Four regular season games will be played on Sunday and Monday.
Sunday, April 15
Avtodor Russia – Tsmoki-Minsk Belarus
Time: 5:00 PM (4:00 MSK)
Place: Kristall Sports Palace, Saratov, Russia
TV: VTB-League.com
Avtodor: Khimki’s winning streak has them in the driver’s seat for 5th place, leaving Avtodor no margin for error down the stretch. Saratov has played three fewer games than Khimki, and will play three teams in the coming weeks that are fighting desperately for a postseason berth: Tsmoki, VEF and PARMA. A 3-0 record in the next few weeks would set up a massive showdown with Khimki on May 5.
Tsmoki-Minsk: The Minsk Dragons had a chance to upset Moscow Region last week, but Stefan Markovic’s incredible buzzer-beater from halfcourt disrupted their plans. Tsmoki may not be in contention for one of the top seeds, but they are battling to make the playoffs. The story to watch in Sunday’s game is how the League’s worst offense will manage against one of the highest-scoring clubs. With the season winding down, defense becomes more and more important, which is a positive for Minsk. Tsmoki allows only 81.4 points per game, compared to 88.5 for Avtodor (2nd-worst in the League).
Nizhny Novgorod Russia – Enisey Russia
Time: 6:00 PM (6:00 MSK)
Place: Sports Palace, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
TV: VTB-League.com
Nizhny Novgorod: Despite losing a very competitive game to CSKA Moscow, Nizhny managed to remain in 7th place and has a game in hand. A win over Enisey would give Zoran Lukic’s club extra breathing room, but Krasnoyarsk has nothing to lose and should come out swinging. Enisey won the first meeting between the two teams, terrorizing Nizhny in the paint and setting a new League record for free throws: 39-41.
Enisey: The win over Astana kept Krasnoyarsk’s meager playoff hopes alive. With games remaining vs. UNICS, Loko, Zenit and Khimki, a miracle is unlikely, but Krasnoyarsk needs to begin by beating Nizhny Novgorod. If they can get past the Volga club, they have three games in a row at home, where they enjoy a significant advantage due to the long flights and time zone difference encountered by opposing teams. But Sunday’s game won’t be easy: Enisey is only 1-9 in its last 10 outings on the road.
UNICS Russia – Astana Kazakhstan
Time: 6:00 PM (6:00 MSK)
Place: Basket Hall, Kazan, Russia
TV: VTB-League.com
UNICS: After CSKA’s win over Kalev, Kazan’s 1st-place hopes are on life support. Not only would UNICS need to win out in the regular season, they also need CSKA to lose one of its remaining games to Zenit or PARMA, which is unlikely. At the same time, Kazan also needs to ensure streaking St. Petersburg does not bump them from 2nd place. UNICS was pushed to the limit in its first game vs. Astana, needing some overtime magic from Anton Ponkrashov to escape the Kazakh capital with a win.
Astana: After picking up several wins and rejoining the playoff chase, Mikhail Karpenko’s team has gone into a tailspin. Four straight losses, including a setback to last-place Enisey have dropped the team into 11th place. The Kazakh club has endured its share of bad luck, losing by a single point to both Lokomotiv and Nizhny. But if Astana still has designs on the postseason, it needs to win now. It won’t be easy in Kazan. Like Enisey and Kalev, Astana is only 1-9 on the road this season.
Monday, April 16
Time: 8:00 PM (8:00 MSK)
Place: Yubileyny Sports Palace, St. Petersburg, Russia
TV: VTB-League.com
Zenit: The incredible finish vs. Lokomotiv helped St. Petersburg leapfrog Krasnodar in the standings and maintain a slim chance of catching UNICS for 2nd place. An aggressive, relentless approach on the offensive glass helped the team steal a win vs. the Railwaymen. On Monday, Zenit will face another team that has battled injuries all season. Given Kalev’s shortened rotation, St. Petersburg will probably try to wear them down in the paint and push the tempo.
Kalev: Tallinn deserves credit. Despite a debilitating rash of injuries, the team has rallied, even leading CSKA by double digits in the 2nd quarter before running out of steam in the second half. For now, it’s unclear if the team’s leaders, Isaiah Briscoe and Cedric Simmons, will be able to play against Zenit. Given Tallinn only has six wins with two games remaining, even a 2-0 finish to the season may not be enough to reach the playoffs.
