Far from home for holidays
PRE-GAME BREAKDOWN
The team’s met just once last season after 17-year break. ASVEL took 1-point home victory and went up (3-4) in the not-so-rich historical rivalry. The Army Men had no chance for revenge at Moscow as the season was stopped due to the pandemic.
CSKA roster remains the same. Joel Bolomboy and Daniel Hackett continue to recover as well as assistant coach Anton Yudin.
After the double-week at home the red-blues are starting the 5-game away streak. Next home game will take place on January 13 against Zalgiris.
PRE-GAME QUOTES
Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:
ASVEL is a very talented, athletic, motivated team. If you analyze their roster you will see that 12 players are averaging 12 and more minutes on the floor, two more have 8.5. That means that everybody's playing, they have many points of emphasis like Fall, Cole, Lighty - and I can mention all roster. They play with big enthusiasm at home, they've already defeated teams like Maccabi and Barcelona, they also compete on the road. If we want to have some chances we have to match their energy, enthusiasm and physicality.
Ivan Ukhov, CSKA guard:
Our opponents run well, they have many players who create for themselves before thinking of passing. If you look at the stats, they don’t have many assists, still they create plenty of good shots. We are focusing on playing good man-to-man defense, not to allow our opponents to feel the rhythm and to try to bring win home from France.
CLOSE “RELATIONS”
Darrun Hilliard played together with ASVEL’s President Tony Parker in French star’s last season (2017-18) with the San Antonio Spurs.
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 nine straight and 34 of his last 35 games. He ranks third this season with 2.7 three-point shots made per game.
James has scored in double figures in nine straight and 39 of his last 40 games. He leads the EuroLeague in scoring this season with 19.9 points per game.
James has posted a PIR of at least 19 in seven straight games. He ranks second this season in average PIR with 21.8 per game.
James is tied for fourth in the league in fouls drawn at 4.9 per game.
Will Clyburn is tied for ninth in scoring this season with 14.6 points per game.
Will Clyburn has made a three-pointer in seven of his last eight games.
Clyburn has made 9 consecutive free throws.
Darrun Hilliard has made at least 1 three-pointer in nine of his last 10 games.
Hilliard has made 9 consecutive free throws.
Nikola Milutinov is ranked second in the league with 7.5 rebounds per game. He leads the league with 3.5 offensive rebounds per game. Nikola is ranked 10th all-time with 418 offensive rebounds. Bryant Dunston of Anadolu Efes Istanbul is ninth with 420 and counting.
Milutinov is third in the league in two-point accuracy at 73.6%.
Janis Strelnieks ranks sixth all-time in free-throw accuracy at 90.9%.
PAST MATCHUPS
Wins-losses: 3-4
19-Feb-1970. European Champions Cup. 1/4 Final. Group Stage. CSKA – ASVEL: 109-70 (+39)
26-Feb-1970. European Champions Cup. 1/4 Final. Group Stage. ASVEL – CSKA: 99-89 (-10)
20-Dec-2000. Suproleague. Regular Season. ASVEL – CSKA: 72-80 (+8)
08-Mar-2001. Suproleague. Regular Season. CSKA – ASVEL: 83-91 (-8)
31-Oct-2002. Euroleague. Regular Season. ASVEL – CSKA: 99-87 (-12)
15-Jan-2003. Euroleague. Regular Season. CSKA – ASVEL: 85-65 (+20)
08-Nov-2019. Euroleague. Regular Season. ASVEL – CSKA: 67-66 (-1)
SHORT DOSSIER
Founded: 1948
Colors: black, white, grey
Homecourt: Astroballe (5,556)
President: Tony Parker
Head coach: TJ Parker
Website: ldlcasvel.com
