Lokomotiv Kuban — CSKA, 17 April 2021

PRE-GAME BREAKDOWN

The red-and-blues have two games left in the regular season, and both are against their closest competitors for positions in the final standings. To secure a place in the top-four, we need to beat Loko or Nizhny, and to guarantee the third (or, with some luck, second) place two wins are needed.

12 players went to Krasnodar. Joel Bolomboy (ankle), Mike James (suspended), Nikola Milutinov (shoulder), Janis Strelnieks (out of roster for VTB League) and Daniel Hackett (shoulder) remain out. Daniil Kochergin, the youth team forward, joined the dozen again.

WORD TO THE COACH

Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:

We have a respected opponent in front of us, a team that plays well-organized basketball. In the sequence of games we are having now it is especially important to have contribution from everyone who steps on the court.

PAST MATCHUPS

Wins/losses: 57-10,
In Moscow: 32-3, in Rostov: 9-1, in Krasnodar: 15-5, on neutral arena (Berlin): 1-0.
Game of 2020-21 season:
04-Oct-2020. VTB United League. Regular Season: CSKA – Lokomotiv Kuban: 94-80 (+14)

SHORT DOSSIER

Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar, Russia
Founded: 1946
Colors: red, green, white
Home court: Basket Hall (7,500)
President: Andrey Vedishchev
Head coach: Evgeny Pashutin
Website: www.lokobasket.com
Trophy case: Euroleague bronze winner (2016), EuroCup winner (2013), VTB United League runner-up (2013), BEKO PBL bronze winner (2011/12), Eurochallenge runner-up (2011), FIBA Europe Cup runner-up (2005), Russian Cup winner (2018)