Anadolu Efes — CSKA, 08 October 2021

PRE-GAME BREAKDOWN

The hosts were able to practically keep the same roster that won the title last season. Their only loss is Sertac Sanli who left to Barcelona. His place is taken by promising Serbian National Team center, Adriatic League MVP Filip Petrusev.

The Army Men will miss Nikola Milutinov (knee) and Marius Grigonis (back). Both players stayed in Moscow for rehab. Therefore it’s easy to say that both teams rosters will be very close to the ones fans saw in the Cologne semifinal.

REFEREES

Juan Carlos Garcia (crew chief, Spain), Saso Petek (Slovenia), Uros Nikolic (Serbia).

PRE-GAME QUOTES

Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:

We are playing against a defending champion, so this is a difficult game by default. Efes team is staying together for more than three years, they have some additions so it’s a difficult task for us.

Joel Bolomboy, CSKA center:

We are definitely ready. We know we are going to this game ready to fight. We were practicing hard, we are set to bounce back after our last loss and we know they are ready to fight too. We gotta stick to our game plan, play CSKA basketball and give it all we have. [After Nikola injury] we know we gotta step up, especially me and other bigs, who play at five. I will bring extra energy and extra effort to cover up for Niko being down.

"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.

Alexey Shved and Larkin played for the New York Knicks in the end of 2014-15 season.

Anderson was Shved’s teammate in Khimki in 2017-18 season.

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

Johannes Voigtmann has made at least 1 three-point shot in 13 of his last 14 games.

Daniel Hackett has made at least 1 three-pointer in eight of his last nine games.

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

Marius Grigonis made at least 1 three-point shot in eight of his last nine games.

Alexey Shved has made at least 1 three-pointer in 18 straight and 43 of his last 44 appearances.

Shved ranks ninth all-time with 419 three-point shots made for his career. Gianluca Basile is eighth with 421.

Shved has scored in double-digits in 18 of his last 19 appearances.

Shved ranks 12th all-time in scoring with 2,752 points. Kyle Hines of AX Armani Exchange Milan is 11th with 2,766 and counting.

Shved ranks 12th all-time with 577 free throws made for his career. Sergio Llull of Real Madrid is 11th with 580 and counting.

Shved needs 17 assists to reach 800 for his career.

Milutinov ranks eighth on the all-time list with 464 offensive rebounds. Bryant Dunston of Anadolu Efes Istanbul is seventh with 468 and counting. 

Marius Grigonis is ranked second all-time in free throw accuracy at 92.5%.

PAST MATCHUPS

Wins/losses: 21-12

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)
2020-21 – Euroleague. Semifinal: CSKA – Anadolu Efes: 86-89 (-3)

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:
- EuroLeague champion (2021);
- Korac Cup winner (1996);
- 15-time Turkish champion (1979, 83, 84, 92, 93, 94, 96, 97, 2002, 03, 04, 05, 09, 19, 21);
- 11-time Turkish Cup winner (1994, 96, 97, 98, 2001, 02, 06, 07, 09, 15, 18);
- 10-time Turkish President Cup winner (1986, 92, 93, 96, 98, 2000, 06, 09, 10, 15).