Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv vs. UNICS Kazan

2021-22Regular SeasonRound 14

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 74

UNICS Kazan 85

December 09, 2021 CET: 20:05

Local time: 21:05 MENORA MIVTACHIM ARENA

Lorenzo Brown leads UNICS past Maccabi

UNICS Kazan sent a message that echoed all around the competition by downing Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv 74-85 at Menora Mivtachin Arena on Thursday. UNICS improved to 8-6 in the standings and registered its fifth win in the last six games. Maccabi dropped to 7-7 and is now on a four-game losing streak. Lorenzo Brown led the winners with 26 points, 6 rebounds and 6 assists. Isaiah Canaan added 18 points, Mario Hezonja had 14 and O.J. Mayo scored 11 for UNICS. Scottie Wilbekin paced Maccabi with 18 points, Jalen Reynolds and James Nunnally each added 12 and Ante Zizic had 11 for the hosts. The hosts led by 3 heading into the fourth quarter which is when Hezonja and Lorenzo Brown took over as UNICS outscored Maccabi 8-22 to record an important win.

Oh WOW O.J. Mayo with the circus shot #7DAYSMagicMoment pic.twitter.com/KaoKhUWyYP
— Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) December 9, 2021

Hezonja got UNICS going with a triple, Jarrell Brantley added a driving layup and John Brown III hit back-to-back jumpers, which prompted Maccabi to call timeout at 2-9. Keenan Evans and Lorenzo Brown traded three-pointers and Wilbekin soon struck from downtown to bring Maccabi within 10-14. Brantley stepped up with a fast break slam, but Wilbekin bettered that with a triple and fed Zizic for a fastbreak slam, igniting a 9-0 run that Reynolds capped with a dunk that gave Maccabi a 19-16 lead. Lorenzo Brown struck from beyond the arc, Canaan found his first points and Mayo beat the first-quarter buzzer with a huge four-point play that gave UNICS a 24-26 edge.

Canaan took over with a driving layup early in the second quarter, but Nunnally and Jalen Reynolds allowed Maccabi to regain a 30-28 lead. After Jekiri dunked, John DiBartolomeo made a deep three-pointer. Mayo hit a one-handed jumper in the lane and Jekiri scored down low for a 33-34 UNICS edge. Wilbekin insisted from beyond the arc before Lorenzo Brown answered with a driving layup. Zizic scored twice in the paint to put Maccabi up 40-36. Canaan buried a three-pointer and Jekiri added a layup that tied it at 41-41. Lorenzo Brown hit a turnaround jumper, but James Nunnally tied the game, 43-43, at halftime.

Zizic scored around the basket soon after the break and Nunnally added a floater for a 47-43 Maccabi lead. Lorenzo Brown stepped up with back-to-back layups and Mayo buried a corner triple to cause the hosts to stop the game, 47-50, after a 0-7 run. Nunnally kept pushing his team and Evans provided another lead change, 51-50. Wilbekin buried a huge triple off the dribble and Caloiaro banked in a turnaround jumper, but Canaan and Lorenzo Brown helped UNICS tie it at 56-56. Reynolds and John Brown III traded close baskets. Then DiBartolomeo and Canaan each struck from beyond the arc. Reynolds dunked and Wilbekin added a floater to give Maccabi a 66-63 margin after 30 minutes.

Lorenzo Brown scored in penetration early in the fourth quarter and Hezonja downed a jumper and a three-pointer to put UNICS in charge, 66-70. Hezonja silenced the crowd with a huge alley-oop slam and Lorenzo Brown soon made it 67-74 with over 6 minutes left. Zizic banked in a jump hook and Nunnally added a triple, giving Maccabi hope at 72-76. Hezonja dunked again and Lorenzo Brown buried a close basket to give UNICS fresh air at 72-80. Lorenzo Brown sealed the outcome with a jumper, as Maccabi struggled to score in crunch time.

