CSKA — Anadolu Efes, 28 May 2021

PRE-GAME BREAKDOWN

Thursday in Cologne was dedicated to preparations and ceremonies. Due to the many restrictions, the organizers dispensed with special celebrations. The press conference, traditional for the opening of the tournament, was divided into two parts - for two Friday games - and was held not in some interesting city building, but in the Lanxess Arena press center. The first part, which was attended by Army Men Dimitris Itoudis and Will Clyburn as well as representatives of Istanbulites Ergin Ataman and Vasilje Micic, was attended by the mayor of the city Henrietta Reker, who called sport “the elixir of life”. One could agree with her, but, alas, not many people will have a chance to drink this elixir this weekend. The stands are closed to fans.

At the press conference, references were made more than once to the 2019 finals, in which the same rivals met, but both Itoudis and Clyburn neatly closed the topic, offering to enjoy memories, but not live them, to think about the now. Clyburn was also reminded of the injury that caused him to miss the previous season almost entirely, and he assured that he is now playing good and has become the old Will.

Both on Wednesday and Thursday, the red-and-blues had a full training sessions. The day before, however, while the stage was being prepared for the Final Four, all the teams worked in a more modest hall in neighboring Leverkusen, directly opposite to the Bayer football stadium. All the players who arrived in Cologne took part in the Muscovites' practice, only Nikola Milutinov worked individually.

PRE-GAME QUOTES

Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:

Efes is a great team. They play great together. You might say this is a repeat of the 2019 championship game. They have the same coach, the same players and the same great philosophy. That’s obvious. We’re facing a lot of things. But it’s not going to be only one and the moment will show us the way. But we’ve been there. We practice ourselves to be challenged. The Efes team can definitely shoot the ball very well. They move the ball very well. They have multiple creators - from the bench or starters. Simon is very important with all due respect to Micic and Larkin. They have other players who can step up. I can mention all the players. But we definitely need to do something to distract them in order to make it difficult. Or if the moment shows that we can pretty much shoot the ball well and create the ball well, we might play an offense-minded game. We don’t know right now. We have several plans and we have been working on them. We have been in the shoes of being the favorite many times. And then all of a sudden 3 minutes decide the game. I’m not just throwing all our hopes to luck. There are certain details we will use. We will try to contain them - not to stop them. They cannot be stopped.

Will Clyburn, CSKA forward:

I think it is a big advantage for them. Obviously, when you want to build something special in basketball, the more time you have the same guys with you, all the time, you can know each other a little bit more and it is always helpful. At the same time, tomorrow is just one game and the better team on that day wins, but of course, they are a great team and they have spent some time together so you couldn't expect anything else.

”RELATIVITY” CONNECTIONS

Will Clyburn was a teammate of current Efes players James Anderson and Adrien Moerman at Darussafaka Istanbul during the 2016-17 season.

Nikita Kurbanov was a teammate of Efes guard Krunoslav Simon at Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar during the 2014-15 campaign.

Johannes Voigtmann was a teammate of Efes duo Rodrigue Beaubois and Shane Larkin at Baskonia Vitoria-Gasteiz. Voigtmann and Beaubois were teammates for two seasons, from 2016 to 2018, while Larkin was there with them in the 2016-17 campaign.

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

Fourteen 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 11 straight and 23 of his last 24 games.

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

Daniel Hackett has made at least 1 three-pointer in seven straight and nine of his last 10 games.

Iffe Lundberg has made at least 1 three-pointer in six straight games.

Daniel Hackett ranks 10th this season in three-point accuracy at 46.2%, and Johannes Voigtmann is 11th at 46.1%.

PAST MATCHUPS

Wins/losses: 20-11
1992-93 – European Cup. Group stage: Efes Pilsen – CSKA: 85-82 (-3)
1992-93 – European Cup. Group stage: CSKA – Efes Pilsen: 87-96 (-9)
1997-98 – Euroleague. Preliminary Round: CSKA – Efes Pilsen: 77-73 (+4)
1997-98 – Euroleague. Preliminary Round: Efes Pilsen – CSKA: 71-63 (-8)
1998-99 – Euroleague. 1/8 finals: Efes Pilsen – CSKA: 73-58 (-15)
1998-99 – Euroleague. 1/8 finals: CSKA – Efes Pilsen: 98-105 2ОТ (-7)
2000-01 – Suproleague. Third place game: Efes Pilsen – CSKA: 91-85 (-6)
2002-03 – Euroleague. Top 16: Efes Pilsen – CSKA: 71-69 (-2)
2002-03 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – Efes Pilsen: 66-54 (+12)
2005-06 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: CSKA – Efes Pilsen: 66-57 (+9)
2005-06 – Euroleague. Quarterfinals: Efes Pilsen – CSKA: 71-75 (+4)
2008-09 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – Efes Pilsen: 90-68 (+22)
2008-09 – Euroleague. Regular season: Efes Pilsen – CSKA: 55-74 (+19)
2010-11 – Euroleague. Regular season: Efes Pilsen – CSKA: 86-72 (-14)
2010-11 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – Efes Pilsen: 78-69 (+9)
2011-12 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – Anadolu Efes: 96-68 (+28)
2011-12 – Euroleague. Regular season: Anadolu Efes – CSKA: 65-82 (+17)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – Anadolu Efes: 90-71 (+19)
2012-13 – Euroleague. Top 16: Anadolu Efes – CSKA: 63-60 (-3)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Top 16: Anadolu Efes – CSKA: 69-78 (+9)
2014-15 – Euroleague. Top 16: CSKA – Anadolu Efes: 88-81 (+6)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Regular season: Anadolu Efes – CSKA: 87-93 (+6)
2016-17 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – Anadolu Efes: 80-77 (+3)
2017-18 – Euroleague. Regular season: Anadolu Efes – CSKA: 80-98 (+18)
2017-18 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – Anadolu Efes: 110-79 (+31)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – Anadolu Efes: 102-84 (+18)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Regular season: Anadolu Efes – CSKA: 78-80 (+2)
2018-19 – Euroleague. Final. Anadolu Efes – CSKA: 83-91 (+8)
2019-20 – Euroleague. Regular season: Anadolu Efes – CSKA: 80-81 (+1)
2019-20 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – Anadolu Efes: 80-82 (-2)
2020-21 – Euroleague. Regular season: CSKA – Anadolu Efes: 100-65 (+35)
2020-21 – Euroleague. Regular season: Anadolu Efes – CSKA: 100-70 (-30)

SHORT DOSSIER

Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Turkey

Founded: 1976
Colors: white, blue
Home Court: Sinan Erdem Dome (16,000)
President: Tuncay Ozilhan
Head Coach: Ergin Ataman
Website: www.efesbasket.org
Trophy case:
- Korac Cup winner (1996);
- 14-time Turkish champion (1979, 83, 84, 92, 93, 94, 96, 97, 2002, 03, 04, 05, 09, 19);
- 11-time Turkish Cup winner (1994, 96, 97, 98, 2001, 02, 06, 07, 09, 15, 18);
- 9-time Turkish President Cup winner (1986, 92, 93, 96, 98, 2000, 06, 09, 10).