CSKA cruises by 18 over host Efes

CSKA Moscow looked very much at home in Turkey on Friday as it cruised to an 80-98 road win over Anadolu Efes Istanbul to sweep the sweep both games of the season's first double-round week in style. CSKA raised its record to 3-1 and a share of third place, while Efes keeps looking for a first victory after four games CSKA protected the ball as well as ever, matching its own EuroLeague low this century with just 3 turnovers while forcing Efes into 16. That provided a lot of scoring opportunities that resulted in the team's highest-scoring performance of the season. Will Clyburn and Nando De Colo came off the bench for 20 and 18 points, respectively. Sergio Rodriguez followed with 14 while Othello Hunter had 13, also in a reserve role. CSKA scored 25 points off the turnovers and 19 on the fastbreak, both dwarfing the number of Efes, whose only lead was 3-0 right after tipoff. Simon Krunoslav scored 23 for the hosts, while Josh Adams added 17 and Bryant Dunston 14, but scoring was not Efes's problem. It was rather not being able to slow down CSKA for any length of time, while the visitors shut down Errick McCollum, who was averaging 17, to zero points.

On the game's first possession, Simon drove for a three-point play. Rodriguez answered from deep then matched Dunston's layup with his own. Neither team missed before first-time starters Cory Higgins and Semen Antonov drilled from deep for a 7-11 CSKA edge. Vladimir Stimac inside basked was followed by Ledo hitting the first Efes triple and Simon the second as their team jumped ahead 15-13. Nikita Kurbanov and Hines put CSKA back in front, but Adams tied. Rodriguez and Hunter scored in transition as CSKA surged to 19-22. Simon's tip-in was matched by Kurbanov free throws. Rodriguez drilled one triple but after Justin Doellman's dunk, Ricky Ledo hit his own deep shot, cutting the difference to 26-27 after 10 minutes. Leo Westermann and Clyburn kept CSKA's scoring rhythm, and Adams did so from deep for Efes. Victor Khryapa and Simon liked the idea, too, as Efes stayed within 34-36. A three-minute CSKA defensive stand let Clyburn and Westermann put their team ahead 34-42. Doellman's free throw didn't stop the bleeding as Clyburn finished two fastbreaks at 35-48. Simon, already up to 16 points, dropped a triple out of a timeout, but Clyburn just kept scoring and Rodriguez finished the half with CSKA comfortably ahead, 43-54.

Adams and Ledo sparked Efes with triples to open the second half as De Colo assisted Hunter and hit a floater at 49-58. De Colo's three-pointer was answered by Adams from deep, but Hunter's put-back made it 52-65. De Colo kept scoring until it was 56-71 and only a pass that hit him in the face stopped him to take a rest. Khryapa and Doellman traded baskets but the scoreboard didn't budge much as CSKA stayed ahead 60-73 after three quarters. Free throws from Simon and Dunston led to fastbreak layup by Simon as Efes moved within 67-77, but Clyburn got a fortunate high bounce on a three-pointer and hit his own free throws to restore a 15-point edge. Efes kept fighting with a dunk by Dunston and a triple from Doellman, but Clyburn reappeared along with Rodriguez, both scoring at will to make it 74-90 with 3:00 left, too little time for Efes to avoid a fourth consecutive loss.