What a play @mariohezonja was literally FLYING #7DAYSMagicMoment pic.twitter.com/QfghaVKEwx
— Turkish Airlines EuroLeague (@EuroLeague) December 9, 2021

Lorenzo Brown makes the difference

UNICS Kazan playmaker Lorenzo Brown confirmed his outstanding form against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv and proved again that he is one of the best floor generals in the competition. Brown was all over the place in Round 14 against Maccabi, finishing the game with 26 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, a steal and 4 fouls drawn for a PIR of 30. He has scored over 20 points three times in his team's last four games; Brown netted 21 against both ALBA Berlin and Olympiacos Pireus. In that span, Brown is averaging 19.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 7.0 assists and a PIR of 24.0.

Efficiency gives UNICS a big win

UNICS Kazan were outrebounded 32-26 in its Round 14 game against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, but shot the ball better and took better care of turnovers than the Israeli champs. UNICS finished the game with 14 assists and 10 turnovers. Maccabi only had 11 assists, matching its season-low, and committed 17 turnovers. UNICS had better shooting percentages from all distances, hitting 58.3% of its two-point shots, 40.9% from downtown and 94.1% from the foul line. Maccabi had lower numbers - 46.7% 2FG, 34.8% 3FG, 78.6% FT.

Hezonja's fourth-quarter wonder

Mario Hezonja was battling foul trouble in UNICS Kazan's visit to Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv in Round 14. He started the fourth quarter with 4 fouls and his team down 66-63. Hezonja did not foul out and made the difference in the game with an extraordinary fourth-quarter performance. He buried a jumper, added a three-pointer and soon took over with a huge alley-oop slam for a 66-72 UNICS margin. Hezonja kept helping UNICS in many ways and provided another highlight with a fastbreak dunk off a steal. When the dust settled, UNICS won and Hezonja finished the game with 14 points in 20 minutes.

Thursday, December 9, 2021

Euroleague.net

Referees: BELOSEVIC, ILIJA; PATERNICO, CARMELO; VYKLICKY, ROBERT

Attendance: 10353

By Quarter	1	2	3	4
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv	24	19	23	8
UNICS Kazan	26	17	20	22

End of Quarter	1	2	3	4
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv	24	43	66	74
UNICS Kazan	26	43	63	85

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

							Rebounds						Blocks		Fouls
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG	3FG	FT	O	D	T	As	St	To	Fv	Ag	Cm	Rv	PIR
1	WILBEKIN, SCOTTIE	34:37	18	1/5	4/10	4/4	1	4	5	4	2	3			1	2	17
2	EVANS, KEENAN	21:25	5	0/1	1/2	2/2		1	1	2		1	2		1	1	7
4	CALOIARO, ANGELO	21:00	3	1/3	0/1	1/2	3	2	5	1					3	1	3
6	WILLIAMS, DERRICK	22:35	4	1/4	0/1	2/4		5	5	1		1				5	8
7	TAYLOR, KAMERON	1:11													1		-1
8	REYNOLDS, JALEN	20:35	12	5/10		2/2	3	1	4			3			2	1	7
12	DIBARTOLOMEO, JOHN	14:46	8		2/4	2/2		2	2	1	1	4			3	2	5
14	BLAYZER, OZ	14:13	1		0/2	1/2	3	2	5	1	1	1		1	2	2	3
15	COHEN, JAKE	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
21	NUNNALLY, JAMES	29:04	12	1/2	1/3	7/8		2	2	1		2			2	4	11
23	ZIZIC, ANTE	19:25	11	5/5		1/2		3	3			2			1	3	13
99	ZIV, IFTAH	1:09
	Team
	Totals	200:00	74	14/30	8/23	22/28	10	22	32	11	4	17	2	1	16	21	73
				46.7%	34.8%	78.6%

Head coach: SFAIROPOULOS, IOANNIS

Min: Minutes played; Pts: Points; 2FG M-A: 2-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); 3FG M-A: 3-point Field Goals (Made-Attempted); FT M-A: Free Throws (Made-Attempted); Rebounds: O (Offensive), D (Defensive), T (Total); As: Assists; St: Steals; To: Turnovers; Bl: Blocks (Fv: In Favor / Ag: Against); Fouls: Cm (Commited), Rv (Received); PIR: Performance Index Rating

