The most interesting news from around the League this week.
Series
The League’s two hottest teams, Lokomotiv-Kuban and Khimki, extended their streaks to seven games. The two contenders enjoyed big wins over the weekend, defeating Astana and Parma, respectively. Kuban and Khimki had a few setbacks at the beginning of the season, but those troubles are far in the rearview mirror by now.
Toughness
On Friday, UNICS played at Olympiacos in the Euroleague. As a result, the club only had one day to recover and prepare for Sunday’s contest in St. Petersburg, while trying to plug some holes in the roster. The players were also dealing with the aftermath of a 29-point defeat and coach Evgeny Pashutin’s statement that the team had played “without heart” and “didn’t show its pride or toughness.”
But against a big League rival on Sunday, UNICS displayed all the qualities a coach hopes to see in a team, earning a win in St. Petersburg (something UNICS was unable to do last spring in the playoffs). Kazan now shares 1st place with CSKA.
Comeback
Avtodor is starting to find its rhythm. After a few roster moves, the team finally snapped a club-worst six-game losing streak by beating Kalev at home. Saratov also won in the Champions League on Wednesday, defeating Khimik. Next up: a serious test against UNICS.
Block
Debut
Beyond the much-needed win on Saturday, Saratov also enjoyed new captain Sergei Bykov’s debut. Making his first League appearance since May 6 with Lokomotiv, Bykov contributed two points and two rebounds in 13 minutes. Against Khimik on Wednesday, the Russian national team veteran even posted a double-double (12 points and 10 assists).
“With Bykov’s arrival, the team has found more confidence. Sergei is both an experienced player and a true master,” noted Avtodor head coach Sergei Mokin.
Voting
Online voting for the All-Star Game, to be held February 11, 2017 in Sochi, started last week.
Fans will pick one player from each team to represent the Russian Stars and World Stars. You can vote for your favorite players on Vkontakte and Facebook.
Alexey Shved and Keith Langford lead the early results.
Style
Khimki center Dmitry Sokolov described Parma’s style of play:
“Parma plays a unique style: They shoot when they want, do anything they want on the court… It’s pretty tough to play against a team like that.
Level
Loko point guard Taylor Rochestie rated the level of talent in the League:
“If you take the best players in the VTB United League, many of them would play significant roles in the NBA. I’m following Delaney and I think he has a good chance of being successful over there. For a lot of players, the biggest thing is being in the right place at the right time. Like I said before, you wouldn’t be able to tell much of a difference between a lot of NBA players and the top players in Europe. When guys from the NBA come over here, believe me, it doesn’t take long to figure out that a lot of Europeans are pretty good too.
Stat
17 – number of points scored by VEF in the first half against CSKA in Moscow. The Army Men put up 48 and decided the outcome by halftime.
Quote
Zenit head coach Vasily Karasev:
“No one got the job done: neither the big men, who lost all the contested balls under the basket, nor the guards, who let [our opponent] score on the perimeter with fouls.”
Star
Quino Colom (UNICS).
Despite shooting 5-14 from the field with six turnovers, Colom makes this list for the third week in a row. No, the Spaniard isn’t related to the author of this column. Playing in the Game of the Week, the playmaker put up 14 points, eight rebounds, 12 assists and had a decisive role in Kazan’s 3rd-quarter surge.
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