First European back-to-back

Our team left to Istanbul to play against Anadolu Efes on the next day after beating PAO.

Pre-game breakdown

Only Pavel Korobkov (foot) remains sidelined for the Army Men.

Derrick Brown and Birkan Batuk are nursing injuries and have not yet played a game for Efes this season.

Pre-game quotes

Dimitris Itoudis, CSKA head coach:

This will be our first game in EuroLeague back-to-back sets. So to manage players’ rotation will be especially important. Efes started the season from 3 losses in 3 games but that makes them even more dangerous on their home court. We have to be aware and ready because the team has individual quality.

Vitaly Fridzon, CSKA guard:

It will be difficult to play on the road just two days after previous game but we will be ready. Efes collected good team this year and we should not be fooled by their current record. Our primary goal is to play the same tough defense that helped us beat Panathinaikos.

“Relativity” connections

Nando De Colo played under Efes head coach Velimir Perasovic at Valencia Basket during the 2011-12 campaign.

Efes forward Derrick Brown was a teammate of CSKA forward Nikita Kurbanov at Lokomotiv Kuban Krasnodar during the 2014-15 campaign.

Cory Higgins and Brown played for the Charlotte Bobcats in 2011-12 season.

Birkan Batuk of Efes and Will Clyburn of CSKA were teammates at Darussafaka Istanbul last season.

Efes big man Bryant Dunston was a teammate at Olympiacos of CSKA Moscow center Othello Hunter in 2014-15 season.

Important numbers

Nando De Colo has made 25 consecutive free throws in EuroLeague action. He is the EuroLeague career leader in free throw accuracy at 93.52%.

Sergio Rodriguez has made at least 1 three-pointer in 12 straight EuroLeague games.

Will Clyburn is the EuroLeague leader in rebounds through three rounds with an average of 9.3 per game.

Andrey Vorontsevich needs 2 offensive rebounds to reach 200 for his EuroLeague career.

Vitaly Fridzon needs 2 three-pointers to reach 200 for his EuroLeague career.

Sergio Rodriguez is ranked 10 all-time on the EuroLeague assists charts with 769, behind his former Spanish national teammate Juan Carlos Navarro (795 and counting) of FC Barcelona Lassa.

Past matchups

Wins/losses: 14-9
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)

Short dossier

Anadolu Efes Istanbul, Turkey
Founded: 1976
Colors: white, blue
Home Court: Abdi Ipekci Arena (12,270)
President: Tuncay Ozilhan
Head Coach: Velimir Perasovic
Website: www.efesbasket.org
Trophy case:
- Korac Cup winner (1996);
- 13-time Turkish champion (1978/79, 82/83, 83/84, 91/92, 92/93, 93/94, 95/96, 96/97, 2001/02, 02/03, 03/04, 04/05, 08/09);
- 10-time Turkish Cup winner (1994, 96, 97, 98, 2001, 02, 06, 07, 09, 15);
- 9-time Turkish President Cup winner (1986, 92, 93, 96, 98, 2000, 06, 09, 10)