By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The panel includes Joe Arlauckas, former EuroLeague champion and Euroleague TV commentator; Dimitris Karydas, basketball expert and TV commentator at NOVAsports.gr in Greece; Vladimir Stankovic, veteran journalist and longtime EuroLeague.net collaborator; Nikos Varlas, Editor in Chief, Eurohoops.net; and Igor Petrinovic of Euroleague.net.
In a special playoffs edition of the Round Table, each makes his predictions as to which teams will advance to the Final Four!
Which team will win the playoff series CSKA vs. Khimki, in how many games, and why?
Joe Arlauckas
If there is any series here that we can take a risk and call it a possibly easy series, this would be the one. Please make sure that Coach Itoudis doesn’t read this because I am sure he will have a few choice words and “Are you crazy?” looks for me. Come on, Coach, we know that this is just what you wanted. I do not see this series going more than three games based on CSKA‘s dominance of Khimki and the fact that the “other” team in Moscow is just happy to be there. CSKA 3-0 Khimki
Dimitris Karydas
Coach Bartzokas has made an amazing job this year but is matched up against the most undesirable opponent in the playoffs. Since 2013, CSKA has won four straight series of finals or semifinals in the VTB League against Khimki, three of them with sweeps, and has won three straight games against their Moscow neighbors since 2015 in the EuroLeague. Tradition counts a lot in that particular pairing, especially if someone considers that CSKA is 12-0 in qualifications to the Final Four when it has home-court advantage. It is hard to see in a different way this battle between two Russian teams and two Greek coaches. CSKA 3-0 Khimki
Vladimir Stankovic
I see CSKA as the clear favorite. More of a team, more quality, more experience, less dependence on one player. Better offense (89.5 points per game) and good defense (79.2 points against), too. CSKA 3-0 Khimki
Nikos Varlas
CSKA Moscow and the Final Four have become… one and the same. We only have to consider that in the last 15 seasons they’ve only missed one, in 2011. They have more quality, experience, solutions, and a complete roster. On a good day, Khimki Moscow Region can look CSKA square in the eyes and make things hard for them. I believe, though, that in this series the team with the greatest depth is the one that will prevail. CSKA 3-1 Khimki
Igor Petrinovic
I think CSKA continues its dominance over Khimki. CSKA is 16-2 against Khimki under Dimitris Itoudis, and has won last 14 games against its city-rival. A lot of those wins, and all four this season, were by double-digit margins. Also, CSKA has won its last 18 playoff home games, and has never lost a EuroLeague playoff series. Khimki could benefit from returns of Tyler Honeycutt and James Anderson, and CSKA will certainly miss Kyle Hines, but I still expect CSKA to get through the playoffs unscratched. CSKA 3-0 Khimki