Kazan, Saratov and Astana will host 3 regular season games on Sunday.
Astana (Astana) – Pari Nizhny Novgorod (Nizhny Novgorod)
Time: 15:00 (12:00 Moscow time)
Place: Kazakhstan, Astana, Saryarka
Broadcast: TV Start, League website
Astana: the Kazakh team looks better every teach game, adding confidence and mutual understanding. In Kazan the team was only enough for 20 minutes, after which Astana noticeably played the second role, but after all UNICS looks incredibly powerful this season. At home, Astana should play much better, because among other things, American legionnaires Michael Myers and Deondre Parks will join it. And yet the leader in the team is a Russian: Daniil Aksenov is the best in points (16.3) and assists (4.8), while shooting percentage is 49 in his debut season in the League! If the guard continues to show such a level and the teammates help him, then the win over Pari NN can become quite real.
Pari Nizhny Novgorod: For Nizhny Novgorod, the previous week definitely did not work out. Pari NN lost at home to 2 Volga teams, but if the loss from UNICS (57:75) was expected, then a major loss against Samara (52:90) left many questions behind. NN urgently need to raise morale and Astana is just the opponent that Zoran Lukic team can beat. The task is complicated by a long flight, but the main thing for the Volga team is to come to the game with the right attitude and value the ball: now Pari NN is the League leaders in turnovers (20.5 per game).
Avtodor (Saratov) – CSKA (Moscow)
Time: 17:00 (16:00 Moscow time)
Place: Russia, Saratov, DS Kristall
Broadcast: TV Start, League website
Avtodor: Milos Pavicevic team returned to a neutral wins and losses ratio after beating MINSK, but now they have a completely different level. The Saratov team forward Brandon Garrett called the game with CSKA «the biggest test for today», and this is actually the case: the Army team goes undefeated in the standings, having won all 4 games with more than 13 points difference. It will be even more difficult for Avtodor because Evgeniy Kolesnikov will miss the game due to illness. The Saratov team has to look after the perimeter, because CSKA is second in the League in three-point shots percentage (43.5%).
CSKA: The Army team is going to Saratov as favorites, because in addition to three-pointers, they led in other key stats: assists, rebounds, efficiency. In the entire history of the League, CSKA lost to Avtodor only once – it happened more than 7 years ago. Another story is more interesting: for the first time after leaving the Saratov team, head coach Emil Rajkovic returned to Saratov and will play against the team with which he created sensation after sensation in the VTB League season a year ago.
UNICS (Kazan) – Lokomotiv Kuban (Krasnodar)
Time: 16:00 (Moscow time)
Place: Russia, Kazan, Basket-Hall
Broadcast: Match TV, League website
UNICS: The Game of the Week will be in Kazan. Games between UNICS and Loko is the most intense in the VTB League. The teams have already played 36 times, while surprisingly there is no winner in this rivalry yet – both Kazan and Krasnodar teams have won 18 games. UNICS started the season with 4-0, is seen as the favorite of this game: Velimir Perasovic team is the best in made shots percentage (54.5%) and steals (11.8) and turnovers are minimized. In many ways, the ball control does not allow UNICS opponents to get easy points and in positional defense the Kazan team players act very competently. However, the hosts have some minor problems: Andrey Vorontsevich and Jalen Reynolds participation in the game is questionable due to injuries.
Lokomotiv Kuban: Unlike their rivals, Loko did not manage to start the season as steadily. Losses from two Moscow teams – MBA and CSKA – pushed Loko to the last places of the standings, and only a difficult win over PARMA-PARI in overtime helped to slightly improve the situation. The game with UNICS will be another test for Aleksander Seculic young team and a huge responsibility will be on all the leaders. Will Jaylen Barford be able to show his best offensive basketball against the Kazan team defense? Will the Krasnodar team players be able to guard UNICS which has the most effective offense in the League? Will Andrey Martiuk be able to beat UNICS powerful front court in the paint? The answers to these questions will determine the Game of the Week winner.
