Los Angeles (AFP) – Increasingly credible candidates for the title, the Minnesota Timberwolves dominated the LA Clippers (109-105) on Sunday in the NBA, Damian Lillard allowing the Milwaukee Bucks to win a suspenseful match against to the Sacramento Kings (143-142 AD).
Published on: 01/15/2024 – 09:33 Modified on: 01/15/2024 – 09:31
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. The shock: the Wolves bite the Clippers
In the Western Conference clash between leader Minnesota and the LA Clippers (4th), it was the former who quickly led the debates, having a lead of up to 17 points in the third quarter. Close to achieving a big blow against the Celtics during the week, the Wolves then contained the return of the Californians, taking advantage of a great Anthony Edwards (33 points). But Karl-Anthony Towns (17 pts) and Rudy Gobert (15 pts) also responded, the French pivot even stacking 18 rebounds. Faced with this oiled collective, Kahwi Leonard thought he could offer LA a victory at the finish, allowing the Clippers to come back to three points one minute from the buzzer. But Gobert finished the job on free throws.
Thanks to this success, Minnesota has one more victory than the Oklahoma Thunder (28-11 against 27-11), who plays next night on the floor of the LA Lakers.
Denver remains in ambush thanks to its victory (117-109) against the Pacers, with a very valuable Michael Porter Jr at three points (7 out of 11, 25 points in total, co-top scorer with Nikola Jokic and Jamal Murray).
. The performance: Lillard defeats the Kings
Lithuanian interior Domantas Sabonis pulled out all the stops for Sacramento, with a gleaming triple double (21 pts, 13 rebounds and 15 assists), but the man of the match is Damian Lillard, for the Bucks. Author of 29 points, two points more than the master Giannis Antetokounmpo, the rookie from Milwaukee indeed scored the three-point basket of victory, at the buzzer (143-142 after). The Bucks then came from behind (-6 during overtime). In front of a tranced audience, his teammates then threw themselves into the arms of the former Blazers player.
Damian Lillard, of the Milwaukee Bucks, during an NBA game against the Boston Celtics, January 11, 2024 in Milwaukee © Stacy Revere / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
“I made my best shot on the last shot of the match,” rejoiced Damian Lillard, who had been rather clumsy up until then (9 out of 23). “He has this quiet strength… He’s a leader, and he showed it with this performance,” commented Bucks coach Adrian Griffin.
Before that, the game had become electric in the last quarter with the exclusion of Kings coach Mike Brown, furious about a foul he believed was not called on De’Aaron Fox.
Milwaukee is comfortably installed in second place in the East, with 28 wins (12 losses), still within reach of the Celtics (30-9).
. Green, the return of the outcast?
A repeat offender of bad hits, the last of which on December 12, on Phoenix Suns pivot Yusuf Nurkic, earned him a long suspension, Draymond Green should make his return with Golden State on Monday evening against the Memphis Grizzlies, according to American media.
Green, 33, who has missed 16 games since his suspension, saw this sanction lifted a week ago. The four-time NBA champion with the Warriors “has taken steps showing his desire to conform to the behavior expected of NBA players,” the League then indicated.
Draymond Green, of the Golden State Warriors, during a game for his NBA franchise, January 12, 2024 in Chicago © Jamie Sabau / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP
If he does not return to Memphis, it will be for the following meeting against the Utah Jazz, said Golden State coach Steve Kerr, whose franchise is mired in the bottom of the Western Conference (12th). ).
© 2024 AFP
2024-01-15 11:58:38
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