By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Everybody expected Maccabi to have problems without injured guards Tamir Blatt and Rokas Jokubaitis, but nobody was betting on Zalgiris blowing out the Israelis.
That was the case, however, in Kaunas, as Zalgiris got an easy 78-63 win after leading by 20 points in the first half.
Even more impressive is that Zalgiris did it as a team, with Edgaras Ulanovas, the top scorer with 14 points, leading a balanced effort and dedicating the win to his recently deceased grandfather.
Maccabi got 17 points from Saben Lee however there was no point in the game in which the guests had a real shot to a comeback.
“We understood that if we didn’t win games at home, then our previous wins would not mean anything”, said Bryant Dunston after contributing eight points and four rebounds.
Zalgiris currently leads the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague standings with a 4-1 record, while Maccabi dropped to 2-3.
Getting distance early on
Things were more than easy for Zalgiris which opened the game with a 26-7 first quarter and never looked back.
The halftime score was 44-24 as Maccabi balanced the game, but it was already too late.
At the end of the third, the Israelis had trimmed the lead to 13 points (59-46) and made things a bit more interesting.
To be exact at the start of the fourth, Maccabi made it an 11-point game (59-48) and Zalgiris’ answer was a quick 6-0 run (65-48) that restored order.
Maccabi made a last effort and made it a nine-point game (71-62) but again Zalgiris had a 7-0 run (78-62) and the game was over.
Photo credit: EuroLeague