East Classico

PRE-GAME BREAKDOWN

The last place of Zalgiris in the standings should not deceive you. Yes, the Lithuanian team had a disgusting start, having nine losses in a row and changing the coach. But since then, a lot has changed, and the results in the previous four EuroLeague games for Kaunas and Moscow sides are the same - 3-1.

The Army Team coaching staff has all the roster at its disposal. Though only 13 players went to Lithuania as Vladimir Ivlev, Andrey Lopatin and Alexander Khomenko remained at home. On the other side Joffrey Lauvergne stays on the injured list.

REFEREES

Robert Lottermoser (crew chief, Germany), Emilio Perez (Spain), Tomas Trawicki (Poland).

PRE-GAME QUOTES

Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:

We play against a team that already established the ideas and philosophy of a new coach. Jure [Zdovc] is there already for quite of the time. They have a healthy team, they are altogether again. Definitely the fact that they won 3 games out of last 4 in EuroLeague shows us that they improved on both ends, defensively and offensively. They are beating the teams by keeping them low or by high-scoring efforts. At home, with a boost from their fans, Zalgiris becomes very dangerous team, it’s always difficult to play there. But we are in good momentum as well, we have most of players back, we are practicing, that’s the healthiest thing that you can have. We are going there to compete on the highest level.

Marius Grigonis, CSKA guard/forward:

I feel normal. I just want to see my family, I wait for the game, I wait to come to the arena before the game. I am a bit nervous but it’s a good feeling to go home for anyone. A lot of fans will come, obviously you want to show yourself, but if we win, I don’t care [about personal performance], the most important thing is to get the W and go home [to Moscow].

“RELATIVITY” CONNECTIONS

Marius Grigonis is a pupil of Zalgiris. He played for the junior teams of the club from 2009 to 2013, and it was in Kaunas where he made his debut in professional basketball. After five years abroad, Marius returned home and spent the previous three seasons with the Greens.

In his only season with Alba Berlin (2017-18), Grigonis played with Niels Giffey.

Janis Strelnieks joined Zalgiris this past summer after spending the last two years with CSKA.

Strelnieks also played with Nikita Kurbanov for Spartak St. Petersburg (2012-13) and with Nikola Milutinov for Olympiacos (2017-19).

Milutinov and Joffrey Lauvergne of Zalgiris were teammates at Partizan Belgrade from 2012 to 2014.

Lavergne spent two incomplete seasons at the Denver Nuggets (2014-15 and 15-16), where he played alongside Kenneth Faried.

Mantas Kalnietis crossed paths in Lokomotiv-Kuban with two Army Team players - Kurbanov (2014-15) and Vladimir Ivlev (2019-20).

Zoran Dragic played for Khimki with Alexey Shved (2015-16).

Toko Shengelia and Dragic played together for Baskonia in the 2019-20 season.

IMPORTANT NUMBERS

Johannes Voigtmann has made at least 1 three-point shot in nine of his last 10 games.

Voigtmann has recorded double-digit PIRs in 11 of his last 12 games.

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

Tornike Shengelia has scored in double figures in six of his last seven games.

Shengelia has made at least 1 three-pointer in six of his last seven games.

Shengelia needs 5 free throws to reach 500 for his career.

Tornike Shengelia ranks sixth this season in average PIR with 17.4 per game. Will Clyburn is seventh with 17.1 per game.

Will Clyburn ranks fourth this season in scoring with 16.0 per game. Tornike Shengelia ranks seventh in scoring with 15.1 per game.

Will Clyburn has made 12 consecutive free throws.

Milutinov ranks eighth on the all-time list with 475 offensive rebounds. Bryant Dunston of Anadolu Efes Istanbul is seventh with 478 and counting.

Alexey Shved is tied for seventh this season in assists with 4.5 per game.

Shved ranks 13th on the all-time charts with 840 assists. Nando De Colo is 12th with 842 and counting.
Marius Grigonis is ranked third all-time in free throw accuracy at 92.3%.

Shved moved into seventh all-time with 438 three-point shots made for his career. Milos Teodosic is sixth with 471.

Shved ranks 10th all-time in scoring with 2,880 points. Mike James of AS Monaco is ninth with 2,889 and counting.

Shved is in 11th place all-time with 590 free throws made for his career. Mike James is 10th with 600 and counting.

PAST MATCHUPS

Wins/losses (since 1999): 27-7

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)
2020-21 – EuroLeague. Regular season. Zalgiris – CSKA: 78-87 (+9)
2020-21 – EuroLeague. Regular season. CSKA – Zalgiris: 83-73 (+10)

SHORT DOSSIER

Zalgiris Kaunas, Lithuania

Founded: 1944
Colors: green, white
Home court: Zalgirio Arena (15.000 зрителей)
President: Paulius Motejunas
Head coach: Jure Zdovc
Website: www.zalgiris.lt
Trophy case: Euroleague champion (1999), 33-time Lithuanian champion (1946, 1950, 1952-55, 1958, 1991-99, 2001, 2003-05, 2007-08, 2011-21), 5-time Baltic League champion (2005, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012), NEBL champion (1999), 9-time Lithuanian Federation Cup winner (2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2020, 2021), Intercontinental Cup winner (1986), 4-time USSR champion (1951, 1985, 1986, 1987), USSR Cup winner (1953)