It wasn’t easy to pick an MVP at the recent All-Star Game in Sochi, with the Russian Stars defeating the World Stars. Andrey Vorontsevich had the highest efficiency rating in the game, which is why he won the award, but Alexey Shved also had a strong claim to the MVP. Since Sochi, he’s been playing his best basketball of the season.
Even more impressive, Shved’s decimated two of the League’s top defensive squads in Lokomotiv and UNICS. You can watch highlights of his performances here: vs. Loko and UNICS. It’s safe to say the race for February MVP is over. No one’s going to match his production this month. With the win in Krasnodar on Friday, Shved proved once again that he’s the hottest player in the League, maybe even the continent.
CSKA fans might disagree, arguing for Teodosic or De Colo. Others might mention Langford, Karasev or even Minnerath. But Shved’s got the best individual stats and once you take into account Khimki’s performance on the court and his role on the team, no one else can claim to be at the same level.
Shved already won an MVP once this season, back in November. He’s been even better since the New Year, improving in virtually every statistical category.
Alexey Shved’s VTB League stats
October – December: 7 games, 19.4 points, 3.1 rebounds, 3.7 assists, 0.6 steals, 15.1 efficiency rating
January – February: 7 games, 24.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, 6.9 assists, 1.6 steals, 25.0 efficiency rating
Shved’s ability to score continues to be his greatest weapon. We know that he’s got a terrific shot, runs the fast break and isn’t afraid to drive to the basket. The entire arsenal is on display in almost every game. During this Eurocup game in January vs. Ulm, Shved put up 22 points in one quarter.
Shved’s ability to close games is also unique. He’s won multiple games this season, including against top opponents.
Loko has been one of the biggest victims. In the recent game in Krasnodar, he buried the home team with two 3-pointers, while a mid-range jumper over Zubkov in the first meeting of the season proved decisive.
Let’s not forget about Shved’s playmaking ability. Over the last two months, he’s stepped up his passing game, nearly doubling his assist output: 3.7 to 6.9 per game.
Todorovic and Hummel are two of the biggest beneficiaries. Shved usually links up with Todorovic in the paint during a pick-and-roll. With Hummel, he likes to kick out to the perimeter when driving to the basket. These two players have accounted for more than half of Shved’s assists in recent games.
The Shved – Hummel – Todorovic triangle is very productive. Defenders have to pay extra attention to Shved, which frees up his teammates. As a group, these three players are shooting the ball at a very high percentage.
Khimki’s shooting stats over the last six VTB League games
Todorovic+Hummel+Shved: 12.5-18.5 (67.6%) inside the arc, 5.7-11.8 (49%) beyond the arc, 8.3-10.0 (83.3%) at the line, 50.3 points
The rest of Khimki’s roster: 11.2-19.8 (56.3%) inside the arc, 4.8-14.0 (34.5%) beyond the arc, 8.3-10.5 (79.4%) at the line: 45.2 points
But those stats fail to register Shved’s full impact. The recent game in Krasnodar is a great example. Looking at the box score, Shved only recorded two assists, while taking 18 shots. But that’s because of Kuban’s defensive approach, as they tried everything possible to slow down the Russian guard.
During the second half, the home team tried to disrupt Khimki’s pick-and-roll by switching on defense. Though Loko was able to restrict Shved’s passing options, he compensated by attacking the basket on his own, knocking down the game-winning shots.
Prior to the halftime, Krasnodar slowed Alexey down with double-teams, but Khimki’s teamwork on offense was often able to deliver. It’s a simple scheme, but very effective.
Loko attempts to trap Shved.
He passes immediately to an open Todorovic.
The center drives to the basket, drawing help defense.
Then Marko finds an open teammate under the basket or on the perimeter.
Todorovic ended up recording the second-most assists on the team, with four of the five assists starting with Shved double-teams.
The question now is how long Shved will be able to maintain this level of play. Khimki has some tough challenges ahead, beginning with a Eurocup series against Valencia. In May, the VTB League playoffs get underway, while Shved puts on the Russia national team jersey at EuroBasket in September. If he can play at this level in Turkey, our team could easily be a medal threat.
