The game is over
Valencia, Spain
04 February 2021 Thursday / 23:00 MSK
Pabellon Fuente de San Luis
105
103
CSKA
Feb. 4 (Thu):
LIVE (for Russia): Match TV, MatchTV.ru, Sportbox.ru
LIVE (pay): Euroleague.tv

Feb. 5 (Fri):
1:50, 19:20: Match! Country
17:30: Match! Game
CSKA
03.02.2021
Our team arrived in Valencia without three key players...
Who will become a joker?

PRE-GAME BREAKDOWN

Both teams are not in the best shape now. Valencia Basket (11-12) is on a three-game losing streak and has only registered one victory in its last seven EuroLeague showdowns. CSKA Moscow (16-7) won one of its last four EuroLeague games.

There are not enough resources for the Army Men to improve the situation. In addition to injured Will Clyburn and Andrey Lopatin, CSKA also lost Nikola Milutinov (shoulder) and Toko Shengelia (knee).

The Red-Blues have 11 players on away roster: CSKA-2 forward Daniil Kochergin joined the main team again.

PRE-GAME QUOTES

Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:

I have huge respect towards Valencia organization, for what they represent in means of basketball standards in European basketball. This is a team that has 2-3 players on each position. Definitely, the guards make it happen, but with combination of their bigs - Dubljevic, Tobey, Williams, Labeyrie make the game different as they pop, they spread the court. They run very well, they are good athletic and complete team that is tough to play against. Regarding our roster, I have no words to say. So many accidents happened at the first time. We are here to go and fight. None of the games end before they started, so we go over there with the high moral, we'll try to catch our best game ever. The players we are missing belong to the starting lineup of the best team in EuroLeague. But the difference is made by those who are playing.

Janis Strelnieks, CSKA guard:

Difficult game in front of us but we have to bounce back. We have little problems with the roster but still we have many guys who have to step up, we will go to fight. Valencia is a tough team to play against. They are also in difficult moment, I believe they had couple of losses in a row in EuroLeague, so they will be ready for us.

“RELATIVITY” CONNECTIONS

Valencia's Vanja Marinkovic and Nikola Milutinov both grew up with Partizan Belgrade. They played together for two seasons, from 2013 to 2015.

Valencia swingman Fernando San Emeterio and Mike James were teammates at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz during the 2014-15 season.

Valencia sharpshooter Klemen Prepelic played under Dimitris Itoudis at Banvit Bandirma during the 2013-14 season.

CSKA forward Tornike Shengelia played at Valencia for two seasons, from 2008 to 2010, and helped Valencia win the 2010 EuroCup title.

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

Eleven different players have appeared in CSKA's starting lineups so far this season. Only Nikita Kurbanov has started every game.

James has posted a PIR of at least 19 in 12 of his last 13 games. He ranks second this season in average PIR with 20.6 per game.

James has scored in double figures in 15 straight and 45 of his last 46 games. He leads the EuroLeague in scoring this season with 19.95 points per game.

Mike James is in 15th place all-time with 2,573 points. Rudy Fernandez of Real Madrid enters Round 24 in 15th place with 2,608.

James ranks sixth this season with 5.8 assists per game.

Mike James has made at least 1 three-point shot in 15 straight and 40 of his last 41 games. He ranks third this season with 2.7 three-point shots made per game.

James is 22nd on the all-time charts with 301 three-pointers made. Antonis Fotsis (304) is 21st and Ali Muhammed (305) of Fenerbahce Beko Istanbul is 20th.

Will Clyburn has made at least 1 three-pointer in eight of his last nine games.

Toko Shengelia has posted a PIR in double figures in nine straight games.

PAST MATCHUPS

Wins/losses: 5-2

2010-11 Euroleague Regular Season

Valencia – CSKA: 82-57 (-25)
CSKA – Valencia: 73-63 (+10)

2017-18 Euroleague Regular Season

CSKA – Valencia: 94-67 (+27)
Valencia – CSKA: 103-99 (-4)

2019-20 Euroleague Regular Season

Valencia – CSKA: 71-96 (+25)
CSKA – Valencia: 81-70 (+11)

2020-21 Euroleague Regular Season

CSKA – Valencia: 84-75 (+9)

SHORT DOSSIER

Valencia Basket, Spain

Founded: 1986
Colors: orange, white, black
Home court: Pabellon Fuente De San Luis (9,000)
President: Vicente J. Solà Sanz
Head coach: Jaume Ponsarnau
Website: http://www.valenciabasket.com/
Trophy case: EuroCup winner (2003, 2010, 2014), Spanish League champion (2016-17), Spanish Cup winner (1998), Spanish SuperCup winner (2017)

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