Lokomotiv-Kuban Krasnodar hosts Khimki Moscow Region in the Game of the Week.
Where:
Basket Hall (7,500), Krasnodar, Russia
When:
6:00 PM (6:00 MSK), January 21, 2018
TV:
Match TV, VTB-League.com
Face to Face
These two Russian powerhouses haven’t played each other as often as one might expect (only 25 games total), though the rivalry has heated up in recent seasons.
Khimki and Kuban met seven times during the 2014-15 season, including a five-game series in the League playoff semifinals. Two seasons ago, the clubs squared off in the quarterfinals. The Yellow-Blues advanced both times and enjoy an 18-7 lead in the all-time series (11-3 in the League).
Looking Back
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Excitement is at a fever pitch for Sunday’s showdown between Lokomotiv and Khimki. Here’s what’s at stake for each club. Let’s begin with Krasnodar.
On the Rise
Stability is a rare quality in European basketball, but not in Krasnodar this season. After bringing back head coach Sasa Obradovic for a second season and re-signing the team’s core players, Krasnodar has blazed a path to the top of the VTB United League (10-1), while remaining unbeaten in the EuroCup (13-0). Sunday’s match-up provides Lokomotiv with another chance to make the front office look like geniuses.
Khimki, meanwhile, took the opposite approach over the summer. Moscow Region retained most of its Russian core, but a new head coach and international contingent has led to significant growing pains during the course of the season.
This is a pivotal moment for the Yellow-Blues. Khimki needs to prove that the defeat to Kalev and memorable locker-room chat with GM Pavel Astakhov–during which the players were told they would be fined due to their poor play–was the wake-up call they needed. Yes, Moscow Region went on to lose badly to Real Madrid in the next game, but back-to-back victories over Crvena Zvezda and Olympiacos restored optimism around the club. A win on the road vs. the red-hot Railwaymen would provide even more evidence that the team’s crisis has passed.
Krasnodar vs. Bartzokas
Georgios Bartzokas coached against one former team on Thursday, defeating Olympiacos soundly in the EuroLeague. The nostalgia tour continues on Sunday in Krasnodar, where his team faces an even stiffer challenge.
“We agreed that Bartzokas would remain in Krasnodar, but as soon as Barcelona made him an offer, he said that working at that club was a lifelong dream. Who knows, maybe Krasnodar isn’t Barcelona, but as an organization Loko is on the same level as Barcelona. I hope we can demonstrate this once again a year from now when we meet Bartzokas’s Barcelona in the EuroLeague.”
Loko president Andrey Vedishchev was measured with his comments in July 2016, following the sensational run to the EuroLeague Final Four and equally shocking departure of head coach Georgios Bartzokas. But it’s easy to see how badly he wanted to make the Greek boss regret his decision. Krasnodar did not make the EuroLeague last season. But Bartzokas also struggled in Barcelona, choosing to leave for Khimki in the summer. Now Loko finally has a chance to meet their former boss. The club is hungry for a win over Bartzokas’s Khimki and potentially ending Moscow Region’s hopes of a top-three finish.
Balance of Power
Lokomotiv continued its unbeaten run in the EuroCup, taking down Cedevita in Krasnodar. Krasnodar also played at home last weekend, so they will be rested and fit for Sunday’s game at the Basket Hall.
Khimki, on the other hand, is coming off a brutal week in the EuroLeague, which saw the Yellow-Blues travel to Belgrade, where they defeated Crvena Zvezda, before returning home to beat Olympiacos. After a brief breather, Khimki heads south for its third big game in six days.
Familiar Faces
Khimki and Lokomotiv had a trade of sorts last summer. Moscow Region was able to entice Loko captain Andrey Zubkov to join the club, while the Railwaymen brought in young forward Stanislav Ilnitsky. It doesn’t appear either player benefited much from the exchange. Neither player has much playing time or production. On Sunday, they take on their former team for the first time this season.
Duel
Dmitry Kulagin has improved game to game since joining Krasnodar. He made a statement in Loko’s win over ex-club CSKA. On Sunday, he’ll try to prove Khimki star Alexey Shved isn’t the only top Russian playmaker at the shooting guard position. Kulagin is tied with Shved in All-Star Voting. Will he back that up on the court? Challenge accepted.
Quotes
Lokomotiv-Kuban head coach Sasa Obradovic:
– We’re playing against one of the best teams in Europe. Khimki is playing well right now. They will travel here with immense self-confidence and a desire to earn a spot in the top-four. It’s important for us to respect our opponent, but also play our game. We will need to be patient in this game.
Khimki head coach Georgios Bartzokas:
– Lokomotiv looks like a very strong team this season. They’ve won 22 in a row. No one doubts that they have a ton of potential and a versatile roster with several players at every position. Several players have been together for multiple seasons and they understand their coach’s philosophy extremely well. The circumstances have not changed for us. We spent a lot of energy this week in two EuroLeague games. At the same time, Loko had more time to prepare for this game. Nonetheless, we need to play strong if we want to win.
