Astana will host the regular season game on Wednesday.
Astana (Kazakhstan) – MINSK (Belarus)
Time: 20:00 (17:00 Moscow time)
Place: Kazakhstan, Astana, Saryarka
Broadcast: TV Start, League website
Astana: The last game of the tour in the capital of Kazakhstan will be crucial for both teams. Astana was stronger in the first game at the end of December: the team quickly took the lead at the beginning and never gave up the lead in 40 minutes, at some point the score difference was 15 points. The win in Minsk allowed the Kazakh team not only to leave the last place, but also to move further in the standings. Now Astana chances will only increase, because Oleg Kiselev team is playing at home. Another advantage is the last Astana road game was more than 2 weeks ago. The Kazakh team is in good shape was also shown by Saturday game against the reigning champion: Astana gradually reduced the score difference, only let Zenit win the game in the end. If Oleg Kiselev team come to the game with MINSK with the same attitude, the team will win.
MINSK: The Belarusian team urgently needs to start to win. At the end of December, MINSK won the Belarusian Cup, raising its morale after a loosing streak in the United League. Almost all the leaders have returned, which is important, so now the game is principal. And it is unlikely that the coaching staff will motivate players somehow, because everyone understands that in case of loss in Astana, it will be extremely problematic for MINSK to leave the last place, not to mention the battle for the playoffs.
