Due to an ankle injury, Lauri Markkanen was on the sidelines of 11 matches from the NBA parquets, but returned to real action against Detroit the night before Friday.
Representing the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Basketball Club Lauri Markkanen returned to the parquet effectively after a long injury. The Finn was the best scorer of his team and the whole match against Detroit Pistons. Markkanen scored 22 points, took six rebounds and made one pass to the basket. Markkanen’s throws dropped by 6/16.
Unfortunately for Markkanen and Cleveland, however, the match eventually turned to the home team, which won an extremely tough fight 106-103.
Markkanen scored 12 points in the fourth quarter. The end of the match was extremely exciting. First, Markkanen took the Cavaliers 103-102 lead with one minute left in the game. Jarrett Allen however, turned the game to the home team with their free throws.
The loss was the third consecutive one for Cleveland.
Markkanen had time to be away in 11 matches due to an ankle injury.
– I was a little nervous because we’ve played so well and I didn’t want to change it. It took me a while to get up and running, but the second period felt better, Markkanen told ESPN.
Markkanen injured his ankle in a match against Oklahoma City at the end of January and was out of 11 matches.
Head coach of the Cavaliers JB Bickerstaff regretted injuries after the match. Darius Garland and Caris LeVert are still on the sidelines of team strength.
– I don’t think we had enough players to decide the win. It’s disappointing because I think the situation was the same before the break, Bickerstaff said.