Avtodor vs Zenit. Preview
Context
In the last 6 games, the Saratov team lost twice to Uralmash — at home (67:76) and away (79:60), crushed the struggling Astana (106:64), had a poor performance against CSKA (65:112), but managed a hard-fought victory over Pari NN (94:83), and finally, lost to their direct playoff rival Enisey (81:75). It cannot be denied that the Volga team's play lacks consistency, which affects their results.
Bryant Crawford (15.2 points + 4.6 assists) and Kerem Kanter (13 points + 4.7 rebounds) have stepped into leading roles in the team, with Kanter becoming the clear leader, which earned him recognition from the League and an invitation to participate in the All-Star Game 2025.
Meanwhile, Caleb Agada is the best in the tournament in assists and steals. On average, the guard steals the ball 2.6 times per game and dishes out 6.5 assists.
Head-to-head
The upcoming game will be the 28th encounter between the teams in the VTB United League. Zenit has won 21 times, while Saratov has won 6.
Quotes
Zenit's head coach Xavi Pascual shared his thoughts on the upcoming match against Avtodor:
It's a difficult game in front of us, despite the fact that we have some troubles in this moment. We have to find a way to win and for this we need to play an excellent game against one opponent that is playing very good basketball and will put everything very complicated for us. So, if we want to win, we've got to play very well.
Who. Where. When
Opponent: Avtodor
Location: Kristall Sports Palace, Saratov
Date: January 19, 16:00 (St. Petersburg time)
Broadcast: Okko Sport, VTB League website, Start TV
