Keeping the lead

CSKA Moscow vs. Khimki Moscow region: 95-79 (+16)

CSKA: D.Kulagin (9), Teodosic (16 + 9 as), Augustine (6 + 5 rb), Fridzon (18 + 3 rb + 4 pf), Jackson (20 + 6 as), Antonov (3), Freeland (4 + 4 pf), Vorontsevich (3), Higgins (12), Kurbanov (7 rb), Hines (4)…

Khimki: Pullen (14 + 4 as), Brown (3), Hummel (5 + 6 rb), Zaytsev (8 + 4 pf), Vyaltsev (4), Sokolov (10 + 5 rb), Il’nitskiy (2), Monya (7 + 6 rb), Boungou-Colo (13 + 7 rb), Todorovic (10 + 6 rb + 3 to), Rowland (3 + 5 as)…

We were the better team today and played well enough the entire game to win. After the game against Barcelona, there were less than 40 hours and we needed to find energy and focus. Khimki is our rival and an important opponent. It’s a strong team with a good coach. In the locker room, we said that we didn’t play our best game, but we were hot from the perimeter, moved the ball, and recorded 26 assists to 10 turnovers. At the same time, we didn’t do a very good job of making free throws and allowed our opponents to get a lot of offensive rebounds, which indicates we weren’t at full strength. I understand the players. We have a tough calendar and there are a lot of injuries and sickness. That said, both this season and last season, my first year here, when we’ve been missing leading players, the team has shown good basketball and won.