Miami, East first, is getting the Nets into more and more trouble. Triple double by Embiid in the Philadelphia hit
Miami condemnation Brooklyn to collect the consecutive defeat number 11 and is increasingly first in the East. The maximum in the season of 33 points for Klay Thompson allows to Golden State to get the success against the Lakers: ruined the record-breaking evening of LeBron James. Triple double of 40 points for Joel Embiid in the victory of Philadelphia on Cleveland, meanwhile Nikola Jokic is decisive in the sprint against Toronto. The 45 points are useless for the Mavs Doncic sui Clippers.
MIAMI HEAT-BROOKLYN NETS 115-111
And with that comes the eleventh consecutive defeat for Brooklyn. The Nets sink in Miami on -21 in the third quarter and then try in vain to recover thanks to a Kyrie Irving who scores 20 of his 29 points in the last fraction. Arrived at -1, however, the guests waste the opportunity of overtaking in the last minute of play, losing the ball thanks to the recovery of Kyle Lowry who throws PJ Tucker who closes the accounts. The battleship of the Heat wins again, first in the East after having conquered this fifth success in a row, thanks to a quintet all in double figures led by 19 points and 14 rebounds by Bam Adebayo. Robinson (17 points) and Herro (15) are also very good.
GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS-LOS ANGELES LAKERS 117-115
LeBron James becomes the player to have scored the most points all-time between the regular season and the playoffs, overtaking Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. His 26 points, 15 rebounds and 8 assists are not enough for the Lakers, beaten by Golden State. The protagonist of the Warriors is Klay Thompson, author of 33 points (seasoned with 5/9 from the arc) of which 16 arrived in the fourth period alone. It’s the maximum he collected when he returned from injury. He takes care of making up for the difficulties in shooting a Steph Curry with 24 points and 8 assists but with 1/8 from the bow, while there are 18 points and 9 rebounds for a Jonathan Kuminga who is increasingly impactful and in enormous growth despite the very young age.
PHILADELPHIA 76ERS-CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 103-93
Philadelphia imposes itself with merit since the two-ball against Cleveland despite Darius Garland’s 27 points (still struggling with back pain) and Evan Mobley’s 11 with 8 rebounds. The Sixers thus take advantage of Joel Embiid’s sensational performance to win and climb to fifth position in the East, approaching the third occupied by the Cavaliers. Embiid is overflowing with his 40 points, 14 rebounds and 10 assists. Nothing to do for Jarrett Allen, disappointed by the exclusion from the All-Star Game, who is literally overwhelmed by the power of him. The number 31 of the guests is also landed, as in the occasion of a super dunk on the head that has become the symbol of the match.
TORONTO RAPTORS-DENVER NUGGETS 109-110
Rookie Bones Hyland scores one of the most important triples in the final, Nikola Jokic adds a decisive block to a performance of 28 points, 15 rebounds and 6 assists and so Denver snatches a sprint win in Toronto, interrupting the streak of eight consecutive successes of the Raptors. For the Nuggets it is the third win in their last four and is what allows them to put two games away from Minnesota seventh to the West. Nothing to do for the Canadians, despite the 35 points maximum this season for Pascal Siakam, who shoots with 16/22 from the field and also adds 10 rebounds and 7 assists, while Fred VanVleet has 25 points and 17 for Scottie Barnes.
THE OTHER MATCHES
Despite a Luka Doncic in ultra-luxury format, scoring 45 points (23 of which in the fourth period alone), Dallas loses 99-97 at home to the Clippers. All easy for Phoenix, who overwhelms 132-105 Orlando thanks to 26 points from Devin Booker and 17 with 10 rebounds from Deandre Ayton, DeMar DeRozan scores 38 points and Chicago beats 106-101 Oklahoma, for a crucial victory in the race to 2nd. East place. Memphis passes Charlotte 125-118 (26 points from Ja Morant) and is his fifth win in a row. Portland recovers 23 points behind the Knicks, beaten 112-103 with 30 points by Anfernee Simons. Sacramento imposes the internal knockout in Washington (123-110) with the 26 points of De’Aaron Fox, while San Antonio wins New Orleans 124-114.
