Hey Tal. You must be getting used to Final Fours, but the way you guys celebrated after the quarterfinals show how special it is each time?

"Each time it's really special. I think that's the case this year especially because, .... I don't want to say we struggled, but we had a harder time and lost more games than before. So this time it's sweeter than the previous time. It was really, really tough to get there. It seemed like a really long season. If you asked fans and people here in Tel Aviv, they would have said our chances were less this time. That's why it was sweeter. When it's hard to get there, the taste is better when you finally make it. That's why we celebrated the way we did."

Any ideas why this season was tougher? Are all the teams getting better?

"For a few reasons, I think. First, we changed a few players on the roster. Sarunas Jasikevicius was a very important player on our team, and so were Deon Thomas and Gur Shelef and the rest of the guys who left. We brought in excellent players like Will Solomon, Jamie Arnold and Kirk Penney, but I think the chemistry we had needed to be adjusted. It took a little more time, but we finally reached our goal and we got to the Final Four. Also, of course, the other teams are getting stronger, more competitive and coming to play against us with more and more ambition. After we've played in four Final Fours in the last five years, winning the last two, they always bring their best and hardest games against us. Even in the Israeli League, they want to prove themselves by playing their best and beating Maccabi. That's why things were so hard this year."

Maccabi came out of the toughest regular season group, according to later results, and had a three-game playoff series. Will all those tough games help you now?

"We won't know until we get to Prague and play the semifinal. I hope it will help. We did have to handle situations like being down a lot, losing, must-win games. That is lots of pressure, even though we have players with experience in those situations. But I believe in our team and I think we have a good chance to beat Tau. But all three of the other teams are great. Barcelona, Tau and CSKA have been dominating teams all season. I think the top four teams reached the Final Four again. It's going to be interesting."

Other times we've talked about the pressure on Maccabi as Israel's team, with a whole country watching. After two titles, shouldn't the pressure be less?

"I think there is no pressure now. Our main goal at the beginning of the season was to reach the Final Four. Now that we did that, we'll try to enjoy ourselves in Prague and make the best of it. Of course, we have a lot of fans going there to support us and we'll try to do the best for them. But this is not like the situation two years ago with the Final Four in Tel Aviv, us having homecourt advantage and having to get there, having to win. We're coming after two titles in a row now. It's not the same situation. We're coming to enjoy the experience again."

What about the history part of this. You know who Jugoplastika and ASK Riga are? Does a 25 or 26-year-old player like you think about the record books, about tying the best teams ever in Europe?

"Of course, I know those names, and I think everybody on the team knows them. That is one reason why we keep pushing really hard after two years in a row to stay at the top. I think that this is the hardest thing, to stay at the top year after year. We are trying to push and motivate ourselves to reach a few more goals. It's part of our drive - I won't say to rewrite history - but to make it happen."

You have a reputation as a big-game player. Do you take any special mental approach for them that is different from normal games?

"I think that everyone comes more mentally ready to big games, especially in the Final Four. One of the differences between the Final Four and any other game is that during the season, especially with Maccabi, there is sometimes pressure to win every game, to beat everybody, especially at home. That comes after winning twice in a row. You are supposed to be the best. The expectation is to win. You try to do your best always, but at this time, in the Final Four, you put all the pressure aside and just make your best effort to win. We've reached what we set out to do. Once the mental pressure goes aside, and you just are thinking about the basketball, it helps you to play better."

You've got Tau Ceramica in the semifinals. Last time you saw them was in the title game last year. Were you surprised at them winning against Panathinaikos in Athens?

"I was surprised, yes. I am not saying they are not a great team. They have been playing great all season. I just thought that when Panathinaikos won the first game and had the homecourt advantage, one game away with a game in Athens to reach the Final Four, that they would win. Evidently, that didn't happen. All credit goes to Tau for beating Panathinaikos in Greece, which is one of the toughest places to play at this level."

What can you take from last year's title game win against Tau and use in the semifinal game coming next week, if anything? What would you personally try to remember about that game to use again?

"I am not sure. They changed a lot of the roster and the coach. We didn't get a chance to see them yet. So about the game preparation, I can't say much about their system yet. We haven't started talking about it really. I just remember that through all the years playing against them, they were very talented and always at the top level of the Euroleague. Even if last year was their first Final Four, they have always been close to the qualification. This year and others, they have been very dominating in a tough, tough league in Spain. I see in them a very hungry team that really wants title. But we do, too. It's going to be a great game."

You had one season when the pressure was on you guys and luck was on your side a bit, kind of a destiny year. Last year everything came together smoothly. Is there a winning feeling about this season, too?

"We were certainly lucky the first year. And last year was like cruising. We played hard and everything fell in place for us just like we wanted. This season, there is a feeling that is different, although statistically we are still one of the top teams in almost all categories in the Euroleague. But it's true, the feeling is not as smooth as it was last year, but more bumpy. But like I said before, because the road was more bumpy, I think that we feel better now after reaching the Final Four. Everyone saw how we celebrated. We are not just satisfied to qualify, of course, but it was a great achievement. I won't say we feel like underdogs, but I don't have the feeling of being strong favorites, like last year, when CSKA and us were supposed to be the best. This year is not the same. All four teams have same chances, truly. It's going to be real interesting, one of the toughest Final Fours, not only for us, but for everybody."