By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Anadolu Efes crushed shorthanded Khimki Moscow 99 – 60 to close the double-game week with two wins and hand the Russian team its 12th straight loss and 18th overall in 20 matches of the EuroLeague regular season.
The 39-point deficit also marks the biggest defeat in Khimki’s EuroLeague history.
Sertac Sanli scored a EuroLeague career-high 19 points and along with Shane Larkin (15 points, five assists, five rebounds) led a generally balanced offensive effort by Efes. Bugrahan Tuncer also delivered a personal scoring record in EuroLeague with 12 points while Bryant Dunston dropped 12 points as well.
Khimki heavily struggled on both ends of the floor, especially in the second half, while having to deal with the absences of Greg Monroe, Jonas Jerebko, Jannis Timma and Stefan Jovic. Jordan Mickey (14 points), Alexey Shved (13 points) and Devin Booker (10 points, eight rebounds) scored in double figures from the losing side that absolutely collapsed in the second half en route to the blowout loss.
With Sanli dropping 11 points in the third quarter and by implementing some tough defense, Efes dominated the period 23 – 10 to turn what was already a comfortable affair into an absolute rout. Khimki was unable to compete and fell back even by 41, shortly before the end.
Photo: EuroLeague Basketball