - to keep locker room tuned up (in addition of 3 pointers and assists he still can make).

It's honestly hard to see how Brown and Baldwin work together on the same court. Maccabi's offensive spacing will be awful.

Don't think so, Baldwin did play well with other players in Baskonia, and while there are no 40% shooters like Giedraitis in Maccabi, still, spacing was good there, no reason it won't be in Maccabi.

I have much bigger concerns about - Kattash and his system, and lack of success on high EL levels, internal politics in Maccabi (I don't think Kattash was allowed to bring assistant coach whom he wanted), and lack of time together before start of the season, because of Eurobasket (Brown, Sorkin, Cohen, Ziv, Menko, and Pnini will possibly participate).

[maccabeo]

having no shooters is not because of an adverse fate. this team is builted by blatt, a totally "paint-coach" and katash. guess what, two israeli coeaches who perfectly intepret israeli bball culture who is devoted to american muscles and dunk intead of perimetral europeans

[GatorsGators]

Blatt was the coach who brought Baldwin to Europe and he, despite problems in first season, either vouched or recommended Wade. Add to this that Baskonia did want him to continue, despite some rumours of parting ways in October last year. We will see how it will work, there is why Guy Pnini was signed - to keep locker room tuned up (in addition of 3 pointers and assists he still can make).



Don't think so, Baldwin did play well with other players in Baskonia, and while there are no 40% shooters like Giedraitis in Maccabi, still, spacing was good there, no reason it won't be in Maccabi.

I have much bigger concerns about - Kattash and his system, and lack of success on high EL levels, internal politics in Maccabi (I don't think Kattash was allowed to bring assistant coach whom he wanted), and lack of time together before start of the season, because of Eurobasket (Brown, Sorkin, Cohen, Ziv, Menko, and Pnini will possibly participate).

Yeah, Blatt and Baldwin's relationship is a good point. I still think that'll be a tricky situation -- I'm not sure how Baldwin and Brown will co-exist.

But Baskonia was one of the worst teams in EL with Baldwin so I'm not sure I'm buying that point. People talk about Maccabi's failure last year but they were leagues better than Baskonia even with the locker room issues.

[MikeMaccabiFan]

Yeah, Blatt and Baldwin's relationship is a good point. I still think that'll be a tricky situation -- I'm not sure how Baldwin and Brown will co-exist.

We will see, I guess. If Brown succeeds in Spanish NT, where he is not sure if welcome, he probably can get along with Baldwin. Even if there will be some tension, it will be heaps less than last season.

But Baskonia was one of the worst teams in EL with Baldwin so I'm not sure I'm buying that point. People talk about Maccabi's failure last year but they were leagues better than Baskonia even with the locker room issues.

Oh, I agree about quality, point about Basconia was that they wanted him to stay, and, that nobody in Maccabi wanted Reynolds, or Nunnaly to stay... And, from what I saw (admittedly mostly highlights), Baldwin did spacing pretty well. So, I still think that it should work not bad in Maccabi. After all, as I wrote before, even if Maccabi doesn't have pure shooters, only player whom opponent can leave on 3p line alone is Josh Nebo. And if Nebo is on 3p line, something is wrong anyway.

[MikeMaccabiFan]

Lorenzo Brown looks good in trial games of Spanish NT - 11 pts (54.5% to 3p), 4.5 assts, 2 rebs, 1.3 st in 21 minutes.

P.S. Jarell Martin arrived to TA.