Nizhny Novgorod and Saint Petersburg will host 2 regular season games.
Pari Nizhny Novgorod (Nizhny Novgorod) – Avtodor (Saratov)
Time: 19:00 (Moscow time)
Place: Russia, Nizhny Novgorod, KRK Nagorniy
Broadcast: TV Start, League website
Pari Nizhny Novgorod: In the 3 last games, NN showed good defense. Zoran Lukuc team let Astana score 59 points, then let Zenit to score 72 and updated the club’s high this season with letting MINSK score 57 points. Now Avtodor, which improves all aspects of the game after Darko Russo arrival, will test Nizhny defense. It is important to stop Malik Newman – a couple days ago, the Saratov team guard scored 25 points against MBA. Pari NN did not have Jermaine Love in Minsk, but Nikola Rebic played and got 4 points, 2 rebounds in 20 minutes on the floor
Avtodor: The Saratov team has problems in roster: in addition to the injured Boatwright and Petenev, Brandon Garrett pulled knee ligaments and team captain Evgeniy Kolesnikov broke his toe. But there is also good news for Avtodor: the club has announced Scott Machado signing. The guard also played in the United League, becoming Kalev leader in the 2014/15 season. There is a possibility that Machado may make his debut for the new team on Thursday in Nizhny Novgorod, which will be a decent boost for Avtodor. Otherwise, Darko Russo team rotation will be significantly limited. But it is unlikely that the Saratov team will be denied motivation, because in the October game with Pari NN, Avtodor lost at home literally in the end.
Zenit (Saint Petersburg) – PARMA-PARI (Perm)
Time: 20:00 (Moscow time)
Place: Russia, St. Petersburg, Sibur Arena
Broadcast: TV Start, Match TV, League website
Zenit: The reigning champion has a good shape and has not lost for more than a month, having already won 6 in a row. In the game with the Perm team, Zenit has excellent chances to extend this streak. In October in Perm, Xavi Pascual team took the win with difficulty, but now the situation is completely different. Firstly, all the key players have returned and Thomas Heurtel has already joined the team. Secondly, the Perm team has not been playing well. Zenit is the best defensive team of the season, and if the St. Petersburg team manages to slow down the guests offense, the team will get the 7th win in a row without any problems.
PARMA-PARI: In the last 7 games, the Perm team has won only once, which pushed the team to the 8th place in the stanidings and a loss in St. Petersburg can push the team even behind. Of course, PARMA-PARI does not look like a favorite in the game, but usually Evgeny Pashutin teams are famous for their ability to demonstrate character in the most difficult situations. To create a sensation on Thursday PARMA simply need to minimize the number of turnovers, because Zenit likes fast-breaks. The leaders of the team – Bryon Allen, Justin Roberson and especially Joel James should have their word.
