CSKA — Olympiacos, 03 December 2020

PRE-GAME BREAKDOWN

Olympiacos is historically tough opponent for CSKA. Previous season gave just another proof for that: the Muscovites lost both games. Time has come to return debts, to stop the bad streak and to continue the good one, as our team has now 6 EuroLeague wins in a row.

The preparation to the game was kind of strange. Long break between the game let the coaching staff to provide two days off for the team. On the other side, Andrey Lopatin and Tornike Shengelia returned from Russian and Georgian National Teams respectively just today. Janis Strelnieks also doesn’t work with the team due to injury. CSKA-2 players Daniil Kochergin, Yuri Umrikhin and Alexander Shashkov worked with the main team for 3 days.

PRE-GAME QUOTES

Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:

We play a team that have a lot of athleticism. They have their ups and downs but they always fight with high intensity. We cannot forget that last year while playing shorthanded, they gave us a good lesson of the way to fight. I am expecting interesting game in means of battle on boards. Many things happen because of guards, Sloukas, Spanoulis and McKissic who create, I don't know if Harrison will be available, I may mention Jenkins and other guys. But their bigs are also aggressive on boards: Printezis has huge experience, Martin always goes to rebound. Overall: athletic team that fights no matter what. We got to be cautious and match their energy and aggressivity on both ends.

 Will Clyburn, CSKA forward:

We need to come out with approach like we do every game, no matter the team. We need to focus on ourselves, on what we do well and to defend what they do well. We need to be motivated, to find a way for everybody to be motivated and come ready to play tomorrow.

“RELATIVITY” CONNECTIONS

Nikola Milutinov joined CSKA this summer after spending the last five seasons with Olympiacos. He played a total of 135 EuroLeague games with the Reds and helped the team reach the championship game in 2017. He played under Coach Georgios Bartzokas and was a teammate of many current Olympiacos players.

Janis Strelnieks spent two seasons with Olympiacos, from 2017 to 2019. He was a teammate of Kostas Papanikolaou, Georgios Printezis, Vassilis Spanoulis and Sasha Vezenkov.

Daniel Hackett played with Olympiacos for two seasons, from 2015 to 2017. He was a teammate of Kostas Papanikolaou, Georgios Printezis and Vassilis Spanoulis.

Vassilis Spanoulis spent four seasons (2005-06, 2007-10) in Panathinaikos, where Dimitris Itoudis and Andreas Pistiolis worked as an assistant coaches.

Mike James played for PAO in 2016-17 season together with Vassilis Charalampopoulos.

Another James’ former teammate is Giannoulis Larentzakis – from their time at Kolossos, 2014-15 season. 

Darrun Hilliard played with Jean-Charles Livio for G-League team Austin Spurs in 2017-18 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 30 of his last 31 games. James has made multiple threes in five straight games. James ranks third this season with 2.7 three-point shots made per game.

James has scored in double figures in five straight and 35 of his last 36 games. He leads the EuroLeague in scoring this season with 19.5 points per game. James ranks fourth this season in average PIR with 18.3 per game.

Will Clyburn has scored in double figures in 10 straight games. He ranks sixth in scoring this season with 15.9 points per game.

Clyburn has made a three-pointer in nine of his last 10 games.

Clyburn had double-digit PIRs in nine of his last 10 games.

Nikola Milutinov ranks second this season with 3.0 offensive rebounds per game.

He is ranked 10th all-time with 400 offensive rebounds. Bryant Dunston of Anadolu Efes Istanbul is ninth with 408 and counting.

Janis Strelnieks ranks sixth all-time in free-throw accuracy at 90.9%.

Tornike Shengelia needs 2 more three-pointers to reach 100 in the EuroLeague.

Shengelia needs 6 rebounds to reach 800 for his career.

Johannes Voigtmann needs 4 offensive rebounds to reach 200 for his career.

