Moscow, Kazan, Saratov and Krasnodar will host 4 regular season games on Sunday.
MBA-MAI (Moscow) vs. Enisey (Krasnoyarsk Region)
Time: 13:00 (Moscow time)
Place: Moscow, Russia, Basket Hall
Broadcast: TV Start, League website
MBA-MAI: The Moscow team has 3-game losing streak, so from a psychological point of view it will be important to end it and gain confidence before the battle for the Playoffs. In the season series, the hosts lost to the Siberian team 2-1, but the opponent won’t have Aleksa Stepanovic and Victor Sanders. MBA-MAI will play with a slightly optimal roster, which may help the team to win.
Enisey: Toward the end of the season, the Krasnoyarsk team lost Sanders and Stepanovic, but it didn’t affect the game. The Siberian team gave CSKA a fight and scored a hundred against Samara. A win will allow Enisey to play a Play-In game at home, where Jovica Arsic team is much more confident than on the road this season. To accomplish that, the guests will need to guard Andrey Zubkov and MBA-MAI backcourt, as well as maintain a high shooting percentage (51.7% against Samara).
UNICS (Kazan) vs. CSKA (Moscow)
Time: 14:00 (Moscow time)
Place: Russia, Kazan, Basket Hall
Broadcast: Match TV, TV Start, League website
UNICS: Like a year ago, the Kazan team will close out the regular season with a home game against CSKA. This time the game result will not affect the teams’ final place in the standings, but the matchup remains crucial. First, UNICS has lost to CSKA 3 times this season and will be looking for revenge for those losses. Second, in case of winning first round of Playoffs, the teams will face in the Semifinals.
CSKA: Andreas Pistiolis’ team has guaranteed itself 2nd place in the regular season. The Moscow team travels to Kazan with the intention of closing out their season series with UNICS. The Kazan team is in shape for the decisive stage of the season. However, CSKA outperforms its opponent in all shooting stats and has been performed well (92.0 points vs. 88). A quality offense could be the key to a 4th win over the Kazan team.
Avtodor (Saratov) vs. Samara (Samara Oblast)
Time: 16:00 (15:00 Moscow time)
Place: Russia, Saratov, DS Kristall
Broadcast: TV Start, League website
Avtodor: The Saratov team won the race for the Top 6 after comeback in Yekaterinburg. The result of the final game of the regular season will not affect the standings, so the Saratov team will try to please fans with a win in the Volga derby and gain momentum before the Playoffs. Avtodor has a much deeper roster. The hosts will need to use offensive advantage and stop Samara sharpshooters.
Samara: Samara’s tough season will come to an end in Saratov, as Vladislav Konovalov team lost chances of getting into the Play-In. Despite this, Samara will be looking to please the fans and finish the regular season with win. The guests are behind Avtodor in key stats, and also have problems with roster. However, that didn’t prevent the team from upsetting Nizhny and PARMA. Three-point shooting could once again be the key to win for Samara in the Volga derby.
Lokomotiv-Kuban (Krasnodar) vs. Uralmash (Yekaterinburg)
Time: 16:00 (Moscow time)
Place: Russia, Krasnodar, Basket Hall
Broadcast: Match! Igra, TV Start, VTB League website
Lokomotiv Kuban: Andrei Vedischev team is approaching the Quarterfinals matchup with a 5-game winning streak. During this stretch, the Krasnodar team is playing efficiently (90 points per game), and the newcomers are gradually integrating into the team’s offense. Especially notable is the progress of Tahjere McCall, who has scored 10+ points in 4 of 6 games. The Krasnodar team will try to get revenge for the loss in Yekaterinburg in early March, and will also be looking to gain a psychological advantage over the guests before the Playoffs start.
Uralmash: Having secured the clinch in the Playoffs, the Yekaterinburg team lost in St. Petersburg and at home versus Avtodor. The rivalry with Loko will be an important step in preparation for the Quarterfinals against the Krasnodar team, as the first games of the series will also be in Krasnodar. The guests are the underdog, but Jeremiah Martin and Octavius Ellis combined with an aggressive defense could help the Yekaterinburg team tie the season series with Loko.
