The Osaka Evessa were in dire straits at this time a season ago, losers of 19 of 24 games before the All-Star break. Then Bill Cartwright arrived and did a remarkable job leading the team¡¯s reclamation project. The ex-Chicago Bulls bench boss went 17-11 in a short, memorable stint in charge.
This season, new head coach Shunsuke Todo¡¯s club has had its share of ups and downs. The Evessa won their first six games, then dropped eight straight. They are 3-7 in their past 10 games.
At 11-17 overall (4-10 on the road), Osaka could certainly qualify for postseason play, especially considering the fact that only three Western Conference teams have winning records ¡ª Ryukyu (23-3), Kyoto (19-11) and Hamamatsu (17-11).
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