Unics Kazan hosts PAOK Thessaloniki on Tuesday in Russia in a big Group D showdown. The two teams are locked in a four way tie with Real Madrid and Crvena Zvezda for first place in the group and must win to have a chance to finish as high as possible in the hunt for home court advantage in the elimination rounds. Both teams need Madrid to lose at Dexia Mons to have a shot at first and can finish anywhere from first to fourth in the complicated group depending upon other results. Kazan can finish first only if it wins and Madrid loses. In that event, PAOK would be fourth. PAOK can only win the group if it wins and both Madrid and Crvena Zvezda lose. That would leave PAOK first and Kazan third. PAOK won an 84-81 thriller when these teams met in November in Greece, with Vlado Scepanovic peppering the nets for a season-high 23 points. PAOK has undergone some changes in recent weeks, losing Darius Washington to injury, but signing J.R. Bremer to take his place. The team attacks with a balanced squad that features as many as four legitimate scoring options, not to mention Bremer, who will become dangerous as he learn his new teammates. Center Blagota Sekulic (12.5 ppg., 7.5 rpg.) and power forward Drago Pasalic (11.9 ppg., 5.9 rpg.) are the main men inside, but they will have a severe challenge this week in the form of Kazan's twin brothers and twin towers, Ksysof (13 ppg., 6.8 rpg., 2.4 bpg.) and Darjus (14.5 ppg., 5 rpg., 1.8 bpg.). The Lavrinovics are second and third, respectively, in the ULEB Cup in blocked shots. At forward, Kazan's shooting king is Saulius Stombergas (16.6 ppg.), who has proven to be virtually unstoppable with the ball, having made 37-of-47 two pointers (78.7%) and 21-of-28 from beyond the arc (75%). Forward Egor Meshcheryakov (9.2 ppg.), swingman Jarod Stevenson (12.9 ppg.) and point guard Mateen Cleaves (9.2 ppg., 3 apg.) are more strengths on the highest scoring side in the ULEB Cup (90.1 ppg.). PAOK on the other hand, is a more defensive minded side, averaging just 74.2 points per game. Jason Parker (12.5 ppg., 2.5apg.) and Scepanovic (10 ppg., 2.5 apg.) share ball-handling duties, making the PAOK backcourt as dangerous as it gets. Despite the abundance of star big men in this game, the guards figure to be the difference makers as Scepanovic will try to slow the pace for the visitors, while Cleaves looks to push the ball for Kazan. Whichever player manages to impose his will could end up leading his team to the win.