Khimki downs Real to end losing skid

Khimki Moscow Region finally returned to the winning column by fighting past Real Madrid 78-77 at home and snapping its 17-game losing streak. Alexey Shved scored 22 points - including the game-winning layup with 17 seconds left to go - along with 8 assists and 5 steals as Khimki prevailed for the first time since November 17. The win improved its record to 3-23. Errick McCollum came off the bench to tally 22 points and 7 assists and Jordan Mickey added 19 points and 6 rebounds. Real continued its struggles since mid-January in losing for the fifth time in eight games to fall to 16-11. Jaycee Carroll and Gabriel Deck both scored 15 points in the loss and Edy Tavares had 14 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks. Nicolas Laprovittola chipped in 12 points and Fabien Causeur had 11 points and 8 assists in a losing effort.

Shved opened the scoring for the hosts and Tavares did the honors for Real, which answered with 5 straight points. Khimki scored just that one basket in the first 4 minutes until Shved scored again. Mickey and Tavares put up a battle in the paint with opposing blocks and alley-oops while Sergey Karasev’s triple made it 11-9. Real countered with the next 7 points, including Carlos Alocen’s three-pointer to make it 11-16. Khimki came up with the final 4 points to close within 17-18 after 10 minutes. Evgeny Valiev scored first in the second quarter to put Khimki back ahead. McCollum picked up things on the offensive end for Khimki with 6 points, including a triple for a 25-22 lead. Real could not hit a three-pointer (1 of 9 at this point) or handle the ball (12 turnovers already) and Shved hit two driving layups for a 33-24 advantage. Coach Pablo Laso got some temporary relief with 5 straight points, including a Carroll triple to make it 35-29, but Khimki countered with a 7-1 spurt to open a double-digit lead 40-30. Carroll and Causeur both hit from deep as Real got within 45-38 at the break.

A Karasev triple started the second half and re-established a 10-point lead before Laprovittola hit from long range at the other end. That started a strong run by the Argentinean with a layup and another triple to make it 51-48. Causeur and Carroll added three-pointers and Real was within 57-56. Carroll stepped up again and tossed in back-to-back triples to get Real ahead 60-62 before Shved evened the game at 62-62 after 30 minutes. Neither team scored in the final frame for the first 3 minutes until Tavares’s alley-oop. Mickey scored right after that and McCollum and Shved both hit three-pointers as the hosts moved ahead 70-66. Causeur put Real up 70-71 only to see McCollum and Mickey answer to go up. Real went back up with 4 straight points from Deck and the lead changed hands on a Mickey jumper and Deck driving layup to make it 76-77 with 72 seconds left. The game-winner came from Shved, who got away from Jeffrey Taylor to collect a pass from Mickey and lay it in over Tavares with 17 seconds left. Real had the final possession but Causeur turned it over on good efforts by Mickey and McCollum.

Mickey shines against former team

Jordan Mickey shined against his former Real teammates as he collected 19 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, 4 steals and 2 blocks. Mickey went at it all game with Real big man Edy Tavares and ended up getting the win.

Khimki historic with steals, Real with turnovers

Khimki made history in the win with a club record 18 steals. The 23 turnovers were the second-most ever committed by Real. It had 26 in February 2006.

Telling numbers

Khimki shot 62.2% on two-pointers and held Real to just 45.7% inside the stripe. Despite giving up 16 offensive rebounds, Khimki only allowed 13 second-chance points and even scored 14 points after its own offensive rebounds.

Next games

Real will stay in Russia for its next game; it will play at Zenit St Petersburg on Thursday, March 4. Khimki will remain at home to host ALBA Berlin the next day.