The first Clasico of the season will meet tonight (21:00, 5SPORT) Two teams that have a lot in common: both come with negative momentum, after losses, both develop an excessive season dependence on their stars, but in the bigger picture, these are perhaps the two sports clubs that have been hit the most by the Corona, both financially but mostly professionally. Last season, Maccabi Tel Aviv already secured its place in the Euroleague playoffs and after many years looked like a real contender for the title. Before the Corona, Hapoel Jerusalem managed to win the state cup, galloped towards the Final Four in the Champions League, and some would say that team was the best in the history of the club.
One year later, the main similarities between the two greats of Israeli basketball have been preserved. Both retained a large amount of players from last season, and both continued with the same coaching staff (with slight modifications). But the shadow of the previous season still hovers over the arena and over the hand of Elijah, and the feeling is that last season’s teams, in yellow and red, the ones who washed the pitches before the Corona, are much better than those of the season.
But what do the numbers say? Let’s check, but before that we are told that comparisons were made between the league games last season, before the outbreak of the Corona (21 games) and the league rounds played so far this season (8 games for Jerusalem, 6 for Maccabi), so it is not the same volume of games.
Maccabi Tel Aviv: less scoring, less penetrating, more snatching
The main difference for the champion between last season and the current season is mainly evident in the offense. Maccabi of the season scores less (83 points this season compared to 90 before the Corona), but what is interesting is that the number of passers-by has not changed, even though there is a difference of 7 points. Another sharp decline can be seen in the percentage to only 3: 31% compared to 38% last year.
Another notable statistic is the frequency of times the Yellows penetrate the basket: last season there were 12.9 shot attempts while penetrating, and this season only 6.8. Instead, Yannis Sapropoulos’ players often do isolation exercises and try to run whenever possible. In the column of assists, blocks, losses and extortion, there were no radical changes, but this season’s Maccabi picks up fewer rebounds (34 vs. 39.4) and snatches more (8.3 vs. 6.9).
Hapoel Jerusalem: Better than before the Corona?
True, the question in the title sounds a bit rhetorical, but the numbers paint a very surprising picture: in many parameters, Hapoel Jerusalem is a better 20/21 model compared to that exciting team from before the Corona, or at least does not fall short of it. For example, this year’s team scores more (91.7 vs. 90) and does so with one less pitch per game. She is accurate with similar percentages to 2, 3 and identical percentages from the line (75%), and while she does pick up fewer rebounds (33.8 vs. 36) she delivers more assists, grabs more and loses less.
Jerusalem of the season is more efficient in the transition game (72% success compared to 63%), and contrary to the general perception of basketball made by Oded Katash, the season goes to more post-up moves, and also more accurate in these moves. On the other hand, there is actually a decrease in the success rates of pick-and-roll moves, and of basket penetration.
