Amir Coffey Eyes Redemption Ahead of Hapoel-Maccabi EuroLeague Derby
Hapoel Tel Aviv forward Amir Coffey discusses preparations for the upcoming EuroLeague derby against Maccabi Tel Aviv, emphasizing the lessons learned from their recent Winner Cup defeat.
Amir Coffey acknowledges that Hapoel Tel Aviv must address its shortcomings from the previous derby defeat against Maccabi Tel Aviv as the teams prepare for their first EuroLeague showdown. Coffey, who missed the Winner Cup final due to an injury, reflected on how Maccabi erased a substantial deficit in that match, emphasizing the need for defensive focus and control on the boards.
"Their shots suddenly started dropping," Coffey told the press ahead of the clash. "In the first half, the momentum was on our side, and we were much more aggressive. We slipped in the second half, and they went on a run. It was a huge shift, and we couldn't recover. We need to forget about that game, we watched the tape, and we made adjustments. I believe we will be ready."
Having spent seven seasons in the NBA, including playing a pivotal role in the historic 35-point comeback with the Los Angeles Clippers against the Washington Wizards, Coffey brings invaluable experience to Hapoel's roster. He noted that the heavy EuroLeague schedule, featuring multiple games per week and frequent travel, is demanding but comparable to the rigors of American professional basketball.
After starting his European campaign on the sidelines due to an injury, Coffey has appeared in six EuroLeague matches so far. While looking to find consistent rhythm following a strong three-game stretch averaging 10.3 points, the forward remains confident about his potential impact and the team's lofty ambitions across all competitions.
"I haven't shown much of what I can offer yet, I'm just starting my journey here," Coffey said. "It's still early, we have a great offensive team. We will continue to work on it as a group and as individual players. We all have big goals for this season, in the league and the EuroLeague. We need to focus on rebounding; Maccabi gets a lot of points off offensive rebounds, and we have to box out."
