Leading the league

PRE-GAME BREAKDOWN

The Muscovites took advantage of another long pause to rest and return to the rhythm of the game. The team is using the same players with the involvement of several players of the second team. In addition, coach Stefanos Dedas and Alleric Freeman, who was undergoing therapy, joined the teammates. The American guard is currently practicing individually.

The red-blues approach the meeting with Nizhny as the leader of the regular season of the VTB United League after the defeat of UNICS in Krasnodar.

WORD TO THE COACH

Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:

Nizhny is a very serious opponent. We have big respect to them for what they are doing all this years. They have everybody healthy, their guards are capable of creating things from Khvostov to Kulagin and all others. Obviously Astapkovic is very important player, they can play Gankevich and Toropov at bigs together or they can use Antipov who is shooting over 50% three-pointers. It's a well-coached team, we must match their energy, enthusiasm and youth that is obvious on the court, from the beginning until the end. We are also doing good, we had some quality practices. It's a kind of strange situation to have 11 days between games, we used them to rest some people and to have good practices.

PAST MATCHUPS

Win-loss record: 32-4

2021-22 season game:
03-Oct-2021. N.Novgorod – CSKA: 72-92 (+20)

SHORT DOSSIER

BC Nizhny Novgorod

Founded: 2000
Colors: white, black
Homecourt: Labor Unions Palace of Sports (5,000)
CEO: Denis Moskvin
Head coach: Zoran Lukic
Website: www.nn-basket.ru
Accomplishments: VTB United League runner-ups (2014), Russian Championship runner-up (2014), Superleague B champion (2010), Russian Cup finalists (2011)