Coaches’ Corner- Maccabi Offensive Sets

Maccabi Tel Aviv Basketball Club has dominated the Israeli Premier League, and been a force in the Euro League.

For those who study the evolution of offensive basketball, both the NBA and the NCAA teams have seen a huge influence from European basketball. European offense tends to spread the ball more and create more movement. 

The greatest part of the offense is that Maccabi takes their basic set and then depending on how the defense reacts, they have a set of counters. Here is a set with counters that is used by Maccabi. 

Maccabi Basic Set

This is the basic set used. It involves a stagger into a ghost screen for the teams best shooter. So the first option is #2 on the ghost screen. 

#1 then goes off #5 screen with possibilities of #1 getting shot/drive, #3 coming off pen down into the corner, or #5 with a roll to the weakside. 

Maccabi Twist

Twist starts with the same movement as the Basic Set, but #2 curls to the corner. 

#1 reverses the action and comes back the other way toward #2 in the corner. The action is to set up a backdoor action.

Maccabi Curl

As the offense reads if the defense is going to fight to stay with #2 thru the stagger, and then on the ghost- #2 instead curls off the last screen of the stagger.

Maccabi Flash

Flash action is the same start as basic. This adjustment is if a team is going to make a hard hedge or switch on the ball screen. So the offense runs all the way thru the staggers and then the ball screen. On the ball screen, #1 makes a quick pass to #4 coming up. #4 will look to make a quick pass to #5 slip to the basket.

Maccabi Keep

Same action as the Basic Set. At the end, instead of running a ball screen, #1 will pass to #5 and follow the pass. #5 fakes the handoff and goes.