After losing in Game 4, the Israeli side must return to OAKA for Game 5 next week
Maccabi will go into Game 5 test knowing it has ‘one more chance’
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv has been dealing with one obstacle after the next all season long. With a Game 5 at Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens on the horizon, following a back-and-forth battle in Game 4 on Thursday night, head coach Oded Kattash asked his players to keep their heads up.
Maccabi has essentially played the entire season on the road but 1,000 fans were allowed to attend Game 4 at Aleksandar Nikolic Hall, just like they were in Game 3. Those boisterous supporters could not carry the Israeli over the line this time, though, losing 88-95 and missing out on a chance to close out its first trip to the Final Four since winning the crown in 2014.
“It’s a tough feeling. We were there. We were up seven with 7 minutes left. We had our run,” lamented Coach Kattash, whose team was up 82-75 with under 7 minutes to play before Panathinaikos grabbed the win.
Wade Baldwin’s sour luck
The Maccabi team had good news before the game as Wade Baldwin returned to the starting lineup, playing for the first time since a hamstring injury kept him out of Games 2 and 3. But the team’s leading scorer could only play 7:25 minutes and Baldwin was visually frustrated when he had to limp off the court midway through the second quarter.
Four Maccabi players ended up playing more than 26 minutes and that shortened bench hurt Maccabi in the end.
“Some players were really tired as we were missing Wade. To play at that intensity in basically a double rounder in playoff games is not easy. We put in a lot of effort,” Kattash stated.
“I think overall like the first three games, I am really proud of the players. We came with the right attitude. We were there. It’s not an easy game to play. We have to be proud of ourselves.”
Baldwin must still be evaluated if he can play in Game 5 at the OAKA in Athens. But even if the star guard could play at full strength, the task would not be an easy one given the expected crowd at the hallowed venue.
Kattash had a disappointed tone in his voice after the Game 4 loss, but he finished with a positive message.
“We need to keep our heads up. We have one more chance next week.”