With Booker stuck, Bridges and Paul take care of Phoenix’s lighting. Milwaukee gets the third consecutive victory. Garland launches Cleveland
Phoenix has the best of Indiana, Milwaukee, without Giannis, overtakes Sacramento while Cleveland reigns over Oklahoma City.
Phoenix Suns–Indiana Pacers 113-103
–
After eliminating the great Lakers and Warriors personalities, the remodeled Pacers (17-30) struggle but fail to keep up with the Suns (36-9) and go out in Phoenix. The team with the best records in the NBA won its sixth consecutive success despite Booker’s not particularly brilliant attacking night ending with a measly 5/23 from the field. Bridges (23 points) and the usual CP3 (18 points and 16 rebounds) make the difference, even Phoenix receives excellent minutes off the bench from a Biyombo (21 points and 13 rebounds) definitely on the ball. The Arizona team, after a first half between highs and lows, finished in front 59-54, placed the decisive acceleration at the beginning of the second half with an 8-0 run, took the advantage in double figures and never looked back.
Phoenix: Bridges 23 (8/11, 2/4, 1/1 tl), Biyombo 21, Paul 18. Rebounds: Biyombo 13. Assists: Paul 16.
Indiana:Stephenson 17 (7/9, 3/4 tl), Duarte 17 (4/9, 3/6, 0/1 tl), Bitadze 16. Rebounds: Bitadze 11. Assist: Duarte 4.
Milwaukee Bucks-Sacramento Kings 133-127
–
With Giannis in the pits with a right knee problem, the reigning champions rely on the verve of Middleton (34 points of which 5/7 from the long) in attack and perimeter production of Holiday (26 points) and an excellent DiVincenzo (20 points in 25 ‘to play from the bench) and beat the Kings (18-30). The Bucks (30-19) take over the game in the second quarter then, despite a too soft defense in the second half, 73 points awarded to Sacramento in the last two quarters, they manage to keep the Californian team at bay and thus conquer their third success consecutive.
Milwaukee:Middleton 34 (7/13, 5/7, 5/5 tl), Holiday 26, DiVincenzo 20. Rebounds: Portis 12. Assist: Middleton 5.
Sacramento:Barnes 29 (8/12, 3/6, 4/6 tl), Haliburton 24, Davis 22. Rimbalzi: Held 8. Assist: Haliburton 12.
Cleveland Cavaliers-Oklahoma City Thunder 94-87
–
Thanks to the umpteenth applause of Garland (23 points and 11 assists), who definitely points to the call of the All Star Game, the Cavaliers (28-19) overtake the Thunder (14-32) and go very close, given the people of the place at the beginning of the season, leading the Eastern Conference, now only two races away. The sixth victory in the last seven races also bears the signature of the rookie Wonder Mobley who closes with 15 points and 17 rebounds. In Oklahoma City, however, the excellent performance of Gilgeous-Alexander is not enough: 29 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
Cleveland:Garland 23 (8/16, 1/4, 4/4 tl), Mobley 15, Allen 14. Rimbalzi: Mobley 17. Assist: Garland 11.
Oklahoma City:Gilgeous-Alexander 29 (9/16, 3/7, 2/5 tl), Williams 12, Wiggins 11. Rimbalzi: Gilgeous-Alexander 9. Assist: Gilgeous-Alexander 6.
