CSKA beat UNCS in the Finals Game 4 at home – 80:72 (13:17, 20:15, 21:19, 26:21).
Game progress
In the first quarter, the rivals were focused more on defense. Both CSKA and UNICS made a lot longer-range shooting attempts, but made only a few. The Moscow team couldn’t make any shot for almost 5 minutes. Taking advantage of that, Velimir Perasovic team took advantage of that and managed to build a small lead, which reached 8 points after Marcos Knight shot. However, the hosts began to gradually cut the deficit, and by the halftime had already taken minimal lead – 33:32.
The third quarter was almost entirely equal, but just before the halftime the hosts made 2 three-pointers in a row. Nenad Dimitrijevic didn’t let CSKA to extend the lead with a long-range shot, and the Moscow team had slight lead before the final quarter – 54:51.
Key moment
UNICS had poor start of the final quarter. Ware and Olivier Hanlan increased CSKA lead to 9 points. The Kazan team got within one shot, but CSKA three-pointers helped to get away. After another Ware long range shot, the difference became double-digit for the first time – 75:63. The last UNICS attempt to tie the game was stopped by Trimble.
CSKA has only one game left to win to regain the title for the first time since 2021.
X-factor
CSKA long-range shooting became the key to win. The hosts made 8 three-pointers in the second half (only 4 in the first). Trimble-Ware duo made 6, while Kurbanov and Hanlan added 1 each.
Fact
This is currently the least scoring game in the Final Series, and the second lowest total in the season series between rivals.
So far, no team in the League history has managed to win the Series trailing 0-3.
Leaders
CSKA: Melo Trimble (26 + 4 steals), Caper Ware (15), Amath M’Baye (11), Nikita Kurbanov (7 + 5 rebounds + 5 assists + 3 steals).
UNICS: Nenad Dimitrijevic (19 + 5 rebounds), Jalen Reynolds (14), Marcos Knight (13 + 8 rebounds), Mikhail Belenitskii (11 + 8 rebounds).
What’s next
June 2 in Moscow.
