Unics Kazan go up against Emporio Armani Milano in Group G of the Turkish Airlines Euroleague Top 16 and you can watch all the action live online.
Two teams on opposite ends of Top 16 Group G meet in Kazan, Russia, where Unics hosts EA7 Emporio Armani Milano on Wednesday.
Unics (2-0), the group leader, comes off a sensational road win against defending champion Panathinaikos and has won 8 of its last 9 Turkish Airlines Euroleague games. Armani (0-2) needs to start winning to avoid running out of chances.
Both teams face each other for the first time in European club competitions. It will be a special game for Lynn Greer, who played for Milan last season. Unics leads the Top 16 in fouls drawn (50) and free throws made (38). Armani is last in scoring (60 ppg.), free throw percentage (51.7%) and turnovers (18.5).
Unics’ Nathan Jawai did not play in the Russian League this weekend due to family reasons that forced him to travel back to his country.
His status for Wednesday's game is unknown even when the club expects to be back in time to face Milano. Bostjan Nachbar made his Euroleague return against Panathinaikos last week.
Armani is still without Malik Hairston. The club signed J.R. Bremer but he is ineligible to play until Top 16 Game 4.
Armani will have to focus on stopping Henry Domercant, who is having a sensational season as Unics' scoring leader. Domercant has plenty of help at both wings, as Nachbar offers versatility and experience, Kelly McCarty is a tough swingman with size and know-how, while Terrell Lyday is often used as off-guard to make the most out of his explosive transition game and three-point shots.
Domercant will not have it easy against up-and-coming talent Alessandro Gentile, who continues to adjust to a new competition. Lyday will have the chance to test his shooting and one-on-one skills against former Euroleague champion and Alphonso Ford Top Scoring winner Drew Nicholas.
McCarty and Nachbar are ready for what promises to be a very interesting match-up against Stefano Mancinelli, whose size and driving skills could be a big factor in this game.
Omar Cook, who led the Top 16 in assists in each of the last three seasons, is now second behind Unics’ Petr Samoylenko, creating an interesting match-up between pass-first playmakers. Jacopo Giachetti and Greer will be ready to contribute intensity off their respective benches.
Unics needs to stop Ioannis Bourousis down low, a job that will go to Jawai and Aleksey Savrasenko. Mason Rocca must use his rebounding skills and hustle against Vladimir Veremeenko, one of the pillars of the Unics offence.
The match-up between a much more experienced Antonis Fotsis and Mike Wilkinson is another one to watch. Expect a tactically rich game in Kazan on Wednesday.
