Pre-game breakdown
This is a double-week in EuroLeague, and the Army Men have to play both games on the road against the teams that are currently in top part of the standings. After Zalgiris (5 wins, 3 losses) the Red-Blues will play against Bayern (6-2). CSKA will get back home on Friday and leave to Perm on Saturday to face Parma which has already beaten the Muscovites this season.
The Army Men have some of the poorest shooting percentages in the league from the stripe and from inside the arc but still lead the EuroLeague in scoring. How? Because of great, league-leading three-point percentage (39.7) and big number of three-pointers made.
The team started its preparations on Sunday. But it has to deal with absences again. Johannes Voigtmann and Alexander Khomenko are ill, so they will miss the trip together with injured Janis Strelnieks. CSKA-2 guard Yuri Umrikhin is on the roster again.
Zalgiris is still missing newcomer Patricio Garino due to injury.
Pre-game quotes
Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:
Zalgiris is playing very aggressive basketball, they have great results so far. This is a group of motivated players and coaches. They go strong on boards, they move the ball well. They are a team that is mobile, using hand-offs, off-screens, pick-n-rolls and play really good pace. We need to match their energy, motivation and concentration, because they are really focused and play each game as a final.
Semen Antonov, CSKA forward:
This is a classic rivalry that goes back to Soviet past, it featured many great players. We start our EuroLeague double-week, moreover, we will play 3 games in 6 days. So we need to be strong and fresh. We go there thinking of winning. We studied Zalgiris, they changed their playing style a bit, but as in the past they play tough defense, they move the ball and perform accordingly to the coaches’ plan. It plays on our hand that they don’t have their multiple fans now.
“Relativity” connections
Mike James was a teammate of Zalgiris guard Lukas Lekavicius at Panathinaikos Athens during the 2017-18 season.
Nikola Milutinov and Zalgiris big man Augustine Rubit were teammates last season at Olympiacos Piraeus.
Milutinov and Joffrey Lauvergne of Zalgiris played from 2012 to 2014 for Partizan Belgrade, including the 2013-14 season in the EuroLeague.
Rubit and Daniel Hackett were teammates at Brose Bamberg during the 2017-18 EuroLeague season.
Zalgiris forward Patricio Garino was a teammate of the CSKA trio of Darrun Hilliard, Toko Shengelia and Johannes Voigtmann during the 2018-19 season at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz. He had three seasons with Shengelia (2017-20) and two with Voigtmann (2017-19).
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 fifth this season with 5.3 assists per game.
Will Clyburn ranks second in scoring this season with 17.3 points per game.
Clyburn has scored in double figures in seven straight games.
Clyburn has made a three-pointer in six of his last seven games.
Daniel Hackett has made a three-pointer in six straight and 10 of his last 11 games.
Tornike Shengelia ranks fourth this season with 2.6 offensive rebounds per game. Nikola Milutinov is ninth with 2.2 per game.
Nikola Milutinov is ranked 11th all-time with 387 offensive rebounds. James Gist is 10th with 393.
Janis Strelnieks ranks sixth all-time in free-throw accuracy at 90.9%.
Past matchups
Wins/losses (since 1999): 25-7
1999-00 – Euroleague. Qualifying Round. Zalgiris – CSKA: 84-76 (-8)
1999-00 – Euroleague. Qualifying Round. CSKA – Zalgiris: 76-64 (+12)
1999-00 – NEBL. Regular Season. Zalgiris – CSKA: 57-60 (+3)
2000-01 – NEBL. Regular Season. CSKA – Zalgiris: 84-71 (+13)
2003-04 – Euroleague. Regular Season. CSKA – Zalgiris: 90-81 (+9)
2003-04 – Euroleague. Regular Season. Zalgiris – CSKA: 75-78 (+3)
2006-07 – Euroleague. Regular Season. Zalgiris – CSKA: 59-78 (+19)
2006-07 – Euroleague. Regular Season. CSKA – Zalgiris: 88-72 (+16)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Regular Season. CSKA – Zalgiris: 78-70 (+8)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Regular Season. Zalgiris – CSKA: 60-88 (+28)
2009-10 – VTB United League. Regular Season. CSKA – Zalgiris: 90-74 (+16)
2009-10 – VTB United League. Regular Season Zalgiris – CSKA: 67-63 (-4)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Top 16. Zalgiris – CSKA: 68-83 (+15)
2009-10 – Euroleague. Top 16. CSKA – Zalgiris: 84-71 (+13)
2011-12 – Euroleague. Regular Season. Zalgiris – CSKA: 74-87 (+13)
2011-12 – Euroleague. Regular Season. CSKA – Zalgiris: 95-82 (+13)
2012-13 – VTB United League. Regular Season. Zalgiris – CSKA: 76-66 (-10)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Top 16. Zalgiris – CSKA: 73-87 (+13)
2012-13 – VTB United League. Regular Season. CSKA – Zalgiris: 68-74 (-6)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Top 16. CSKA – Zalgiris: 70-61 (+9)
2013-14 – Euroleague. Top 16. CSKA – Zalgiris: 77-62 (+15)
2013-14 – Euroleague. Top 16. Zalgiris – CSKA: 86-88 (+2)
2015-16 – Euroleague. Top 16. Zalgiris – CSKA: 59-94 (+35)
2015-16 – Euroleague. Top 16. CSKA – Zalgiris: 100-86 (+14)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Regular season. CSKA – Zalgiris: 95-86 (+9)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Regular season. Zalgiris – CSKA: 79-74 (-5)
2017-18 – Euroleague. Regular season. CSKA – Zalgiris: 94-91 (+3)
2017-18 – EuroLeague. Regular season. Zalgiris – CSKA: 85-73 (-12)
2017-18 – EuroLeague. 3rd place game. CSKA – Zalgiris: 77-79 (-2)
2018-19 – EuroLeague. Regular season. CSKA – Zalgiris: 99-97 OT (+2)
2018-19 – EuroLeague. Regular season. Zalgiris – CSKA: 79-84 (+5)
2019-20 – EuroLeague. Regular season. CSKA – Zalgiris: 85-82 OT (+3)
Short dossier
Zalgiris Kaunas, Lithuania
Founded: 1944
Colors: green, white
Home court: Zalgirio Arena (15.000 çðèòåëåé)
President: Paulius Motejunas
Head coach: Martin Schiller
Website: www.zalgiris.lt
Trophy case: Euroleague champion (1999), 32-time Lithuanian champion (1946, 1950, 1952-55, 1958, 1991-99, 2001, 2003-05, 2007-08, 2011-19), 4-time Baltic League champion (2005, 2008, 2011, 2012), NEBL champion (1999), 7-time Lithuanian Federation Cup winner (2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018), Intercontinental Cup winner (1986), 4-time USSR champion (1951, 1985, 1986, 1987), USSR Cup winner (1953)
