By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Despite missing key players, CSKA Moscow was not an easy prey, but in the end Giannis Bourousis and Laboral Kutxa killed the Russian bear and got the 81-70 win after a really close game. The Greek center was amazing once more with 19 points, 13 rebounds and the decisive three of the game. Fabien Causer added 15 points, Darius Adams had 13, Toko Shengelia 11 points and Adam Hanga also scored 10. The two teams are now tied at 2-2.
Playing without Nando De Colo (ankle), Joel Freeland (leg) and Pavel Korobkov (knee) CSKA seemed to be in trouble at the start of the game, as the hosts got a 18-10 lead after the first period. However this version of the “army team” can turn it up on defense and that was evident in the rest of the first half.
Bourousis scored 12 points in the second period, but the rest of his teammates had just four and CSKA with a partial score 24-16 tied the score at half time (34-34) at the buzzer thanks to Kyle Hines. It also has to be noted that CSKA made just 1/11 threes during the first 20 minutes, however Baskonia couldn’t take advantage of this number.
The hosts tried to react in the second half and got an early 46-38 lead with Shengelia getting hot and scoring 7 quick points. Still CSKA didn’t faze, once again reacted and trailed by three at the end of the third period (57-54) despite having just 3/20 threes.
And then with five quick points by Milos Teodosic the score was tied at 59, eight minutes before the final buzzer. Cory Higgins with two minutes left made a three that gave to CSKA the edge (70-69), however this set the stage for an other big three by Bourousis (72-70), a turnover by Teodosic and a shot by Hanga (74-70). CSKA couldn’t score in the last minute and the game was over. Teodosic lost his temper and was disqualified with 18 points and 7 assists, while Laboral Kutxa got the chance to build an 11 points final difference.