Semifinal Numbers Game: Khimki’s 18 Threes, Kurtinaitis’ 20th Win And Vorontsevich’s 62 Playoff Games

Semifinal Numbers Game: Khimki’s 18 Threes, Kurtinaitis’ 20th Win And Vorontsevich’s 62 Playoff Games

The VTB United League semifinals in numbers.

Four games decided by five or fewer points
For the first time in VTB United League history, four semifinal games were decided by no more than five points. Game 3 of the CSKA – Zenit series (69-68) and Game 4 of the UNICS – Khimki series (91-92) were the most competitive.

Dimitris Itoudis’ fifth finals appearance
CSKA boss Dimitris Itoudis has reached the VTB United League finals for the fifth time in a row. Khimki, meanwhile, is playing in its fifth finals as a club. Each time, Khimki has matched up against CSKA.

zenit_cska_ubl_vtb

Khimki hits 18 3-pointers in a game
Khimki set a new VTB United League playoff record with 18 3-pointers. Moscow Region caught fire from beyond the arc in a Game 3 blowout of UNICS.

Rimas Kurtinaitis celebrates 20th playoff win
After the series with UNICS, Khimki boss Rimas Kurtinaitis moved into 3rd place all-time in VTB United League playoff wins. The Lithuanian coach passed Ettore Messina, notching his 20th victory with the series-clinching win over UNICS in Game 4. 

25 straight wins in the USH CSKA
CSKA Moscow has not lost at home in the playoffs in 25 games. The last time the Army Men went down at home was to Lokomotiv-Kuban on May 10, 2014 (81-66). 

+27 in Khimki
Khimki defeated UNICS by 27 points in Game 3 of their semifinal series. That was the biggest margin of victory ever between the two teams (21 games). 

Alexey Shved averages 28 points per game vs. UNICS
Khimki guard Alexey Shved nearly set another playoff record against UNICS, averaging 28 points in the series. That’s the second-highest average ever recorded in a playoff series. Former teammate Tyrese Rice holds the record, averaging 28.3 points per game in a 2016 series with Lokomotiv-Kuban. Shved needed only one more field goal to break Rice’s record. 

unics_khimki_ubl_vtb_ (40)

Khimki hits 60 3-pointers vs. UNICS

Moscow Region knocked down 60 3-pointers (on 140 attempts) in the semifinals. That’s a new VTB League playoff record for three-point field goals in a series. 

Andrey Vorontsevich makes 62nd playoff appearance
CSKA forward Andrey Vorontsevich is now the all-time leader in playoff appearances, reaching 62 following the semifinals. The 31-year-old passed Vitaly Fridzon, who has made 60 postseason appearances. 

Khimki averages 94.3 per game 
Khimki set a semifinal record by averaging 94.3 points per game vs. UNICS.