Anadolu Efes wins, ends Maccabi's playoff hopes

Anadolu Efes Istanbul boosted its own playoff hopes while ending those of Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv with a 92-87 victory at Abdi Ipekci Arena. Efes completed the season sweep of Maccabi as it improved to 14-12, while dropping Maccabi to 9-17. Jayson Granger starred for Efes with 22 points, 15 of which came in the third quarter as the hosts turned a 41-42 halftime deficit into a double-digit lead. His backcourt mate Thomas Heurtel tallied 18 points and 8 assists, Bryant Dunston posted 13 points and 12 rebounds and Derrick Brown added 12 points. Victor Rudd paced Maccabi with a career-best 23 points, Sylven Landesberg netted a season-high 20, Devin Smith scored 10 and point guards Yogev Ohayon and Gal Mekel each delivered 8 assists in defeat. Mekel and Landesberg fueled a late surge to bring the visitors within 3 in the closing seconds, but Granger’s layup iced the Efes victory.

Maccabi got the start it wanted with the first two baskets of the game, but Efes bounced back and took its first lead, 7-6, on Dunston’s basket-plus-foul. Rudd was in top form for Maccabi despite a pair of early fouls and his three-pointer put the visitors up 11-15. Alex Kirk made an impact with a rejection and slam before DeShaun Thomas tied the game at 17-17 at the end of the quarter. The lead changed hands in an exciting and physical start to the second quarter before Landesberg buried a three to put Maccabi ahead 22-26. The margin twice grew to 27-35 on an Ohayon-to-Colton Iverson alley-oop, but Cedi Osman carried Efes back and Brown completed the comeback with a tip-in that made it 39-38. Joe Alexander beat the halftime buzzer to give Maccabi a 41-42 halftime edge. Brown connected on Efes’s first three-pointer of the game to open the second half. Brown turned a block at one end into a slam at the other and Dunston also dunked as the Efes lead grew to 52-45 before Maccabi called timeout. The visitors responded with 5 quick points to get back in the game. Granger took over with a jumper, a three, a steal and a layup and another three as Efes soared to 62-52. Landesberg became the scorer of choice for Maccabi, but another Granger three made it a 12-point game and the hosts led 67-57 through three quarters. Maccab refused to go away and Rudd’s jumper closed the gap to 6, but Heurtel soon boosted the margin back to double figures. Thomas stepped up with 4 straight points and drawing an offensive foul as Efes consolidated its grip on the game. Mekel nailed a three to get Maccabi within 84-78 with 1:35 remaining and Landesberg scored 6 late points to give Maccabi hope, but a late Granger layup sealed the victory.