Today the Knicks are set to announce a special opponent for next year's preseason: Israeli club Maccabi Tel Aviv. This is the same team that two years ago became the first foreign club to beat an NBA team on their home floor when they beat the Raptors in Toronto. Maccabi also played 4 games last year against NBA teams, losing to Cleveland, Phoenix, San Antonio, and Toronto, who avenged their 2005 loss with help in part from Anthony Parker whom they signed from Maccabi after their previous loss.
So now on to the big question: Who is going to win?
Well, if this had been two seasons ago the answer believe it or not would have likely been Maccabi Tel Aviv. Since then however, Maccabi has lost both Anthony Parker and Maceo Baston to the NBA. Parker had been the Euroleague MVP and star of Maccabi Tel Aviv. Looking at Maccabi's current roster, they still have one of Europe's best players in Nikola Vujčić, a Croatian center who lead the team in both scoring and rebounding this past season. The team also boasts a somewhat familiar face in former Georgia Tech player Will Bynum, as well as another American born player in Derrick Sharp who shot 48% from three point range this past season. The game is in MSG, so that combined with the slightly depleted Maccabi roster will likely lead to a Knicks victory. The Knicks would be wise to not overlook Maccabi Tel Aviv however: last season two NBA teams lost to foreign clubs, as the 76ers lost to Winterthur FC Barcelona and the Clippers lost to CSKA Moscow.
