Milan eventually broke the will of Maccabi with a strong defense and sharing offense
Coach Messina: 'We made it look easy, but it was not easy'
Article
3 Mins read
Regular Season
Round 20 of 34
Group Regular Season
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EA7 Emporio Armani Milan’s biggest winning margin this season coming into its road game against Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv was 15 points. The Italian team blew away that mark with a 37-point victory over Maccabi - in a performance which was not as it seemed.
Milan walloped Maccabi 74-107 for a new season high in points - topping triple figures for the third time. And the win moved Milan to 11-9 on the season.
“Congratulations to my players. We made it look easy, but it was not easy,” Milan head coach Ettore Messina said afterwards.
“We played a good game from minute one. We played good defense - alternating between zone and man. The players were very sharp. And we moved it. And eventually, Maccabi lost confidence in themselves.”
Game Videos
- 00:39
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Tamir Blatt: 'We really needed this'
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Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade | RS Round 23 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9e715c34-a0cd-4597-bcc6-2e5a73033979.jpg]()
Anadolu Efes Istanbul-EA7 Emporio Armani Milan | RS Round 23 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/dccbf03a-133f-41f4-a7e7-89a54574ec0f.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A141%3A105]()
What a flowing move from Maccabi!
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/aPOKPIAMksA/maxresdefault.jpg]()
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade | RS Round 22 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
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Paris Basketball-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 22 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
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Real Madrid-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 21 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:42
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Nikola Mirotic: 'When you play with Zach LeDay, it's always easier'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/86d824b2-4f6b-4621-b409-0d862a09ce1d.jpg]()
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-ALBA Berlin | RS Round 21 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/73a536e0-8c40-4663-af6d-9f91fd8073e8.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A106%3A59]()
Gillespie stops a dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/94fa61ec-e7fc-4fd9-b7f8-22cf9296e743.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A74%3A141]()
Caruso swats it of backboard! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/cd86a28c-ef14-4d99-8e57-ce289eeb7227.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A135%3A200]()
Maccabi turns defense into offense! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:13
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/8e7ea801-f654-49a3-ac2a-37a4c565963e.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A135%3A79]()
Blatt finds Hoard! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:25
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/30ac31d6-5a00-4b1e-bbba-a7754e87b0d0.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A190%3A85]()
Jokubaitis's buzzer-beater! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:58
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/01/09/hfHXivGFJErQDlAa1QPUQnl0XjcudOjs-1736459940034.jpg]()
Shavon Shields: 'Everybody did their part'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/UZ-nO84Sm5g/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-EA7 Emporio Armani Milan | RS Round 20 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/E-K6wCnWOys/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Partizan Mozzart Bet Belgrade-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 19 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:45
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2025/01/02/yON2rY4LE9JHti1S1b6ZTTsD4OXwpDqh-1735853313256.jpg]()
Zach LeDay: 'I wanted to be there for my team'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/V3IzJqdInEw/maxresdefault.jpg]()
LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne-EA7 Emporio Armani Milan | RS Round 19 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9cad4c56-ad6f-4c95-b6c2-5497d0e1880b.jpg]()
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-Olympiacos Piraeus | RS Round 18 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:58
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/26/zGIoakj3w2RsLjxPZ3EgZkOUvVFyhRz6-1735247597729.jpg]()
Jaylen Hoard: 'Happy about the way we played defense today'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/3b41ad96-3937-4f44-8d85-e1141c8d0123.jpg]()
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-Zalgiris Kaunas | RS Round 18 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:24
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/9940cbf4-3f38-4d06-8e57-3b0b93cb7b10.jpg?crop=1156%3A650%3Anowe%3A72%3A47]()
How on earth, Bolmaro?! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/ycsDW75misk/maxresdefault.jpg]()
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-FC Bayern Munich | RS Round 17 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/V9GboH0vtWk/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 17 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/57db6fc6-ecc1-43a2-ba89-737e49618b5a.jpg?crop=1920%3A1080%3Anowe%3A0%3A0]()