PAST MATCHUPS

Wins/losses: 24-15

1994-95 – European Championship for Men’s Clubs. Quarterfinals. CSKA – Olympiacos: 95-65 (+30)
1994-95 – European Championship for Men’s Clubs. Quarterfinals. Olympiacos – CSKA: 86-77 (-9)
1994-95 – European Championship for Men’s Clubs. Quarterfinals. Olympiacos – CSKA: 79-54 (-25)
1995-96 – European Championship for Men’s Clubs. Semifinal Round. CSKA – Olympiacos: 96-91 (+5)
1995-96 – European Championship for Men’s Clubs. Semifinal Round. Olympiacos – CSKA: 72-78 (+6)
1996-97 – Euroleague. Qualification Round. Olympiacos – CSKA: 82-51 (-31)
1996-97 – Euroleague. Qualification Round. CSKA – Olympiacos: 70-79 (-9)
1997-98 – Euroleague. Preliminary Round. Olympiacos – CSKA: 86-74 (-12)
1997-98 – Euroleague. Preliminary Round. CSKA – Olympiacos: 77-58 (+19)
1998-99 – Euroleague. Preliminary Round. CSKA – Olympiacos: 75-81 (-6)
1998-99 – Euroleague. Preliminary Round. Olympiacos – CSKA: 74-76 (+2)
2002-03 – Euroleague. Regular Season. CSKA – Olympiacos: 74-67 (+7)
2002-03 – Euroleague. Regular Season. Olympiacos – CSKA: 77-79 (+2)
2003-04 – Euroleague. Top 16. CSKA – Olympiacos: 80-66 (+14)
2003-04 – Euroleague. Top 16. Olympiacos – CSKA: 69-93 (+24)
2006-07 – Euroleague. Top 16. Olympiacos – CSKA: 64-85 (+21)
2006-07 – Euroleague. Top 16. CSKA – Olympiacos: 83-79 (+4)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Regular Season. CSKA – Olympiacos: 88-79 (+9)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Regular Season. Olympiacos – CSKA: 71-67 (-4)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals. CSKA – Olympiacos: 74-76 (-2)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals. Olympiacos – CSKA: 73-83 (+10)
2007-08 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals. CSKA – Olympiacos: 81-56 (+25)
2011-12 – Euroleague. Top 16. Olympiacos – CSKA: 78-86 (+8)
2011-12 – Euroleague. Top 16. CSKA – Olympiacos: 96-64 (+32)
2011-12 – Euroleague. Final. CSKA – Olympiacos: 61-62 (-1)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Semifinal. Olympiacos – CSKA: 69-52 (-17)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Top 16. Olympiacos – CSKA: 84-76 (-8)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Top 16. CSKA – Olympiacos: 76-70 (+6)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Semifinal. Olympiacos – CSKA: 70-68 (-2)
2015-16 – Euroleague. Top 16. CSKA – Olympiacos: 92-85 (+7)
2015-16 – Euroleague. Top 16. Olympiacos – CSKA: 96-99 (+3)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Regular Season. Olympiacos – CSKA: 75-81 (+6)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Regular Season. CSKA – Olympiacos: 90-86 (+4)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Semifinal. CSKA – Olympiacos: 78-82 (-4)
2017-18 – Euroleague. Regular Season. Olympiacos – CSKA: 88-86 (-2)
2017-18 – Euroleague. Regular Season. CSKA – Olympiacos: 89-81 (+4)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Regular Season. CSKA – Olympiacos: 69-65 (+4)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Regular Season. Olympiacos – CSKA: 81-97 (+16)
2019-20 – Euroleague. Regular Season. CSKA – Olympiacos: 79-84 (-5)
2019-20 – Euroleague. Regular Season. Olympiacos – CSKA: 72-59 (+16)

SHORT DOSSIER

Olympiacos Piraeus, Greece

Founded: 1925 (1938 – basketball section)
Colors: white, red
Homecourt: Peace and Friendship Stadium (10.845)
Presidents: Panagiotis and Giorgios Angelopoulos
Head Coach: Giorgios Bartzokas
Website: www.olympiacosbc.gr
Trophy case: - 3-time Euroleague champions (1997, 2012, 13); - Intercontinental Cup winners (2013); - 11-time Greek champions (1949, 1960, 1976, 1978, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2012, 2015); - 9-time Greek Cup winner (1976, 1977, 1978, 1980, 1994, 1997, 2002, 2010, 2011)