CSKA will host Lokomotiv Kuban in the Game of the Week on Sunday.
Place: Russia, Moscow, Megasport
Time: January 19, 2025, 15:30 (Moscow time)
Broadcast: Match TV, Start Triumph, League website
Rivalry
In the first game of the season in Moscow, CSKA ended Loko 9-game winning streak. The loss in late October definitely had an impact on the Krasnodar team. Immediately afterward, the team lost 2 more games in a row and lacked stability.
On December 22, Lokomotiv took revenge in a close game in Krasnodar – 69:65. The hosts ended a 3-game losing streak against CSKA.
The rivalry history score is 72:18, CSKA leads. The score in the VTB League is 36:17.
Motivation
CSKA (22-3) continues to lead the standings, but any loss could change the situation. UNICS (21-5) and Zenit (20-5) are close, Loko (19-6) is looking to join the battle for the regular-season lead.
Lokomotiv had a downgrade after a strong start. Many experts consider Zenit, UNICS and CSKA to be the main contenders for the title, while the Krasnodar team is considered a dark horse. Recent wins over CSKA and Zenit elevate Lokomotiv status and win in Moscow would finally give Andrei Vedischev team an elite status.
Quote
Loko guard Vladislav Emchenko shares the expectations of the Game of the Week:
– It’s cool to play the Game of the Week in the United League again! We’ve played against CSKA twice this season and both games were very tense. The first game was won by the Moscow team in ending and we got the second, also in clutch. In general, in recent years our rivalries with CSKA have been very interesting and exciting: the battle goes on until the very end, and everything is decided in the last possession very often.
In recent games, we’ve been showing stable and pretty good basketball. I hope we will continue to play better and better.
Homecoming
CSKA played its last home game more than a month ago, on December 16. The Moscow team first game at Megasport in 2025 will be a versus Lokomotiv Kuban. CSKA finished their road trip with 5 wins and 1 loss, which came in Krasnodar.
For Loko, the game in Moscow will be 3rd consecutive road game, after which the team will return to Basket Hall.
Injury
B.J. Johnson injured his shoulder and is out indefinitely. Loko forward suffered the injury against Samara and will undergo surgery.
Johnson is one of the key players of the Krasnodar team. In 23 games, he averaged 12.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.0 steals.
Duel
Aleksa Avramovic vs. Patrick Miller
CSKA and Loko star guards are one of main characters of the season. Both are in the Top 10 in scoring. Aleksa ranks 9th with 17.1 points, while Patrick is 4th (19.2).
The Krasnodar team managed to shut down the Serbian guard in the December game, limiting him to 8 points and 1 assist, but now he will surely try to rehabilitate. Miller had 23 points, 5 rebounds, 9 assists and 40 eff. points versus Zenit.
Numbers
CSKA scored season-worst 65 points in previous teams’ clash.
CSKA scoring average is 89.6 points – 1st place in the League. Loko is 3rd – 87.5.
Ivan Ukhov is the season leader in three-point percentage (55.8%). There are also 3 other CSKA players in the Top 10 – Anton Astapkovich (43.2%), Melo Trimble (44.2%) and Amath M’Baye (41.9%).
Antonius Cleveland is 3rd on the season in steals (1.9), Kirill Elatontsev (1.1) and Isaiah Whaley (1.1) share 4th in blocks.
