Maccabi Tel Aviv

Maccabi Tel Aviv currently holds the 4th place in the standings after 13 rounds, having won a total of 9 matches. Meanwhile, Zenit players, along with Kaunas Žalgiris, share the last 2 positions with 3 wins and 10 losses. Just when it seemed that Zenit was gradually gaining better form, one of Zenit's key players, M. Ponitka, got injured in the match against Lyon-Villeurbanne Asvel. It is unclear when this player will return to the court, so the team faces serious challenges.

The situation is completely different on the Maccabi Tel Aviv team side. Few expected Maccabi to start so well, but the team's performance is very effective and pleasing to the eye. The team, which promotes fast offense, has already won 3 consecutive victories, including the last match against CSKA (90-80) at home.

Zenit ST Petersburg

Let's start with the fact that although this team was not promised the highest positions in the tournament, almost no one expected that one of the strongest Russian teams would be at the bottom of the standings after 13 rounds. The team, which includes well-known European players such as Gustavo Ayon, Mateusz Ponitka, Will Thomas, Andrew Albicy, Alex Renfroe, and others, has so far not met expectations. A few rounds ago, there were rumors about the possible dismissal of J. Plaza, but the Spaniard is still at the helm of the team. If the situation does not improve and the game does not get better, it is a real possibility that we will see another strategist leading the team after a few more rounds.

Zenit team ranks only 16th out of 18 teams in terms of points scored, averaging 74 per game. Zenit's poor offense is also shown by the fact that they shoot three-pointers with only 33% accuracy per game, which is just 15th in the entire league, and they rank second to last in the league in the “True Shooting %” statistical category.

Zenit leaders:

Gustavo Ayon – averaging 13.1 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game, the center is undoubtedly the team's leader. The Mexican, best remembered for his good play with Real Madrid, had various health problems during the season, missing several games due to injuries, but overall he is in really good shape, so stopping this player is one of the main tasks to win against Zenit.

Mateusz Ponitka – 10.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. This is the statistic of one of the most talented Polish players who joined the Saint Petersburg team in the offseason. Ponitka was the key player in the match against Žalgiris, practically closing the game on his own. Ponitka will not play in Tuesday's match against Maccabi, which is a huge loss for the Zenit team.

Will Thomas – 9.3 points, 4.5 rebounds, and 1.5 assists per game. This is the statistic of the forward who represented the Valencia team for three seasons before joining Zenit. His integration into the team went quite smoothly, but compared to last season (43.5%), his three-point shooting has worsened. From the 3-point zone this season, Thomas hits only 28% of his shots, and to win games in the increasingly competitive Euroleague, better long-range shooting is simply essential.

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Similar to Zenit, the Maccabi team defies early predictions, but in a good way. The Israeli team currently ranks 4th in the significantly strengthened Euroleague standings, trailing only Anadolu Efes, Real Madrid, and Barcelona, who are having an impressive season. In the last round, even without two key players (Di Bartolomeo and Tarik Black), the Maccabi team managed to come back into the game and defeat one of the tournament favorites, CSKA, by a double-digit margin. Maccabi plays fast, high-scoring, but at the same time team-oriented basketball, which is really interesting to watch.

Tel Aviv team ranks among the top in many statistical categories. Maccabi ranks 3rd in points scored (86 points), 4th in rebounds per game (36.62), 1st in the league in steals (8.54 per game), and 2nd in two-point shooting accuracy (57.46%).

Maccabi Tel Aviv leaders:

Scottie Wilbekin – 16.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 3.2 assists. This is the statistic of one of the most productive players in the tournament. Wilbekin is undoubtedly one of the most surprising players this season. The guard, who demonstrates 48.5% accuracy from the three-point zone, can take the initiative at any time, but he plays as a team and follows the game plan, which leads to good team results.

Othello Hunter – averaging 10 points and 6 rebounds per game, the center is also a very important factor in achieving good results. With T. Black out, it was Othello Hunter who, along with Wilbekin, punished the CSKA team. 20 points and 7 rebounds against CSKA – a really good result. It is unclear whether Black will appear in Tuesday's match, but in any case, Hunter's form looks great, and his importance is unquestionable.

Nate Wolters – 9 points, 2 rebounds, and 3 assists. This is the statistic of the guard who represented the Žalgiris team last season. Unlike last season, this year Walters has had almost no health problems and missed only 1 game out of 13 rounds. Injuries and poor health were the main reasons that prevented him from showing his full potential at Žalgiris, so this year Wolters looks really reliable and is having a good season.

Prediction

Although it is not yet 100% clear about the lineups of both teams, as both teams have minor injuries, Maccabi looks to be on a completely different level this season. Of course, it will be harder in the away game than at home, but with one of Zenit's key players, M. Ponitka, out, it is hard to imagine the Russians posing a serious challenge to one of the best teams in the tournament. Maccabi's offense is hard to stop, so to win the match, Zenit will have to demonstrate almost ideal shooting and perfect defense, which is unlikely.