Andrei Kirilenko and CSKA Moscow: Week of 12/5

CSKA’s Euroleague matchup this week was against KK Zagreb. AK was still out, but he and Nenad Krstic were presented with their Euroleague MVP awards for the months of, respectively, October and November prior to tip-off.

I don’t know if CSKA does this before every game, but it’s pretty cool that they have their inactive players out in the arena concourse signing autographs before games. You can see AK at the center table…or just follow where that long line in the middle leads.

CSKA won the game 87-74, remaining undefeated in Euroleague. Only two more games before the Euroleague Top 16 (Playoffs) starts.

The second game of the week was a PBL matchup against Khimki. AK’s return to the court occurred three weeks to the day of his injury, and he came off the bench…in a mask (and taped eyebrow, and bandaged shoulder).

This wasn’t the first time we’ve seen him in a mask, though. Remember this?

AK only logged 7 minutes in the game, and was 0-4 from the floor with no positive stats (1 foul, 1 TO). CSKA just couldn’t get it going and suffered its first loss (65-75) since October 11th, which was AK’s first game with the team. Afterwards, both CSKA coach Jonas Kazlauskas and AK said that he probably returned too early.

AK’s other BFF and Russia national team captain Sergei Monia, post-game: “Something something something Kirilenko something something something something something something something.”

Yes, this is why you come here for all your news.

Last random note: Interesting that beside each player’s name tag on their lockers, there are tags with the players’ children’s names (with date and place of birth) on them.

Now, that’s something you won’t ever see in the NBA. Lockers are simply too small. Shawn Kemp would’ve had to have his own locker room.

I lied. This is the last random note. The outfits that Russian cheerleaders wear…