Perm, Saratov, Nizhny Novgorod and Moscow will host 4 regular season games on Wednseday.
PARMA (Perm) vs Enisey (Krasnoyarsk)
Time: 19:30 (17:30 Moscow time)
Place: Russia, Perm, UDS Molot
Broadcast: Match! Igra, TV Start, League website.
PARMA: In the last 4 games, the Perm team won only versus UNICS. Evgeny Pashutin team has lost chances for 4th place, but can guarantee 5th place in the regular season. The team has already found a way to stop the Krasnoyarsk team offense twice this season, and both times confidently won. In addition, B.J. Johnson is averaging 21 points against the Krasnoyarsk team. The home team status will also help PARMA, where the team has beat all Group A opponents except Zenit.
Enisey: The Krasnoyarsk team smoothed out a disappointing second stage with 2 historic wins over CSKA, and Xavier Rathan-Mayes renewed the VTB United League single-season scoring record. Enisey now has a chance to surpass PARMA and secure a more comfortable Playoffs seed. To do that, the Siberian team need to win the 2 remaining games. It won’t be easy, but Jovica Arsic team has one of the League most consistent offensive duos (Jeremiah Martin – Rathan- Mayes), who can defeat any team.
Avtodor (Saratov) vs Uralmash (Yekaterinburg)
Time: 19:00 (18:00 Moscow time)
Place: Russia, Saratov, DS Kristall
Broadcast: League website
Avtodor: The Saratov team has secured a place in the play-in and already know the future opponent – MBA. Milenko Bogicevic team was able to solve the key task of the second stage, so now the team will prepare for the decisive stage of the season. The game with Uralmash, will be a test. Rayshawn Hammonds will be opposed by Octavius Ellis, while Malik Newman will face Stanley Whittaker. Neither team will have an advantage in individual skill, so other stats will be the key. Avtodor has advantage in three-pointers made.
Uralmash: Rostislav Vergun team not only secured a continuation of the season after the win over Astana, but also home court advantage in the play-in. The Yekaterinburg team is approaching the end of the second stage as the best offensive team in Group B, while leading the League in average steals (7.8 per game). The team surpass Avtodor in most stats and lead the season series 2-1. Therefore, Uralmash heads to Saratov as the favorite.
Pari Nizhny Novgorod (Nizhny Novgorod) vs Samara (Samara)
Time: 19:00 (Moscow time)
Place: Russia, Nizhny Novgorod, KRK Nagorny
Broadcast: League website
Pari Nizhny Novgorod: Despite the temporary departure of 3 frontcourt players, Nizhny Novgorod fans were satisfied with the win over MINSK. The team will have to close the season with two Volga derbies at home against teams from the play-in zone. Despite a weakened roster, Zoran Lukic team is quite capable of handling Samara balanced offense. Aleksandr Chadov proved in the second half of the season that he is capable of being leader. The backcourt is led by Evgenii Baburin, who has gained shape. In addition, Pari NN will play with additional motivation to please the fans at home.
Samara: Drazen Anzulovic team secured the second place in Group B. Samara once again showed most versatile offenses in the League, as the starting five poor performance was compensated by Rade Zagorac and Nikola Rebic coming off the bench. Samara heads to Nizhny Novgorod as favorites. With Aleksandr Gankevich and Andrey Vorontsevich gone, Samara will have an advantage in the paint.
Runa (Moscow) vs MINSK (Minsk)
Time: 20:00 (Moscow time)
Place: Russia, Moscow, DS Dynamo
Broadcast: TV Start, League website
Runa: The fight for the right to play in the play-in ended for Vikings with the loss to MBA. But this should not demoralize the team – the game with MINSK will be the last chance for the Moscow team to please the fans at home in their debut season in the VTB United League. Runa has beaten MINSK 3 times and has every chance to do it again. The hosts will have the advantage, and Cameron Young has returned to the lineup since the last time the rivals met. The experienced guard has added variation to offense that already looks pretty confident, especially in the paint.
MINSK: Aliaksei Sukhavetski team will have to finish the regular season with a 2-game series in Moscow. After the first win of the season, the Belarusian team lost to Avtodor and Pari NN. The rivalry with Runa will be difficult, especially in the paint – Ilia Popov and Alex Tyus can be a problem for the Belarusian team defense. But MINSK can compensate it with high pace, which the Moscow team occasionally lack. With Grigory Motovilov as starting guard, the team has become much more aggressive in early offense, which could help to win at least one more time.
