By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
In a game with a high-stakes for the playoffs race, it was Khimki Moscow Region which came up with the win over Maccabi FOX Tel Aviv on the road 94-91. And Alexey Shved was a big part of this.
It’s not a secret that Shved is one of the best scorers in Europe, but he proved he can be an excellent passer too. When Maccabi was trying to overtake the lead in the third quarter, Shved made a difference with his passing touch. He ran a pick and roll clinic giving easy buckets to his teammates.
Shved finished the game with 12 assist which was his career-high in the Euroleague. He was struggling from the three-point line as he was 1/9 from the downtown, but his great all-around performance with 22 points, 12 assists and 5 rebounds was enough for the win.
Pierre Jackson hit a three with 80 seconds left in the last quarter, tying the game at 84-84. Jackson finished the game with a game-high of 26 points, but it was not enough for Maccabi. Anthony Gill was ice-cold nailing an open three that sealed the deal for Khimki as he finished the game with 24 points which was his career-high adding also seven rebounds.
The Russian side tried to make this game one-sided affair making a double-digit lead midway through the second quarter (36-25). The plan didn’t work as the hosts were able to cut down the deficit up to five points at the end of the first half (44-39) and everything was eventually decided by details.
Before the game, Maccabi retired the jersey of their big legend Devin Smith with the help of a zeppelin, but the visitors spoiled the celebration.
Khimki was playing without Thomas Robinson, Tyler Honeycutt, Dmitry Sokolov and Timofey Yakushin, but still managed to record a win. With this win, Khimki moved up 15-11 record leaving Maccabi on a 13-13 record.
Photo credit: Euroleague