The Serbian took center stage, allowing his side to tie the game in the beginning of the second quarter.

The encounter was evenly-matched later on, before Spartak managed to get in front early in the final quarter.

The sides then had to fight for every ball, with the game full of steals and interceptions. However, it was Spartak who had a better shooting percentage.

Khimki's leader Jorge Garbahosa kept missing open shots, and the 2006 world champion was held to only 6 points in the game.

The visitors kept their composure to score free throws in the deciding stages, and eventually win it.

”Of course, this win is a great boost of confidence for us. We will now go home in a great mood. But I'm sure neither of the sides will remember this game during game 3, because every match is a completely new story,” Milovan Rakovic said.

66 to 58 was the way it finished as Spartak tied the series 1-all. It will now move to St. Petersburg, with the third game on Sunday.

This year’s Euroleague runner-up CSKA Moscow play UNICS Kazan in the other semifinal.