Coming in as heavy underdogs, Cleveland turned some heads today with a solid 98-92 win over New York. Said one broadcaster, "I didn't know Cleveland were that good, quite frankly. They really haven't done much all season, but the way they came in and handled New York showed what they're capable of."

The thoughts were echoed by New York coach Bob. "We had pretty thorough film sessions coming into the game, and we never saw them execute that well. [Cleveland coach] Bob did a great job getting them ready, and we'll have to see if this was a one-time performance or if they can maintain that level of play."

Cleveland was led by Gill (20 points, 13 boards, 0 assists, a block), Darden (13 points, 5 boards, 2 assists, 5 blocks), Slaughter (10 points, 10 boards, 0 assists, a steal, a block). New York was led by Frazier (23 points, 21 boards, 0 assists, 2 blocks), Brumfield (18 points, 7 boards, 0 assists, 6 blocks), Scott (11 points, 5 boards, 3 assists, a block).

Cleveland stand at 36-40 with the win. They stay at #2 in the Central and hold at #8 overall in the Eastern Conference. New York keep stumbling with a losing streak of 5 games and drop to 43-34 and 25-13 at home. They remain at #2 in the Atlantic and hold at #5 overall in the Eastern Conference.

box score Cleveland roster New York roster