Coaches speak of a "great game against a great opponent, who is of course the favorite". Devin Booker calls it "a great opportunity for us to show our capabilities in the EuroLeague". And Leon Radosevic predicts: "It's one of the hardest games possible. But if we reach the level of the last two games, we have a chance."
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The duel between the Bavarian basketball team and the legitimate title favourite ZSKA Moscow for game seven in the EuroLeague promises to be an exciting game. Before a strenuous week with four games - Sunday in Leipzig, Tuesday against Olympiakos, Thursday on Gran Canaria and the next Sunda against Gießen - the German champions have had a relative huge amount of time to prepare for the high-class visitors. The star ensemble from the Russian capital will compete in the Audi Dome on Friday evening, November 16, starting at 20:00 CET.
"They are always among the best, have won all their games so far and will certainly fight for the trophy again this year", said FCBB coach Dejan Radonjic, whose team (3-3) should appear self-confident after the 116-70 over Darussafaka Istanbul. "But to upset them, you have to play perfectly at both ends of the field." His experienced center Leon Radosevic said: "With the self-confidence we have at the moment after several very good games, it is easier against such an opponent. They've been in the Final Four for many years, that's unbelievable. But when we reach our peak level again, especially on defense, we can take advantage of our home-court advantage."
14 times in 15 years in the Final Four of the EuroLeague
If you want to understand the significance of ZSKA Moscow in European basketball, you only have to look into the record list of the financially strong sports club. Since 2003, ZSKA has been a regular guest in the semi-finals of the EuroLeague, and they have been among the Final Four a staggering 14 times; only in 2010/2011 they were kicked out in the first round for a change. Six times in the finals of the premier class and three times at the top of the podium, in 2006, 2008 and finally 2016. ZSKA won the former European Cup of National Champions four times in the 1960s and 1970s, and the club is also coninually dominant in the national league. In the former Soviet Union, ZSKA won 24 titles, followed by 22 Russian championships.
This season ZSKA is undefeated in the EuroLeague (6-0) as well as in the Eastern European VTB-League (7-0) which is around since 2008. Last weekend the top game in Lokomotiv Kuban was won 93-76 without any problems with help from Nando De Colo's 30 points.
Sergio Rodriguez (10.5 ppg, 5.2 apg) is supposedly the best paid professional in Europe, followed by the MVP of the sixth EuroLeague gameday, top scorer Cory Higgings (16 ppg), US centers Kyle Hines (8.8 ppg) and Othello Hunter (8.3 ppg). Former Ulmer, Will Clyburn (12.7 ppg) and so on. The Greek coach Dimitris Itoudis has started his fifth season with only one mission: to again win Europe's crown.
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