The Golden State Warriors dominated (122-109) the Milwaukee Bucks, defending champions, thanks in particular to 38 points from the returning Klay Thompson on Saturday during the shock of the NBA evening, marked by the surprise loss at home to Miami against Minnesota (113 -104).
Thompson, 32, had his best game since returning to the court in January, after two and a half years out with repeated injuries, scoring 15 of 24 baskets, including 8 of 14 from three-pointers. He also had six rebounds and five assists in 34 minutes.
“I never lost confidence,” said the full-back, who was deprived of the 2019-20 season by a left knee injury and then the next by another to an Achilles tendon.
“I’ve been through a lot. Just being able to be here and play is a blessing,” added Thompson. “It was a challenge (…) I knew I would have to work very hard. I don’t want to stop there. There is still a lot to accomplish,” said the man who already has three championship rings with Golden State. (2015, 2017, 2018).
Stephen Curry has for once been down, with just eight points and eight assists, but Thompson’s return to the fore bolsters hopes for the Warriors, currently third in the Western Conference, to return to NBA heights, three years after their last final and four years after the last of their six titles.
– Utah winner without Gobert –
In 2019, Golden State lost its crown to Toronto, which achieved one of the great performances of the evening by beating Nikola Jokic’s Denver Nuggets, thanks to 33 points from Cameroonian Pascal Siakam and 25 points from Scottie Barnes, also credited with 10 assists and eight rebounds.
Eastern Conference leader Miami did not take advantage of the Bucks’ faux pas at the Warriors as they lost at home to Minnesota (113-104), despite Markieff Morris returning to the court after four months away.
Chicago, however, did not flinch against Cleveland (101-91), despite the unavailability of Zach LaVine (left knee pain). The Bulls, who recorded on the other hand the return of injury of Alex Caruso, absent 22 matches due to a fracture of the right wrist, were carried by DeMar DeRozan (25 pts) and the Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic (20 pts, 14 rebounds ).
In the West, Utah also enforced the hierarchy at home against Sacramento (134-125), with a high-flying performance from Jordan Clarkson (45 pts), notably author of a nice 7 of 13 three-pointers. It had to be against De’Aaron Fox also very lively for the Kings (41 pts).
Frenchman Rudy Gobert, who averages 15.4 pts and 14.7 assists per game, did not play due to a sprained left foot.
