Pre-game breakdown
Two teams in different dynamics will clash on Thursday when CSKA Moscow welcomes Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz. After a slow start, CSKA has won its last two games, including a road success last week at Panathinaikos OPAP Athens. On the other side, Baskonia has dropped its last two, including last week at home against LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. So the fans will see, whose “temperature” will give better effect.
The Red-Blues did not have any breaks, they had two practices at Megasport after the game at Khimki.
Referees
Matej Boltauzer (Slovenia, crew chief), Jacub Zamojski (Portugal), Eduard Udyanskyy (Great Britain).
Pre-game quotes
Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:
It’s a very important game for us. Baskonia is very competitive, athletic, big, they always play with high intensity regardless of the score. I would say, they have the identity of their coach, they always fight, on every possession. We need to match this energy and intensity from second 0 until the end.
Darrun Hilliard, CSKA guard:
They are a great team, they will come in and fight hard as always. They gonna scrap and fight hard. They have a good coach, some great players, and they have a lot of pride. Me being there for one year, I know that. We know we gotta get a good fight from them and hopefully we’ll bring the fight first.
Close relations
Tornike Shengelia spent six seasons with Baskonia before joining CSKA over the summer. Shengelia was Baskonia’s team captain and led the team to the 2020 Spanish championship and a 2016 EuroLeague Final Four berth.
Johannes Voigtmann spent three seasons with Baskonia. He made his EuroLeague debut there in the 2016-17 season. He was a teammate of Ilimane Diop and Luca Vildoza.
Darrun Hilliard made his EuroLeague debut with Baskonia in the 2018-19 season. He was also a teammate of Diop and Vildoza.
Mike James played at Baskonia for a season and a half. James signed in December 2014 and was a teammate of Diop. They reached the 2016 EuroLeague Final Four together.
Alec Peters helped CSKA win the EuroLeague title in his rookie 2018-19 season. He played under Coach Dimitris Itoudis and was a teammate with much of the current CSKA roster.
James and Peters played for the Phoenix Suns in the beginning of 2017-18 NBA season.
Important numbers
Ten different players have appeared in CSKA’s starting lineups so far this season. Only Nikita Kurbanov has started in every game.
Mike James has made at least 1 three-point shot in 27 of his last 28 games.
James has scored in double figures in 32 of his last 33 games. He ranks fifth in scoring this season with 16.4 points per game.
James ranks sixth this season with 5.3 assists per game.
Clyburn has scored in double figures in six straight games. He ranks second in scoring this season with 18.0 points per game.
Clyburn has made a three-pointer in five of his last six games.
Hackett has made a three-pointer in nine of his last 10 games.
Tornike Shengelia ranks fifth this season with 2.7 offensive rebounds per game, and Nikola Milutinov is sixth with 2.5 per game.
Nikola Milutinov moved into 11th all-time with 386 offensive rebounds. James Gist is 10th with 393.
Tornike Shengelia needs 5 more three-pointers to reach 100 in the EuroLeague.
Janis Strelnieks ranks seventh all-time in free-throw accuracy at 90.9%.
Past matchups
Wins-losses: 31-10
2001-02 – Euroleague. Top 16: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 73-87 (+14)
2001-02 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 73-90 (-17)
2003-04 – Euroleague. Top 16: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 77-80 (+3)
2003-04 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 84-82 (+2)
2004-05 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 88-83 (+5)
2004-05 – Euroleague. Regular season: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 81-85 (+4)
2004-05 – Euroleague. Final Four. Semifinal: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 78-85 (-7)
2005-06 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 82-76 (+6)
2005-06 – Euroleague. Top 16: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 70-63 (-7)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Regular season: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 76-85 (+9)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – TAU Ceramica: 70-62 (+8)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Final Four. Semifinal: TAU Ceramica – CSKA: 79-83 (+4)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Regular season: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 67-71 (+4)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 84-83 (+1)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 86-63 (+23)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 83-63 (+20)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 66-53 (-13)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 70-74 (+4)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 89-78 (+11)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Caja Laboral: 90-68 (+22)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 93-72 (-21)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Caja Laboral – CSKA: 85-94 (+9)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – Laboral Kutxa: 99-90 (+9)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Top 16: Laboral Kutxa – CSKA: 74-81 (+7)
2015-16 – Euroleague. Top 16: Laboral Kutxa – CSKA: 81-71 (-10)
2015-16 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – Laboral Kutxa: 90-78 (+12)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Baskonia: 112-84 (+28)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Regular Season: Baskonia – CSKA: 79-78 (-1)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Baskonia: 98-90 (+8)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Baskonia: 84-82 (+2)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Baskonia – CSKA: 88-90 (+2)
2017-18 – Euroleague. Regular Season: Baskonia – CSKA: 81-90 (+9)
2017-18 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Baskonia: 93-86 (+7)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Regular Season: Baskonia – CSKA: 76-73 (-3)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Baskonia: 82-78 (+4)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Baskonia: 94-68 (+26)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Baskonia: 68-78 (-10)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Baskonia – CSKA: 77-84 (+7)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Baskonia – CSKA: 83-92 (+9)
2019-20 – Euroleague. Regular Season: Baskonia – CSKA: 80-70 (-10)
2019-20 – Euroleague. Regular Season: CSKA – Baskonia: 94-90 (+4)
Short dossier
Baskonia Vitoria, Spain
Founded: 1959
Colors: red, dark blue, white
Home arena: Fernando Buesa Arena (15,504)
President: Jose Antonio Querejeta
Head coach: Dusko Ivanovic
Website: www.baskonia.com
Trophy case: 4-time Spanish champion (2002, 08, 10, 20); 5-time Copa del Rey winner (1995, 99, 2002, 04, 06); 4-time Spanish SuperCup winner (2005, 06, 07, 08); Saporta Cup winner (1996)
