Yekaterinburg, Saratov and Moscow will host 3 regular season games on Thursday.
Uralmash (Yekaterinburg) vs Astana (Astana)
Time: 20:00 (18:00 Moscow time)
Place: Russia, Yekaterinburg, DIVS SAUSO
Broadcast: League website
Uralmash: The trip to Krasnoyarsk was not easy for the team, but Uralmash still managed to take away the win and secure the place in the Top 5. Anton Kardanakhishvili and Ivan Pynko have strengthened the backcourt as part of the ongoing roster rebuild. The first test will be against Astana, who are still struggling offensively. The fans in Yekaterinburg have a good chance to see their team win, plus the presentation of an alternative jersey dedicated to A. Kandel’s 90th birthday adds interest to the upcoming clash.
Astana: After the first win of the season over Samara (75:67), the Kazakh team had a chance to win for the second time in a row, but failed versus MBA-MAI (61:87). The problems with concentration on offense became the key again, which led to 18 turnovers (compared to the opponent’s 7), which was the reason for the loss. The last clash between the teams gives Astana fans optimism. Then the team was close to win over Uralmash on the road.
Avtodor (Saratov) vs Pari Nizhny Novgorod (Nizhny Novgorod)
Time: 20:00 (19:00 Moscow time)
Place: Russia, Saratov, DS “Kristall”
Broadcast: Start Triumph, League website
Avtodor: The Saratov team has had a difficult schedule, playing 3 games against leasers in 2 weeks. Avtodor dropped in the race for the Top 6 due to that, so now the team needs to beat the direct rivals to claim the Playoffs spot. Pari Nizhny Novgorod is at 6th place, so the Volga team mood will be special. Milenko Bogicevic team exchanged home wins with Nizhny Novgorod in the current season. According to most team stats, the clubs share neighboring places in the standings, which means the game will be tense.
Pari Nizhny Novgorod: Nizhny Novgorod lost to UNICS in their last game, but managed to keep 6th place before another Volga derby. A win against Avtodor will help to pull away from PARMA On defense, Pari NN and the Saratov team are on the same level, but the guests offensive efficiency is much higher. Long-range shooting and ball movement could be the key to in this game.
MBA-MAI (Moscow) vs Lokomotiv Kuban (Krasnodar)
Time: 20:00 (Moscow time)
Place: Russia, Moscow, Basket Hall Moscow
Broadcast: Match! Igra, TV Start, VTB League website
MBA-MAI: Despite 2 losses in the last 3 games, Vasily Karasev team continues to climb into the Top-8, with only 2 wins separating from Avtodor. But it won’t be easy to catch up the Saratov team before the All-Star break, as the team will have to play opponents from the Top-6. First up will be Loko, which defeated MBA-MAI twice this season. The hosts will have a tough time in the upcoming matchup, but the Moscow team front court will have an advantage due to the absence of Andrei Martiuk.
Lokomotiv Kuban: Andrei Vedischev team is having a road trip with the intention of strengthening the position in the Top 4 and getting closer to Zenit and CSKA. Loko won both of their previous games against MBA-MAI. Patrick Miller is having one of his best stretches of the season. But Loko need to stay focused to get win.