UNICS Kazan

							Rebounds						Blocks		Fouls
#	Player	Min	Pts	2FG	3FG	FT	O	D	T	As	St	To	Fv	Ag	Cm	Rv	PIR
0	SPISSU, MARCO	4:56						1	1	1		1					1
00	BROWN, JOHN	23:22	6	3/3							2				4	1	5
3	CANAAN, ISAIAH	29:00	18	1/1	3/6	7/7		1	1	2	2	3			3	5	19
4	BROWN, LORENZO	35:13	26	8/15	2/4	4/4	1	5	6	6	1	2		1	1	4	30
5	BRANTLEY, JARRELL	23:36	4	2/3	0/1			1	1	1	4	1			3		4
8	ZAITCEV, VIACHESLAV	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
11	HEZONJA, MARIO	19:49	14	3/4	2/5	2/2		4	4	2	1	1			5	1	12
12	KLIMENKO, ARTEM	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
13	UZINSKII, DMITRII	9:48			0/2										1		-3
23	JEKIRI, TONYE	30:02	6	3/7			3	6	9	2		2	1	1	2	1	10
32	MAYO, O J	24:14	11	1/3	2/4	3/4		2	2		1				3	3	9
44	KOMOLOV, ARTEM	DNP	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
	Team						1	1	2			1					1
	Totals	200:00	85	21/36	9/22	16/17	5	21	26	14	11	11	1	2	22	15	88
				58.3%	40.9%	94.1%

Head coach: PERASOVIC, VELIMIR

Head Coaches

SFAIROPOULOS, IOANNIS

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

"Obviously, it is a bad result for us. We wanted to fight hard and win this game. I think that in the first period, we wanted to play better defense. They scored 26 points. That wasn't our goal, let's say, we knew they start the games very aggressive and we knew that they are running to the open court to score easy points. Unfortunately, we allowed them, especially in the beginning, I remember 5-6 offenses that they scored in a row, without missing, until we took the timeout. After that, we improved our defense somehow, mainly in the second quarter, in which they scored 17 points. That's why we came back. We were together with them. Then in the third quarter, our defense was not bad. We controlled the game better, not completely, but better. And as you saw, we collapsed in the last period. We scored only 8 points on our side. On the other side, they scored a lot on the open court and in fastbreaks, and they got a small lead, 4-5 points, 3-4 minutes before the end. Then we missed some layups, some baskets that we should score, to stay in the game and fight for the win until the end. Unfortunately, that didn't happen and we lost the game. We have to continue. It is a long period and a bad loss. We need to make up for this loss away. We will fight as hard as we can until the end."

PERASOVIC, VELIMIR

UNICS Kazan

"First of all, winning in Tel Aviv is always difficult because playing here is not easy. I think this year Maccabi has a good team and they are serious candidates to play in the playoffs, which is the goal of every team in the competition. The game was very difficult for us. We brought the game in the last quarter, when they played really good defense. And also, it is true that Maccabi missed some very open shots which they scored in the beginning of the game. We had big problems all game long, especially in the first half, with fouls. Our important players had to stay a lot of time on the bench but the guys did a good job and we stayed in the game until they could play in the second half. So I am very happy because, I repeat, it is very difficult to win here."

Players

EVANS, KEENAN

Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv

"It was a close game the whole game. Both teams were fighting back and forth; they made a run, we made a run. In the fourth quarter, as you saw, it was just tough for us to score. We couldn't really buy a bucket. They came down, they were executing and basically won the game in the fourth. We are still the same team. Like we won five in a row, we lost four in a row, and it is just life in the EuroLeague. We got some stuff that we can go back in the film to work on, but a couple of those games, we lost close at the end and that is just how the ball bounces sometimes, so we just have to really figure out and get over this hump."

CANAAN, ISAIAH

UNICS Kazan

"We just stayed together. We knew we were coming into a hostile crowd. We give credit to Maccabi, they played hard. They brought it to us. They missed a few easy ones late in the game and we just stayed with it. We stayed together and got the win."

BROWN, LORENZO

UNICS Kazan

"Heart [gave us this win]. We have a great team and a lot of hard work has been made. We are working every single day and I just have to applaud my teammates, these are hard-working guys and I love it."