EuroLeague & Friends, ep. 8: Maledon's performances, LeDay insight, and more
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/vDMG2AlXBXM/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Panathinaikos AKTOR Athens-EA7 Emporio Armani Milan | RS Round 16 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/K3myS2EETAk/maxresdefault.jpg]()
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz | RS Round 16 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:15
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LeDay's poster dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/3e605d01-c987-41b7-a423-6450717b937d.jpg?crop=1080%3A607%3Anowe%3A211%3A30]()
Roman Sorkin drives for a dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:46
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/13/IWBoHMrxdWEAPDc9yUgbZ9B49UzSkOVV-1734128930684.jpg]()
Zach LeDay: 'My dad was with me tonight'
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/r7-EPf12MxY/maxresdefault.jpg]()
FC Barcelona-EA7 Emporio Armani Milan | RS Round 15 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/e8fe54fd-5ed5-4bc3-9601-1f72f78a8a82.jpg]()
FC Bayern Munich-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 15 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:08
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/74a1fafb-0407-49c4-b91d-808232b0c5a7.jpg?crop=1138%3A640%3Anowe%3A13%3A35]()
Hoard dunks off a Blatt alley-oop dish! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:12
![https://dve-images.imggaming.com/original/p/2024/12/06/lh3NKJgKsoRRS5VjWLMN3At2WoSrYzEm-1733524421067.jpg]()
Armoni Brooks: 'With this group of guys, I like what we can do'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/28d39112-0379-4ae4-88ae-174de550ea38.jpg]()
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne | RS Round 14 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/f522effa-1bd1-4da3-a15d-5ea4d723f7f8.jpg]()
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-FC Barcelona | RS Round 14 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:12
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Gabriel’s block on Hernangomez! Motorola Magic Moment
- 01:37
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Fabien Causeur: 'We have to stay humble'
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/00c4d0ba-d5ee-4700-8ebb-603a4d73b306.jpg]()
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade | RS Round 13 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:13
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LeDay rejects Kalinic! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/2770484b-7a2a-40f7-9d12-e7bf0689d4fb.jpg]()
Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv-Paris Basketball | RS Round 13 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/fd25e0fc-2355-4a22-9506-622a65137aed.jpg]()
Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul-EA7 Emporio Armani Milan | RS Round 12 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/cZKWm0d-oBI/maxresdefault.jpg]()
ALBA Berlin-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 12 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 00:10
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/1422dc69-a041-47f5-b575-2bde670d63e2.png?crop=750%3A422%3Anowe%3A0%3A79]()
DeJulius hits a buzzer-beater! Motorola Magic Moment
- 00:12
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/7ddf1970-44f0-4b86-988d-8dc686254c02.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A147%3A124]()
Hoard's reverse alley-oop dunk! Motorola Magic Moment
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/a8dc5a75-5ac6-40cf-809b-89f309b41c9a.jpg?crop=1920%3A1080%3Anowe%3A0%3A0]()
EuroLeague & Friends: Monthly MVP candidates, Milan impressing, and more
![https://img.youtube.com/vi/hhv20iHb-5Q/maxresdefault.jpg]()
EA7 Emporio Armani Milan-Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv | RS Round 11 Highlights | 2024-25 Turkish Airlines EuroLeague
- 01:16
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Zach LeDay: 'Basketball is the best job in the world'
- 00:14
![https://media-cdn.incrowdsports.com/7ddf1970-44f0-4b86-988d-8dc686254c02.jpg?crop=1080%3A608%3Anowe%3A176%3A127]()
Hoard with the rejection! Motorola Magic Moment
Five players scored in double figures for Milan, topped by Shavon Shields’s 18 points while Zach LeDay and Nikola Mirotic both scored 17 points.
“We just played together as a team and moved the ball really well from side to side and got a lot of stops on defense. We just have to keep going,” LeDay said. “This is a really tight race so we’re trying to separate ourselves and keep getting better.”
Milan, which beat Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet Belgrade 101-86 at home in Round 13, is one of the best outside shooting teams in the league and narrowly topped its average percentage with 41.4% on three-pointers. But the Italian side shot a blistering 67.6% on two-pointers, much higher than the 52.5% coming into the game. Milan also committed only 7 turnovers - well below the 12.2 average miscues entering the contest.
One of the biggest storylines was Maccabi’s outside shooting, missing its first 20 shots before hitting the final long-range attempt for the team’s worst three-point shooting performance in history and tying for the sixth poorest in EuroLeague history.
Messina liked what his team showed in the game.
“We did very well to create the lead, to maintain it, expand it. Everybody who came on the court helped: with a bucket, defense or a rebound. When we all participate in the game, we become a very interesting team,” he finished.