CSKA at Khimki
Date: 1/30
Time: 6:00 PM CET
Game Preview
CSKA travels to Khimki on Thursday for the next edition of the Leningradka Derby. Things have gone better for the Army team thus far, with star point guard Mike James leading the club to a 15-6 record. The opponents, who are led by Alexey Shved, are an exceptional offensive team, but their defense -- or lack thereof -- is the main reason they are only 9-12 thus far. Clearly, the marquee matchup will be between the two star guards, both of whom lead their respective teams in points, assists, and three-pointers. James has done so relatively efficiently, shooting 44.2 from the field and 44.4 from beyond the arc. He's aided by sharpshooter Darrun Hilliard, who's chipping in 10.6 points per game, and versatile forward Kyle Hines, the heart of the defense. Shved is surrounded by a supporting cast that offers a bit more offensively but struggles on the defensive end. Janis Timma, who played just one game between Rounds 8-15, is fully healthy and regularly scoring in double figures. Other options include Devin Booker, Jonas Jerebko, and Anthony Gill, who are all averaging between 9.4-11.7 points and 3.7-4.9 rebounds per contest. CSKA, which claimed a 99-86 victory last time these teams met in Round 3, will be the favorites; but they are sure to face a tough test from their fellow Russian squad, who will be playing at home and looking for a win to get their season back on track.
Injuries
CSKA Moscow
Will Clyburn - OUT - Knee
1/24 10:15 PM IST - Clyburn's recovery from a torn ACL is going as planned, according to CSKA's official Twitter account. The tram did not provide any other details regarding Clyburn's status, but it appears he has avoided any setbacks up to this point. He is still expected to miss the entire season but could be ready for Round 1 when the next campaign begins.
Darrun Hilliard - GTD - Head
1/30 12:16 AM IST - Hilliard is dealing with a head injury and will be a game-time decision for Thursday's game against Khimki, according to CSKA's official website. It's not clear when Hilliard suffered the injury, but he was held out of CSKA's last domestic league game as a precaution. He was able to participate in practice Wednesday, so while a final call on his availability will not be made until game day, it seems likely he will be able to take the court in Round 22.
Howard Sant-Roos - GTD - Ankle
1/30 12:13 AM IST - Sant-Roos injured his ankle in practice last weekend and will be a game-time decision for Thursday's game against Khimki, according to CSKA's official website. Sant-Roos was held out of CSKA's last domestic league game because of his injury, but he was able to practice with his teammates Wednesday, so he may not end up missing any EuroLeague action.
Janis Strelnieks - OUT - Hamstring
1/23 1:59 AM IST - Strelnieks (hamstring) will not play Thursday against Valencia, according to CSKA's official website. It's not clear where Strelnieks stands in his recovery, but per CSKA's original announcement of his injury, he remains out "long term."
Andrey Vorontsevich - OUT - Ankle
1/24 10:08 PM IST - Vorontsevich will miss several games after injuring his ankle warming up before Thursday's game against Valencia, according to CSKA's official Twitter account. Vorontsevich's injury prevented him from playing in Round 21, and it appears it will cost him at least another game or two.
Khimki
Petr Gubanov - OUT - Undisclosed
11/30 10:12 PM IST - Gubanov is with the Russian National Team for this weekend's FIBA qualifiers and will not be available for Khimki's Round 10 EuroLeague matchup with Panathinaikos, according to euroleague.net. Gubanov averaged 17 minutes per game in Rounds 4 and 5, but he has not seen EuroLeague action since, so his absence should not affect the rotation Khimki has been using of late.
Chris Kramer - GTD - Foot
1/23 8:26 PM IST - Kramer will not play Thursday against Baskonia due to a foot injury, according to euroleague.net. The extent of Kramer's injury is uncertain, but he will not take the court in Round 21, and will have played just three minutes over Khimki's last three EuroLeague games.
Timofey Mozgov - OUT - Undisclosed
11/6 10:12 PM IST - Mozgov (undisclosed) remains sidelined, according to Khimki's official website. Khimki is getting healthier as a team, but Mozgov continues to work his way back from his injury. A timeline for his return remains uncertain.
CSKA Moscow Probable Starters
G - Mike James
G - Darrun Hilliard
F - Nikita Kurbanov
F - Johannes Voigtmann
C - Kyle Hines
Khimki Probable Starters
G - Alexey Shved
G - Vyacheslav Zaytsev
F - Janis Timma
F - Jonas Jerebko
C - Devin Booker
Top Picks
Mike James, CSK - James sits third in the league in scoring and just 0.01 points behind Shved. He is shooting the ball well all over the court and is also contributing 3.4 rebounds, 4.4 assists, and 2.9 threes per game on the season.
Alexey Shved, KHI - Only Shane Larkin is scoring more points per game than Shved, who put up an average of 23.1 ppg over his last nine appearances. He's doing it less efficiently than James, shooting just 38.2 percent from the field and 31.0 percent behind the arc, but that matters less in fantasy contests. Shved is also chipping in 2.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 3.0 threes per contest.
Janis Timma, KHI - Timma is complementing Shved with averages of 13.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists, and 2.9 threes per game. He has eclipsed double figures in all but four of the 14 games he has played in this season.
Kyle Hines, CSK - Hines is CSKA's do-it-all forward and defensive anchor. He scored just 10 total points over the last two games but is contributing all over the place this season, averaging 8.8 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.0 block and 0.7 steals per game.
Captaincy Options
Dream 11 Team
Grand League Combination
James, Shved, Voigtmann, Sant-Roos
Small League Combination
James, Shved, Timma, Voigtmann
