The team led by Joe Mazzulla occupies second place in the Eastern Conference with 13 wins and three losses, 2.5 games behind the leaders, the Cleveland Cavaliers (16-1), who this Sunday host the Toronto Raptors ( 4-12).
On the last day, LaMelo Ball, point guard for the Charlotte Hornets, made history by becoming the third youngest player in history to reach 50 points and 10 assists in a single game, only surpassed by the legendary LeBron James and Kevin Porter Jr.
At only 23 years old, Ball broke his personal record of 38 points during the confrontation against the Milwaukee Bucks, scoring 50 points and delivering 10 clearances, but his team fell 119-125 to the greats of Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo (32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists) and Damian Lillard (31 points).
Additionally, Ball is now the fifth player this season to score 50 or more points after De’Aaron Fox, Victor Wembanyama, Antetokounmpo and Paolo Banchero.
In another game, Lauri Markkanen scored 34 points to help the Utah Jazz snap a four-game losing streak with a 121-106 victory over the New York Knicks.
Markkanen made 11 of 15 field goals, including five of eight from the three-point line, and captured nine rebounds, and received support from Collin Sexton, author of 25 points with six triples, and John Collins totaled 20 points and 13 rebounds .
For the Knicks, Ogugua “OG” Anunoby Jr. scored 27 points, Jalen Brunson contributed 23 points and eight assists and Karl-Anthony Towns had 16 rebounds, 16 rebounds and five assists.
Scotty Pippen Jr. scored a career-high 30 points and 10 assists to lead the Memphis Grizzlies to a 142-131 victory over the Chicago Bulls. For the winners, Jaylen Wells added 26 points, a personal best, and Jaren Jackson Jr. reached 23.
Zach LaVine led Chicago with 29 points, followed by Nikola Vucevic (26), Matas Buzelis scored 14 and Josh Giddey added 12 points, seven rebounds and eight assists.
In the remaining challenges, the Orlando Magic beat the Detroit Pistons 111-110, the
The Houston Rockets lost 98-104 to the Portland Trail Blazers, the Denver Nuggets beat the Los Angeles Lakers 127-102 and the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Golden State Warriors 104-94.
room/am