Minsk and Nizhny Novgorod will host 2 regular season games on Wednesday.
MINSK (Minsk) vs Avtodor (Saratov)
Time: 18:15 (Moscow time)
Place: Belarus, Minsk, Falcon Club
Broadcast: Start Triumph, League website
MINSK: Over the past week, several significant events happened – Jarred Ogungbemi-Jackson left, Aliaksei Sukhavetski became head coach, and the team got their first win of the season. Although the Minsk team lost the next game, but looked very confident against Uralmash – especially considering that injured Zach Smith did not play. In Ogungbemi-Jackson and Smith absence, Jovan Sljivanchanin took the lead with 27 points, and MINSK lost only in overtime. Therefore, Avtodor shouldn’t be considered a clear favorite – the Belarusian team has only 2 games left to play, and they’ll probably try to end their home performance on a positive note.
Avtodor: After a strong winning streak, the Saratov team looked like real contenders for the top spot in Group B. However, the team lost to Uralmash, Samara and MBA. Avtodor was able to get back on the winning track by defeating Astana: even a phenomenal game by Markell Johnson with 39 points and was very close to a triple-double, didn’t prevent Avtodor from breaking its losing streak and securing third place. Still, Milenko Bogicevic team can’t lose – MBA is literally trying hard and on the streak now. Avtodor still has a theoretical chance to move up to second place. The situation is complicated by the fact that 4 of the last 5 games of the season will be on the road, and the only home game is against Group B leader Uralmash.
Pari Nizhny Novgorod (Nizhny Novgorod) vs Uralmash (Yekaterinburg)
Time: 19:30 (Moscow time)
Place: Russia, Nizhny Novgorod, KRK Nagorny
Broadcast: League website
Pari Nizhny Novgorod: It’s too early to say that Nizhny can get into the play-in only by a miracle, but Zoran Lukic has serious reasons to worry. Before the end of the regular season, the Volga team will have to face all of the Top 3 Group B clubs, as well as MINSK, which has gained pace. Nizhny has been far from stable lately. Now even winning all 4 games doesn’t guarantee the participation in the play-in. However, there is a positive factor at the end of the season – Lukic team plays all 3 games against Group B leaders at home. But the team still has injuries. Kasey Shepherd, Aleksandr Gankevich, Kendall Smith and other important players missed the game with MBA. In their absence, the team’s main offensive force was Andrey Vorontsevich, who will turn 37 in 3 months: the vet recently set a career-high 24 points, and updated it with 26 points against MBA.
Uralmash: After the appointment of Rostislav Vergun, Uralmash is goingvery confident. After the loss versus MBA, Uralmash started a new winning streak, which has already reached 4 games. With Vergun, the team has 14 wins in 18 games and already clinced in the play-in, and there’s a very good chance to get first place. The Yekaterinburg team is the favorite in the upcoming game. Uralmash has no problems with roster and shows very balanced basketball. Uralmash won all 3 games this season against Lukic team. In the game against MINSK, Rostislav Vergun rested several of his team’s top players, which gave Garrett Nevels a chance to prove himself – Uralmash guard had his best scoring game in the United League (30 points).
