ALBA Berlin at Khimki Preview
Date: 12/12
Time: 6:00 PM CET
Game Preview
ALBA Berlin, which won three of its last five EuroLeague games after starting 1-6, will head to Russia to square off against a Khimki team that has lost five straight games in EuroLeague play. ALBA will be led by its talented forward tandem of Rokas Giedraitis and Luke Sikma, who both scored in double figures in Round 12, and Khimki will counter with Alexey Shved, who sits third in the entire league in scoring. Khimki's chances of winning will be boosted if Janis Timma take the court, but without him, the Russian team will be a bit short-handed as they attempt to get back on the winning path.
Injuries
ALBA Berlin
Tyler Cavanaugh - OUT - Ankle
11/11 8:00 PM IST - Cavanaugh was diagnosed Monday with an ankle ligament injury that could keep him sidelined for up to three months, Emiliano Carchia of Sportando.com reports. Alba Berlin should provide a clearer timeline for Cavanaugh's timeline for a return after seeing how his recovery goes over his first few weeks on the sideline, but at this stage, it looks safe to rule him out from playing again until the calendar flips to 2020. The 25-year-old forward appeared in seven EuroLeague contests for Alba Berlin, averaging 8.7 points and 3.7 boards in 14.6 minutes per game.
Stefan Peno - OUT - Knee
11/12 11:23 PM IST - Peno (knee) is on track to resume practicing in early 2020, according to rbb24.de. Peno has already missed nine months since dislocating his kneecap in February, and it's going to be at least several more before he is ready to return to action. If all goes well in the coming weeks, though, Peno should be able to make it back at some point during the second half of the EuroLeague season.
Tim Schneider - OUT - Undisclosed
12/12 3:23 AM IST - Schneider (undisclosed) will not play Thursday against Khimki, according to ALBA's official website. Schneider will be unavailable for a second straight EuroLeague game; and with details regarding his injury uncertain, it remains to be seen when he will be ready to return to action.
Johannes Thiemann - OUT - Concussion
12/12 3:21 AM IST - Thiemann (concussion) will not play Thursday against Khimki, according to ALBA's official website. Thiemann has missed three weeks of action since suffering a concussion in Round 9, and it will be at least another week until takes the court again.
Khimki
Petr Gubanov - OUT - Undisclosed
11/30 10:12 PM IST - Gubanov is with the Russian National Team for this weekend's FIBA qualifiers and will not be available for Khimki's Round 10 EuroLeague matchup with Panathinaikos, according to euroleague.net. Gubanov averaged 17 minutes per game in Rounds 4 and 5, but he has not seen EuroLeague action since, so his absence should not affect the rotation Khimki has been using of late.
Timofey Mozgov - OUT - Undisclosed
11/6 10:12 PM IST - Mozgov (undisclosed) remains sidelined, according to Khimki's official website. Khimki is getting healthier as a team, but Mozgov continues to work his way back from his injury. A timeline for his return remains uncertain.
Janis Timma - GTD - Undisclosed
12/10 10:24 PM IST - Timma (undisclosed) did not play in Monday's domestic league game. It's not clear what is forcing Timma to the sidelines, but he was a late scratch from Khimki's last EuroLeague game and was unable to take the court Monday, as well. As a result, Timma's status is uncertain for his club's next EuroLeague game Thursday against ALBA Berlin.
Egor Vialtsev - GTD - Knee
11/29 9:08 PM IST - Vialtsev (knee) was on Khimki's roster for Thursday's loss to Fenerbahce. Vialtsev did not play in Round 11, but his inclusion among his club's 12 active players signals he could return to action in the near future.
ALBA Berlin Probable Starters
G - Marcus Eriksson
F - Rokas Giedraitis
F - Luke Sikma
C - Landry Nnoko
Khimki Probable Starters
G - Alexey Shved
G - Stefan Jovic
F - Anthony Gill
F - Janis Timma
C - Devin Booker
Top Dream11.com Picks
(Captain) Alexey Shved, BCK - Shved certainly is not shy when it comes to shooting the ball, and that has resulted in him scoring in double figures in all 11 EuroLeague games he has appeared in this season. He also sits 10th in the league in assists per game heading into Round 13.
Luke Sikma, BCK - Sikma started the season a bit slowly, but he has really picked up the pace lately, averaging 12.2 points, 7.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists over the last five Rounds. His numbers in the rebound and assist departments allow him to remain productive even when he's not scoring the ball as regularly.
Rokas Giedraitis, BCK - Giedraitis scored just 10 total points between Rounds 10 and 11, but he bounced back with 19 points last week and is easily leading his team in scoring at 13.5 points per game.
Captaincy Options
Grand League Combination
Shved, Giedraitis, Evans
Small League Combination
Shved, Sikma, Siva
