Get the breakdown on this week’s action.
Sunday, March 5
Astana (Kazakhstan) – Parma (Russia)
Time: 4:00 PM (1:00 MSK)
Place: SC Velotrek, Astana, Kazakhstan
TV: VTB-League.com
Astana: With the regular season nearing the home stretch, every game matters. Sunday provides an excellent opportunity for Astana. With 9th-place Nizhny Novgorod taking on CSKA, the Kazakhs have a chance to take a commanding three-game lead in the race for the final playoff spot. Astana proved its mettle by defeating another challenger, Avtodor, on the road last week. Now it’s time to take care of business at home.
Parma: Viacheslav Shushakov’s men remain in search of their first win of the season. The club is also doing everything it can to repair the gaping hole left by Danilo Andjusic’s move to UNICS. Parma brought in three foreigners in recent weeks–Domagoj Samac, Jordan Callahan and Charles Barton–to complement Sasa Zagorac. Taking on an extremely motivated Astana squad will be a big test for Parma’s raw roster.
Khimki (Russia) – Tsmoki-Minsk (Belarus)
Time: 5:00 PM (5:00 MSK)
Place: BCMO, Khimki, Russia
TV: Match! Nash sport, VTB-League.com
Khimki: Moscow Region blew out Valencia at home on Friday, forcing a Game 3 in their Eurocup quarterfinal series. With a road trip to Spain looming on March 8, Dusko Ivanovic will likely look to spread out playing time, when possible. That said, given the fierce competition at the top, every game in the VTB United League is huge. Moscow Region moved into 3rd place with the win over Loko last week and doesn’t want to concede ground now.
Tsmoki-Minsk: The Belarusians have never defeated Khimki in seven attempts, despite giving the Russians a scare in the most recent meeting in Minsk. Tsmoki trailed by double digits in that game before cutting the deficit to one in the final minute. With Minsk’s postseason hopes dangling by a thread, the team could be even more dangerous on Sunday.
On the other hand, Tsmoki will be without starting center Djordje Gagic, who recently signed with Istanbul. Expect Moscow Region to attack the paint and the visitors’ weakened frontcourt.
Nizhny Novgorod (Russia) – CSKA (Russia)
Time: 7:00 PM (7:00 MSK)
Place: Sports Palace, Nizhny Novgorod, Russia
TV: Match! Nash sport, VTB-League.com
Nizhny Novgorod: Nizhny’s playoff hopes are fading. Despite a big win over VEF, the Russian club trails Enisey and Astana by two games for the final spot with six to go.
Sunday’s game is likely to feature plenty of offense. CSKA leads the League in scoring (92.1 per game), while Nizhny ranks 3rd (89.1). On defense, however, these teams couldn’t be more different. The Army Men boast one of the top defensive squads on the continent, giving up only 75.6 points per game in the League (2nd behind Lokomotiv), whereas Nizhny has brought up the rear all season, conceding 92.0 points per game. Nizhny will also be playing without DeAndre Kane, who signed with Real Betis of Spain earlier this week.
CSKA: The Red-Blues are coming off a big win against Barcelona in the Euroleague. CSKA’s defense was superb in the road win, limiting the Catalans to four (!) points in the opening period. Moscow may struggle to duplicate the result against Nizhny’s high-octane offense, especially with only two days to rest.
Tuesday, March 7
Kalev (Estonia) – UNICS (Russia)
Time: 6:30 PM (7:30 MSK)
Place: Saku Suurhall, Tallinn, Estonia
TV: VTB-League.com
Kalev: Tallinn is still fighting for a spot in the postseason, but time is running out. The schedule doesn’t get any easier, either, with games against Khimki and fellow playoff hopefuls Avtodor and Tsmoki. To make matters worse, Kalev lost its leader, Demonte Harper, to Zenit. That’s a big blow to the offense, which already ranked 10th in the League (77.2 points per game).
UNICS: Kazan may not be in danger of missing the postseason, but the club’s top-three hopes are fading. Battling a brutal Euroleague calendar, Kazan can’t afford any more setbacks in the League. There are signs for optimism: despite a grueling overtime defeat to Anadolu Efes in the Euroleague on Friday, UNICS has shown all year it can compete with Europe’s top clubs. The squad is finally healthy, too, which should help with the quick turnaround between games. UNICS is 10-1 against Kalev all-time and will be heavily favored in Tallinn, especially considering Demonte Harper’s recent departure.
