An interesting consequence of the NBA lockout: An injury suffered last night by Andrei Kirilenko should have fans on two sides of the Atlantic concerned – and has international interest in Russian domestic basketball ever been higher than it’s likely to become…?
After bagging Euroleague player of the week honors – What did BallinEurope say? Awesome highlight clip runs at the bottom of this post – for a third time this season for his play against Unicaja Malaga, Kirilenko started for CSKA Moscow at Krasnye Krylya Samara last night, only to literally hit the floor in the first quarter after tangling with the Wings’ Joseph Alexander in chasing an errant pass. The gasping in both Moscow and Utah – not to mention in AK-47’s insurance brokers’ office – was surely great after seeing the following gnarliness.
Kirilenko suffered a broken nose and a concussion on the play and will reportedly miss some playing time, though the actual number of games hasn’t been stated.
CSKA Moscow won the game, 88-73, and is 3-0 in the PBL. In Euroleague play, the Red Army host Žalgiris Kaunas on Wednesday.
