The Heat ride
The Heat, which benefited from the defeat of Boston in Toronto (115-112 ap), returned to the top of the Eastern Conference with its convincing victory against Sacramento (123-100), which follows four defeats. After the first sluggish moments, the Florida players rolled out their basketball and quickly took the lead. The gap rose to 12 points at the end of the first quarter (31-19), 18 points in the second quarter (57-39) then 26 points during the third period (93-67). Jimmy Butler (27 points, 8 assists, 5 rebounds) and Bam Adebayo (22 points, 15 rebounds) were the two Heat artificers against the Kings, 13th in the West, apparently already on vacation.
Pascal Siakam’s performance
First Monday before their game in Toronto, the Celtics find themselves fourth Tuesday after their overtime defeat (115-112 ap) in Canada. The fault mainly to Pascal Siakam, author of 40 points and 13 rebounds. In his defense, the Boston franchise, which remained on 11 victories in 12 games, played without its pivot Robert Williams III -victim of a torn meniscus in his left knee-, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Al Horford, i.e. four holders . “It was a great team victory.greeted the Cameroonian winger, long kept away from the field last year, after having to have shoulder surgery. It’s been a long road, so I’m very happy to be back working hard and playing to my strengths. »
The Hornets stoppage
While remaining on seven wins in the last eight games, the Hornets lost at home to Denver (109 – 113), in a duel between a team trying to stay in the Top 8 in the East and a another who does not want to leave the Top 6 in the West. It was therefore the Nuggets who had the last word, once again carried by Nikola Jokic (26 points, 19 rebounds, 11 assists), author of his 19th triple-double of the season and the 76th of his career.
The Serb scored 11 points in the 3rd quarter, the one where Denver made the difference (37-27) to take control and never let go. Miles Bridges (27 points, 11 rebounds) and LaMelo Ball (22 points, 6 rebounds, 11 assists) however did not deserve for Charlotte.
The Bulls’ tumble
The narrow success against Cleveland (98-94) was only a flash in the pan for the Bulls, who conceded in New York a sixth defeat in eight matches (109-104) and see their sixth place in the Is more and more in danger. The Knicks are on the opposite slope with a fourth consecutive success. Chicago however led the debates at the start of the match, until the end of the second quarter, when New York regained control, bringing its advantage to +13 at the start of the third period (65-52). The Bulls have almost picked up (101-100) but a winning shot from Alec Burks has put the Knicks away. RJ Barrett (28 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists) was New York’s strongman.
I reminded him of Dejounte Murray
With 33 points, a new career high, plus 11 assists and seven rebounds, Dejounte Murray was the main architect of the Spurs’ important victory in Houston, which was however far from easy in the worst franchise. in the West (123-120).
Gregg Popovich’s players, with this fourth consecutive success, are still taking a big step towards the play-in since even if they remain 11th, they only have one more defeat than the Lakers. They nevertheless suffered in Houston, because if they led quite easily after two (67-55) then three quarters (96-84), they saw the Rockets dangerously close and come back to three points (113-110) four minutes from the buzzer.
