By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Second straight win in Orlando and the third in a row overall, the Cleveland Cavaliers jumped to 51-30 with one game left on the regular-season schedule.
Turkish Cedi Osman entered the starting lineup and was among the leading players for the win, 118-94, in Amway Center Thursday. He registered 19 points with 7/11 field goals, including 4/6 from beyond the arc. Five rebounds and four assists added to the solid showing stretching to 22 minutes. Spanish Ricky Rubio threw in five points, five assists, two rebounds, and one steal in 20 minutes.
Both sides rested multiple regular starters with the Magic sidelining both Italian rookie Paolo Banchero (back) and German Franz Wagner (left ankle). The latter’s brother Moritz Wagner had nine points, four rebounds, two assists, and one block over 21 minutes. Georgian Goga Bitadze finished with seven points, seven rebounds, two blocks, and one assist in 21 minutes.
Playing without Serbian star Nikola Jokic in Footprint Center, the Denver Nuggets fell to the Phoenix Suns, 119-115. Lone European spark, Slovenian Vlatko Cancar ended up with two points, three rebounds, two steals, and two blocks in 20 minutes.
Utah Jazz out
With Finnish Lauri Markkanen among the numerous sidelined players, the Utah Jazz lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder, 114-98, and were eliminated from postseason contention. Croatian Luka Samanic got the start and logged eight points to go with four assists and three rebounds in 31 minutes. Lasting 25 minutes off the bench, Italian Simone Fontecchio scored 11 points.
Prevailing in Vivint Arena kept the Thunder in the Play-In zone of the Western Conference. Croatian Dario Saric posted a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double plus two blocks, one steal, and one assists over 23 minutes. French Ousmane Dieng and Olivier Sarr did not get on the board, and Serbian Aleksej Pokusevski was ruled out with a knee contusion.
More action and European showings
Philadelphia 76ers – Miami Heat 101-129 (Furkan Korkmaz 8pts, 3reb – Omer Yurtseven 4pts)
San Antonio Spurs – Portland Trail Blazers 129-127 (Sandro Mamukelashvili 4pts, 7reb, 2stl)
2022-23 STANDINGS
EAST
| TEAM | W | L | LAST 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| MILWAUKEE | 58 | 22 | |
| 55 | 25 | ||
| 52 | 28 | ||
| 51 | 30 | ||
| 47 | 33 | ||
| BROOKLYN | 44 | 36 | |
| MIAMI | 43 | 37 | |
| ATLANTA | 41 | 39 | |
| 40 | 40 | ||
| 38 | 42 | ||
| 34 | 46 | ||
| 34 | 46 | ||
| ORLANDO | 34 | 46 | |
| CHARLOTTE | 26 | 54 | |
| DETROIT | 16 | 64 |
WEST
| TEAM | W | L | LAST 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DENVER | 52 | 28 | |
| MEMPHIS | 50 | 30 | |
| 3 y-SACRAMENTO | 48 | 32 | |
| 45 | 35 | 7-3 | |
| 42 | 38 | ||
| 42 | 38 | ||
| 41 | 39 | ||
| 41 | 39 | 8-2 | |
| 9 MINNESOTA | 40 | 40 | 5-5 |
| 39 | 42 | ||
| 38 | 42 | ||
| 36 | 44 | ||
| 33 | 47 | ||
| 21 | 59 | ||
| 20 | 60 |
y-clinched a Playoffs berth
p-locked in a Play-In berth
e-eliminated from Playoffs
-Top six teams of each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seeded 7th to 10th will compete in Play-In tournament
Photo Credit: Getty Images