Two wins in two days vs. Nizhny Novgorod 0

Zalgiris (Lithuania) topped Nizhny Novgorod (Russia) at home, 66-62, in Game 2 of their VTB United League Playoffs quarterfinal series. The visiting team played a great first half, but a lack of focus early in the third quarter did Nizhny in. Game 3 will be played on May 18 in Nizhny Novgorod.

Intro
Nizhny Novgorod gave notice from the opening tip that it didn’t want to head home with two losses. The Volga club played at a high tempo and, thanks to conscientious defense, dominated most of the first quarter. Trailing 17-8 with 2:40 to play, Zalgiris salvaged the period with a 9-2 run to pull within two, 19-17.

Even for the first half of the second quarter, Dijon Thompson’s dunk with 4:50 to play sparked another Nizhny run. Captain Semen Antonov led the Black-Whites, scoring six unanswered points, while teammate Vadim Panin capped his surge with a 3-pointer. That briefly gave Nizhny Novgorod a double-digit lead, 38-28, though Oliver Lafayette and Robertas Javtokas were able to cut it to six, 38-32, by halftime.

The beginning of the third quarter was all Zalgiris. Led by the Lavrinovic brothers, Zalgiris tied the game just four minutes into the half. Nizhny Novgorod couldn’t handle Zalgiris’s big men, collecting five quick fouls. Russian guard Ivan Savelyev even fouled out. It only got worse, however, for the visiting team. Nizhny didn’t score until the 7:18 mark in the quarter as the Lavrinovic twins shut down every opening in the paint.

Zalgiris’s lead had grown to nine points and the Russian club’s frustration could be seen on the court. Dmitri Golovin helped stabilize Nizhny a bit, converting four straight free throws, but Zalgiris still led by nine, 56-47, entering the fourth quarter and appeared firmly in control.

Turning Point
The final period went according to plan for Joan Plaza. The pace slowed and neither team had much luck on offense. Nizhny Novgorod needed to make a run to have any chance at winning, but struggled to take care of the ball.

With three minutes to play, however, the home team’s lead had shrunk to five points. Nizhny Novgorod had two good looks at the basket on its next possession, but Semen Shashkov and Vadim Panin’s 3-pointers both missed the mark.

Still, Shashkov’s dunk with 14 seconds to play cut the deficit to one possession, 64-62. Forced to foul, Zalgiris’s Mindaugas Kaukenas converted both free throws and Zalgiris escaped with a second-straight win, 66-62.

Nizhny Novgorod played well in the intimidating Kaunas Arena and created numerous problems for Joan Plaza’s club. The Russians will hope to find that extra boost at home in Game 3, scheduled for May 18.

Star of the Game
Darjus Lavrinovic. As we said earlier, the unstoppable Lavrinovic brothers changed the direction of the game in the third quarter. Darjus played the leading role, scoring a team-high 19 points in the process.

Top Performers
Zalgiris: Darjus Lavrinovic – 19 points; Oliver Lafayette – 14 points; Rimantas Kaukenas – 14 points.

Nizhny Novgorod: Dmitri Golovin – 12 points, eight rebounds, seven assists; Dijon Thompson – nine points, six rebounds; Semen Antonov – eight points, five assists.