Four regular season games will be played on Sunday and Monday.
Sunday, January 28
Enisey Russia – Lokomotiv-Kuban Russia
Time: 4:00 PM (12:00 MSK)
Place: Arena.Sever, Krasnoyarsk, Russia
TV: VTB-League.com
Enisey: Krasnoyarsk can’t seem to find consistency, following up solid performances with disappointing setbacks. Enisey’s offense is predictable, which could be disastrous vs. the top defensive team in the League. Even though Krasnoyarsk scores more than Tsmoki-Minsk, Astana and VEF, the team is last place in the League in assists (14.6) and three-point shooting (30.1%). The Siberians looked solid in the Champions League vs. Hapoel, knocking down 98 points, but Loko’s defense is at a much higher level.
Lokomotiv-Kuban: It’s been more than three months since Krasnodar’s last defeat in the United League. The Railwaymen are also undefeated in the EuroCup, guaranteeing a spot in the quarterfinals with a 25-point win over Cedevita this week. At the same time, Kuban needs to keep winning in the United League if it wants to remain at the top of the standings, ahead of contenders like CSKA and UNICS.
Time: 6:00 PM (6:00 MSK)
Place: Basket Hall, Kazan, Russia
TV: Match! Nash Sport, VTB-League.com
UNICS: Unlike Lokomotiv, Kazan suffered a setback in the EuroCup, losing a thriller to Reggio Emilia. UNICS will try to bounce back against PARMA and make it three straight in League play vs. the Siberian club. Though PARMA presents a much stiffer challenge this season, Dimitris Priftis’ club will still be favored. Perm’s offense is mostly dependent on its American guards getting into the paint and Kazan has one of the best interior defenders in the League, Stephane Lasme (1st in blocks, 1.6 per game).
PARMA: Perm is picking up steam, winning three of its last five, while very nearly upsetting Zenit last weekend. Following the game vs. St. Petersburg, Nikolajs Mazurs suggested that the biggest problem was a lack of composure. That said, PARMA has shown plenty of composure on the road this season, securing three of its four wins away from home.
VEF Latvia – Tsmoki-Minsk Belarus
Time: 5:00 PM (6:00 MSK)
Place: Arena Riga, Riga, Latvia
TV: VTB-League.com
VEF: Riga is playing high-quality basketball, but can’t seem to pick up a win. VEF played UNICS tight last weekend, before the Kazan’s depth wore down Janis Gailitis’ squad. Sunday’s opponent does not feature the same quality of bench. The game could turn on whether VEF (the League’s best rebounding team, 36.7 per game) can dominate a smaller Tsmoki squad on the glass. At the same time, winning the rebounding battle vs. UNICS wasn’t enough for victory as mistakes and turnovers doomed Riga to defeat.
Tsmoki-Minsk: Riga is one of Tsmoki’s toughest opponents, winning eight of the last 10 meetings between the two teams. The Dragons continue to struggle on offense, averaging only 71.5 points per outing. Justin Gray’s arrival–the American guard played in Minsk from 2015-2017–is expected to help. Alexander Krutikov said he hopes the team responds positively to Gray’s return. There’s reason for optimism: Gray was a talented long-range shooter and excellent passer during his three seasons with the Dragons.
Monday, January 29
Khimki Russia – Avtodor Russia
Time: 7:30 PM (7:30 MSK)
Place: BCMO, Khimki, Russia
TV: Match! Nash Sport, VTB-League.com
Khimki: The schedule has not been kind to Moscow Region. Khimki will play Avtodor after a tough trip to Spain, where the Russian club lost to Valencia in the EuroLeague. Khimki was noticeably fatigued in last week’s setback in Krasnodar as the home team matched Moscow Region’s tempo early before suffocating the visitors on defense. Now Georgios Bartzokas and co. face an opponent that is happy pushing the pace from start to finish. Alexey Shved often thrives against teams that like to run-and-gun. Last season vs. Avtodor, for example, he scored 24 points and dished out 12 assists.
Avtodor: Saratov has a lot on the line. With the two teams are tied in the standings, a win would allow Avtodor to climb into 5th place. Despite a 2-7 record all-time vs. Khimki, Evgeny Pashutin’s men have reason for optimism. Sticky defense may not be Avtodor’s strong suit (Saratov allows 88 points per game, 11th in the League), but there is a chance of outgunning the worn-down home team.
