Fenerbahce — CSKA, 28 April 2021

PRE-GAME BREAKDOWN

The roster of the Army Men is not supposed to be changed. Centers Nikola Milutinov (shoulder) and Joel Bolomboy (ankle) remain out. Milutinov though came to Istanbul together with his teammates as well as the second team forward Daniil Kochergin.

The coaching staff did not use the group of leaders in the meaningless game on Sunday. Will Clyburn, Dani Hackett, Toko Shengelia, Janis Strelnieks and Johannes Voigtmann rested and got back to work on Monday.

PRE-GAME QUOTES

Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:

We had to play the VTB League game last Sunday but our main concern was to rest some players and let others play. The young players did great job, we won the game and we competed on the highest level. We are good, we had two good practices considering also this past game as a practice with all due respect to Nizhny. Our main goal was to be ready for playoff game. Expectations from the game... This is a playoff series, we know the quality of Fener, we have huge respect for what they represent as individuals and a group, but we also have huge respect to what we are doing as an organization, as club, as CSKA. We are going there to give a fight. We were expecting Fener to have different roster for Game 1, we respect all players and coaches and focus on each and everyone. We are ready to go and fight regardless of who is ready or not [on their side]. We have our problems, we don't have full roster as well.

Daniel Hackett, CSKA guard:

This is our goal to go there and get a win. So we gotta focus on Game 3, we gotta go there and be ourselves, play our basketball, defend the way we've been doing, take care of the details and fight for a win like we've been doing. [In the game vs Nizhny] we had a chance to rest many guys who have been loaded with a lot of minutes in first two games. Any win helps emotionally and we gotta carry on our momentum. Lately we've been playing good basketball, we gotta stay focused, stay humble and play the way we've been doing lately.

CLOSE “RELATIONS”

De Colo returns to Moscow where he spent five seasons as an All-EuroLeague performer for CSKA, helping the team win 2016 and 2019 EuroLeague titles.

De Colo and Toko Shengelia were teammates at Valencia Basket during the 2009-10 season and won the 2010 EuroCup title together that season.

Shengelia has played under current Fenerbahce head coach Igor Kokoskov on the Georgian national team in the past.

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

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

Johannes Voigtmann has made at least 1 three-point shot in 10 straight and 21 of his last 22 games.

Voigtmann has scored in double figures and had double-digits PIRs in seven of his last eight games.

Tornike Shengelia has scored in double figures in eight of his last nine games.

Daniel Hackett has made at least 1 three-pointer in six straight and eight of his last nine games. He ranks ninth this season in three-point accuracy at 47.2%.

PAST MATCHUPS

Wins/losses: 27-12

SHORT DOSSIER

Fenerbahce Istanbul, Turkey

Founded: 1913
Colors: yellow, dark-blue
Homecourt: Ulker Sports Arena (13800)
President: Azim Yildirim
Head coach: Igor Kokoskov
Website: www.fenerbahce.org
Trophy case: EuroLeague champions (2017), Turkish champions (1991, 2007, 08, 10, 11, 14, 16, 17, 18), Turkish Cup winners (1967, 2010, 11, 13, 16, 19), Turkish President Cup winners (1990, 91, 94, 2007, 13, 16)