Tony Parker's EuroLeague debut: prediction for ASVEL vs Maccabi Tel Aviv
ASVEL
Maccabi Tel Aviv
ASVEL and Maccabi Tel Aviv will meet on Thursday, September 24, in the opening round of the EuroLeague regular season. The game will be played in Lyon, with tip-off at 20:45 CET. I am backing a bet on the winner of this matchup.
H2H and statistical facts
- ASVEL have lost their last three official games.
- Tony Parker began his tenure at the French club with a defeat.
- Maccabi won the Israeli Super Cup a few days ago.
- ASVEL have failed to beat Maccabi in their last ten meetings.
ASVEL
ASVEL head into the EuroLeague opener after an unconvincing start to the season. The team made its first official appearance under star coach Tony Parker in the French Super Cup semifinals, where they lost to Roanne 71-73. It was an extremely tense and uneven contest: ASVEL made too many mistakes on offense and could not convert the game-winning shot in the closing seconds.
However, the team's problems had already emerged during the preseason. ASVEL lost four games in a row, falling to Pau-Orthez, Roanne, Bayern and Maxima Rome. Turnovers and the battle on the boards were particularly concerning — those were precisely the areas that prevented the team from controlling games. Parker had only a few days before the EuroLeague opener to fix the main deficiencies.
ASVEL's roster underwent major changes over the summer, so a lack of cohesion is entirely understandable. Tremont Waters, Patty Mills, TyTy Washington, Jae Crowder, Joel Bolomboy, Miles Cale and several other new players joined the team. In their official debut, Waters emerged as the main leader, with the point guard scoring 20 points and recording five steals. Crowder added nine points, while Mills was held to five in his first game in France.
The home-court factor also deserves special mention. ASVEL will begin its European campaign in Lyon, where the support from the stands could provide a significant advantage. At the same time, the team must substantially improve the quality of its half-court offense and cut down on turnovers. The latest game against Roanne showed that when their shots are not falling, ASVEL are forced to rely far too heavily on Waters' individual play.
Maccabi Tel Aviv
Maccabi head into the EuroLeague opener in a far more positive mood. The Israeli club have already claimed their first trophy of the season, thrashing Hapoel Tel Aviv 101-83 in the Super Cup. Oded Kattash's team delivered an impressive offensive performance, making 25 of 32 two-point attempts and 10 of 19 from three-point range.
Maccabi showed not only high-scoring ability but also excellent roster depth. Six players scored in double figures. Roman Sorkin led the team with 16 points, Bonzie Colson and Yam Madar added 13 apiece, while Jonathan Leaf and Iffe Lundberg finished with 11 each. Such a balanced distribution of the workload is especially important ahead of a long EuroLeague season.
Maccabi's biggest advantage right now appears to be their cohesion. Unlike ASVEL, who have assembled an almost entirely new roster and are still adapting to the demands of a new coach, the Israeli club have already played several official games.
In addition, Maccabi can cause problems with the sheer number of players capable of creating their own shots. That will be a serious test for ASVEL's defense right from the opening round.
What is the best bet?
ASVEL will have home-court advantage, but Maccabi look like the stronger team based on their current level of readiness. The French club are still in the process of building a new team, whereas the visitors have already played several official games and won the national Super Cup. At the same time, ASVEL possess enough individual talent to keep the game competitive, so I will back them to win with a +6-point handicap.
