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Elton Brand and Coach Mike Dunleavy talk at the Soviet Army History Museum.
Nathaniel Butler (NBAE via Getty Images)
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Head coach Ettore Messina and guard J.R. Holden represented CSKA Russia while head coach Sergey Elevich and guard Melvin Booker spoke for BC Khimki.
The games tip-off at Universal Sports Hall CSKA this Thursday when CSKA Moscow and BC Khimki face in a rematch of last year's Russian League Finals.
The Clippers play BC Khimki on Friday before wrapping up their Russian tour against CSKA Moscow on Saturday.
Clippers Head Coach Mike Dunleavy
First of all, I'd like to say it's a great honor for the Los Angeles Clippers to be a part of the NBA European Live Tour. For us to have the opportunity to be the first team to play in Russia is a great experience for our players and our organization.
People in the United States haven’t seen a whole lotAfter a full morning of practice, Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy and forward Elton Brand made their way over to the Soviet Army Museum in Moscow, where they spoke to the media along with members of the CSKA Moscow and BC Khimki Moscow basketball teams.
I think our fans understand what great tradition you have here in the game of basketball by how good you’ve been over the years. Now we have the opportunity to really see it up close and personal.
We’re very happy to be here playing these games. It’s a good start to a season for us to have a chance to train here, prepare, get conditioned and give our players a chance to get to know each other.
We hope to give the teams here in Russia a good game and I hope we draw some fans from Russia to follow us throughout the NBA season.
On Yaroslav's progress...
We've been very pleased with Yaroslav. He's worked hard. The first season with us, the main concern we had was building up his body to try and play 82-game schedules in the NBA. He's worked very hard; he has put on about 15 pounds of good light weight muscle. His skill level is getting better all of the time.
Additionally, when we drafted him, our thoughts were that it's probably going to take two or three years for sure to get a chance to play. The process we felt was a positive one for him to be playing every day and practicing against our team. We thought that would be the quickest way to help with his development. He's had some very good days in practice and he's had some days where he hasn't been as good. The consistency will come over time. He just turned 19 years old, so we understand that we have time to develop him and we feel good about the progress that he's made so far.
Clippers Forward Elton Brand
It’s been a privilege to be the first NBA team to play in Russia. I personally know how great the European basketball players are because I play FIBA and international basketball every year.
We’re excited to play BC (Khimki) and we’re excited to play CSKA. They have been wonderful hosts in Moscow. The people in this country have accepted us and treated us very well.
I’m glad to be here, the team is glad to be here. We hope we play well because these guys are very good players.
BC Khimki Moscow Guard Melvin Booker
It’s an honor to play in this event. The NBA Live European Tour is very important for my team BC Khimki because we’re a young club.
It’s going to be really exciting to play against CSKA first, who we lost to in the Championship last season, and against the Clippers, which is a young, exciting team that I enjoy watching.
CSKA Moscow Guard J.R. Holden
I’m honored that the Clippers are here and that we get a chance to play against one of the better NBA teams – a team that went to the playoffs and that has a chance to win the NBA Championship.
