Reset For Khimki vs. Loko

Khimki Moscow Region hosts Lokomotiv-Kuban Krasnodar in the Game of the Week.

Who:
Khimki, 2014-15 VTB United League finalists, 2014-15 Eurocup champions
vs.
Lokomotiv-Kuban, 2014-15 VTB United League semifinalists

Where:
BCMO (capacity 4,000), Khimki, Russia

When:
7:30 PM (7:30 PM MSK), December 7, 2015

TV:
NTV+, Match TV, United League TV

Face to Face
Surprisingly, Khimki and Lokomotiv-Kuban have played just 18 times, with Moscow Region holding a 12-6 advantage in the all-time series.

Last season was the biggest year yet for the budding rivalry. Khimki and Lokomotiv met seven times in the VTB United League, including a dramatic five-game playoff semifinal series. Khimki won twice in the regular season, 87-67 on the road and 85-78 at home. In the playoffs, Lokomotiv initially took a 2-1 lead, before Khimki stormed back for a 3-2 series win and advanced to the finals against CSKA.

Looking Back

Intrigue
Khimki didn't just knock Lokomotiv out of the VTB United League. Rimas Kurtinaitis's men also won the Eurocup, one of Lokomotiv's major goals during the 2014-15 season. In response, the Railwaymen made major changes, including a new head coach. Now Kuban looks to prove it can exact some revenge against Khimki for last year's disappointment.
Khimki played a big game in the Euroleague last week, losing on the road to Crvena Zvezda to miss out on clinching a spot in the Top 16. Loko also lost at home to Zielona Gora in the Euroleague, though Kuban has already book a berth in the next round.

In the VTB United League, both teams are coming off wins. Khimki defeated Enisey, while Loko knocked off Kalev. Khimki and Loko are 5th and 6th in the VTB United League standings, respectively, and Krasnodar has a chance to pass Moscow Region with a win on Monday. The matchup between the league's 2nd-best offense (Khimki) and top defense (Lokomotiv) will be fascinating to watch.

There's extra intrigue with Lokomotiv forward Victor Claver taking on Khimki for the first time since signing with Krasnodar over the summer. Khimki decided not to extend Claver's contract and he'll be extremely motivated to make Moscow Region regret that decision. Loko forward Nikita Balashov also spent one season with Khimki, while Maxim Sheleketo played at Lokomotiv for five years from 2008-2013.

Question
How will Khimki cope without Paul Davis and Ruslan Pateev?

Moscow Region lost the two big men to injuries in recent weeks, while Marko Todorovic is playing through a knee injury. Anatoly Kashirov is currently on trial at Khimki, but the team is still very short-handed in the frontcourt. Against Crvena Zvezda, Khimki got out-rebounded 46-29 and gave up a lot of points in the paint.

As for Lokomotiv, practically everyone is health with Anthony Randolph making his long-awaited return in late November. He played extremely well against Kalev in his first VTB United League appearance, giving Kuban added depth down low.

Of course, Khimki was in a similar spot during last year's playoff run. Playing without James Augustine and getting limited minutes from Davis and Pateev, Khimki managed to overcome a 2-1 deficit to Lokomotiv and reach the finals. Will Moscow Region have enough in the tank for this regular-season showdown?

Duel
Tyrese Rice (Khimki) vs. Malcolm Delaney (Lokomotiv-Kuban).

The matchup between star point guards will have a big impact on tomorrow's outcome. Both players are very skilled, with Delaney looking to get revenge on Rice for last season's playoff exit.

Quotes
Khimki head coach Rimas Kurtinaitis:
- After the loss to Crvena Zvezda in the Euroleague, everyone was very disappointed because it was the first game we lost that we could have won. Now we have a game in the VTB United League and we need to shift gears. It's tough for the team to play every two to three days, especially in such big games. Our opponent, Lokomotiv Krasnodar, is playing very well, despite its loss to Zielona Gora. I don't think they were very focused because they already booked a place in the next round. Lokomotiv is one of our biggest rivals and we're always battling them.

Lokomotiv-Kuban assistant head coach Christos Pappas:
- Everyone understands Khimki's status and how important this game is to our position in the VTB United League. We expect tremendous focus and effort from our players given the situation.

Prediction
- It's tough to predict this type of game, - says EuroBasket 2007 champion Nikita Morgunov, who played for both Khimki and Lokomotiv-Kuban. - Rimas Kurtinaitis's squad has more stars and depth. They have a lot of different lineup options. Of course, you have to take into consideration the injuries to Paul Davis and Ruslan Pateev.

In my opinion, Lokomotiv-Kuban is more focused on the Euroleague right now, even though they want to win every game. Georgios Bartzokas's rotation is not very deep. Yes, Loko can pull out wins and get a good result, but it's tough for them to do over and over again. I think Khimki will be favored playing at home with the support of the fans.