Game Of The Week: Chasing The Leaders

UNICS Kazan hosts Khimki Moscow Region in the Game of the Week.

Who:
UNICS, 2014-15 VTB United League quarterfinalists
vs.
Khimki, 2014-15 VTB United League finalists, 2014-15 Eurocup champions

Where:
Basket Hall (capacity 7,000), Kazan, Russia

When:
1:00 PM (1:00 PM MSK), November 22, 2015

TV:
NTV+, Match TV, United League TV

Face to Face
There's a lot of history between these two Russian powerhouses. During the 2010-11 season, Khimki and UNICS met a grand total of nine times, including at the VTB United League Final Four in Kazan. Khimki won that matchup, advancing to the title game and ultimately defeating CSKA to capture the championship.

During the 2011-12 season, Khimki and UNICS were drawn together in the same regular season group. Moscow Region came out on top once again, winning both contests by a total of six points. During the following season, UNICS finally got a win, knocking off Khimki at home, 76-70. Moscow Region won the return game at the BCMO.

The bitter rivals met in the Russian Cup semifinals in 2014. Kazan advanced with a combined score of 152-138, going on to capture the title. Last season, UNICS and Khimki traded home wins (80-56 in Khimki and 75-73 in Kazan).

Looking Back

Intrigue
Earlier this week, UNICS defeated Steaua on the road to improve its position in the Eurocup.

The victory followed a visit to Moscow in the VTB United League. 5-1 entering the showdown with CSKA, UNICS had a chance to pass the Army Men in the standings, but a dismal first half doomed Evgeny Pashutin's squad to defeat. On Sunday, UNICS hopes to redeem itself against another top contender.

Khimki's last game in the league was on November 8, a 30-point win over Kalev, but the team has been very active in Europe.

The Yellow-Blues battled two of Europe's top teams on the road over the last two weeks: Fenerbahce and Real Madrid. Moscow Region earned an impressive split, knocking off Madrid on Wednesday.

Domestically, Khimki has yet to score a signature win, losing to both CSKA and Nizhny Novgorod.

Tied for 4th in the VTB United League with a 5-2 record, Khimki and UNICS have an excellent opportunity to make up for recent disappointment in the league.

UNICS guard Keith Langford starred for Khimki from 2009-2011, but he's not the only former Khimki player on Kazan's roster. Anton Ponkrashov, Vadim Panin, Petr Gubanov and Valery Likhodei previously suited up for Moscow Region.

Khimki forward Maxim Sheleketo, meanwhile, played for UNICS during the 2013-14 season. There's plenty of connections between these two elite clubs.

Question
UNICS's defense or Khimki's offense?

Sunday's game features a clash of cultures. Coached by Evgeny Pashutin, UNICS relies on defense, discipline and always giving 110%. Khimki, meanwhile, emphasizes ball movement and a frenetic pace with several players capable of scoring in bunches. Which approach will prove more effective in this game?

Duel
Quino Colom (UNICS) vs. Tyrese Rice (Khimki).

These two point guards embody each team's approach. Rice has proved many times that he's one of Europe's top attacking guards. Colom, on the other hand, is known for his defense, though he can also contribute on offense. Both players rank in the league's top 15 for efficiency rating and meet for the first time on Sunday in Kazan.

Quotes
UNICS head coach Evgeny Pashutin:
- Khimki has momentum right now thanks to the win over Real in Madrid. It should be a tough game. We'll need to focus and be extremely attentive for all 40 minutes. We'll focus on defense because Khimki plays up-tempo, exciting basketball and likes to attack from the perimeter. Rice, Shved and Koponen will be a threat outside, while Davis is dangerous under the basket. We will need to bother them on defense and make it a physical game. On offense, we need to be just as active as we were in Bucharest. We need to move the ball and find our opponent's weaknesses on defense. We'll try to play team basketball.

Khimki head coach Rimas Kurtinaitis:
- UNICS is a good team with talented players on the roster. At the moment, they are playing with confidence and we know how tough it is to play in Kazan. Langford keeps the offense humming. He plays a lot of minutes and is very productive. When he plays well, the team wins. But when teams have success against him on defense, Kazan struggles. Milaknis is off to a good start and Likhodei has become one of UNICS's top contributors. We expect a tough game.

Prediction
- I'm confident that the outcome of the game will depend on the energy each team brings, - says Zenit head coach Vasily Karasev and former Khimki guard. - Whoever is better motivated will come out on top. Khimki may have more star players, but UNICS is playing at home, which is absolutely a big factor. One thing is for sure: it should be a very interesting matchup. I think the odds are even. It could all come down to the final minutes.