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By Joey Seymour
 SAN DIEGO—There’s a matchup coming October 20th in a preseason basketball game between an NBA team and a team from Israel.
Which one do you think should be favored?
Wait a minute, don’t be too quick to answer!
The game will pit Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Basketball League against the L.A. Clippers at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The two teams meet for the first time in what is sure to be an electrifying game. However, this will not be the first time Maccabi Tel Aviv has participated in the NBA preseason. In 2005, Maccabi Tel Aviv, or Electra which serves as the teams’ current nickname, narrowly edged the Toronto Raptors 105-103, becoming the first non-American team to defeat an NBA team on North American soil.
The game against the Clippers will actually be a tale of two teams. Maccabi Tel Aviv has a rich history of domination in the Israeli Basketball League as well as the Euroleague. Forty-six-time Ligat HaAl (Israeli Basketball Super League) champions, 23 of which came during the consecutive years of 1970 – 92, Maccabi Tel Aviv has a record to rival the Boston Celtics' 11 NBA Championships .
Maccabi Tel Aviv has tasted the sweetness of success whereas the perennial downtrodden Clippers have only enjoyed 6 winning seasons during their 40 year history and have never reached an NBA Finals.
Maccabi Tel Aviv began competitive play in 1954 when Ligat HaAl was founded, winning the championship during the inaugural season. Since then 31 players who competed for Maccabi Tel Aviv have also played in the NBA, including Anthony Parker of the Cleveland Cavaliers and 1987 NBA All-Star MVP, Tom Chambers. Chambers began his NBA career in 1981 with the San Diego Clippers, but found himself in greener pastures when he was traded to the Seattle Supersonics.
The current Maccabi Electra Tel Aviv team includes five Americans, three of whom make up the starting rotation, Point Guard Andrew “The Wiz” Wisniewski, Shooting Guard
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Alan Anderson and Small Forward Chuck Edison. Starting Center Macieji Lampe is Polish and Forward Stephane Lasme is from Gabon. The team is poised for more success in 2010 during both their Ligat HaAl and Euroleague seasons. Before they match up with the Clippers, Maccabi Tel Aviv is set to play against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on October 18th.
In 1970, the NBA awarded the city of Buffalo a team which was given the moniker, the Braves. In their first two seasons, the Braves recorded the same dismal record of 22-60. The Braves made it to the playoffs twice in Buffalo, yet in 1978, California businessman Irv Levin relocated the Braves to San Diego and changed their name to the Clippers. The first year in San Diego was a success as the Clippers posted a 43-39 record. The team’s popularity and success quickly diminished and they found themselves on the move, yet again. It was deja vu--previously the San Diego Rockets had migrated to Houston. None of us should be holding our breath for a new NBA franchise. Levin sold the team to real estate developer, and current owner Donald Sterling who is often mocked for his seeming disinterest in acquiring quality talent.
The 2010 Los Angeles Clippers are not Sterling’s old somewhat lovable losers. This season’s roster could very well be the best lineup the team has ever had with number one overall pick, Blake Griffin starting at Power Forward. All-Star and team captain Baron Davis will be in the Point Guard position along with Eric Gordon as Shooting Guard. Big man, Chris Kaman returns as starting Center and Marcus Camby will start at Small Forward positions.
The October 20th matchup is primed to draw a large Jewish crowd, and maybe one of the biggest crowds the Clippers have had in recent memory, with Maccabi Tel Aviv in town as well as the fact that Los Angeles has enjoyed a strong Jewish fan base over the years. Game time is 7:30. Proceeds will benefit Migdal Ohr, the world’s largest orphanage in Northern Israel and home to nearly 7,000 orphaned, impoverished, underprivileged and new immigrant children.
This game will serve as the Clippers second to last preseason game before beginning their season on October 27th versus the reigning NBA Champions, Los Angeles Lakers. Who knows which team will come out victorious? Either way it should be an explosive game of NBA power versus European finesse.
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