The Phoenix Suns increased their lead at the top of the Western conference and the Miami Heat made an excellent operation in the Eastern conference Monday evening in the NBA, in the United States (yesterday in the early morning in Lebanon), during Martin Luther King Day which celebrates every 3rd Monday of January the anniversary of the birth of the reverend human rights defender, assassinated for his positions in favor of the rights of African-Americans.
In San Antonio, Texas, where the annual march is the busiest in the country with around 300,000 participants, according to its organizers, the Suns were able to count on a Devin Booker on fire (48 points) to disgust the Spurs. Phoenix, which is widening the gap on the Golden State Warriors, made the difference in the last quarter (34-16), also thanks to Chris Paul (15 points and 12 assists).
In Los Angeles, where Martin Luther King calmed spirits after the Watts riots in 1965, the Lakers, humiliated last Saturday in Denver by the Nuggets, reassured themselves by beating the Utah Jazz. LeBron James was decisive (25 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds), Russell Westbrook (15 points) achieving the action of the evening with a wild dunk on Rudy Gobert, yet still a deterrent (19 points, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks ). The Lakers move up to 7th place and the Jazz give up their 3rd position to the Memphis Grizzlies, winners of the Chicago Bulls.
The Grizzlies stick out their claws
Precisely, in Memphis, where Martin Luther King was assassinated on April 4, 1968, the Tennessee team showed that they had digested very well last Saturday’s defeat against the Dallas Mavericks, who ended their series of eleven victories, in the wake of Desmond Bane (25 points, 10/16 on shots) and Ja Morant (16 points). Deprived of Zach LaVine (hit in a knee), Chicago lacked offensive impact, like DeMar DeRozan (16 points), and this fourth loss in a row weakens its leadership in the East. Because in Miami, the first city in the country to organize a parade in tribute to Martin Luther King in 1977, the Heat won against the Toronto Raptors, guided by Jimmy Butler in triple double mode (19 points, 10 assists and 10 rebounds ). Tyler Herro (23 points) and Bam Adebayo (14 points and 9 rebounds), the latter for his first game after six weeks of absence, contributed for the Florida franchise, 2nd in the standings ahead of the Brooklyn Nets defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers.
In Cleveland therefore, where Martin Luther King was very popular, as evidenced by this procession estimated between 10,000 and 14,000 people who escorted the car leading him to a church to give a speech there in 1963, it was the young leader Darius Garland ( 22 points and 12 assists) who stood out. Without Kevin Durant (injured to a knee), Kyrie Irving (27 points, 9 assists) and James Harden (22 points, 10 assists) were active, but the Nets duo faltered on a crucial action in the last seconds of the encounter. Suddenly, the Cavaliers climb to 4th place in the East, because the Milwaukee Bucks lost against the Hawks in Atlanta, where Martin Luther King was born on January 15, 1929.
Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat) shooting the ball to the basket over Pascal Siakam (Toronto Raptors). The Heat did a great job in the Eastern Conference. Jasen Vinlove/USA Today Sports/Reuters
The new flight of the Hawks
Trae Young’s Hawks (30 points and 11 assists) thus ended a series of five losses, defending hard on Giannis Antetokounmpo (27 points, at 8/20), countered by Onyeka Okongwu in the money-time. Side Bucks, Khris Middleton was employed (34 points) in vain.
In New York, where Martin Luther King made a famous speech against the Vietnam War in 1967, the Charlotte Hornets (7th) were able to count on Miles Bridges (38 points, 14/20 on shots, 12 rebounds) to defeat the Knicks (11th). In Washington, where the civil rights activist gave his famous “I have a Dream” speech on August 28, 1963, the Wizards (9th) easily disposed of the Philadelphia 76ers (6th). Like Kyle Kuzma’s dunk (15 points and 16 rebounds) on Joël Embiid, the only one to float on the Sixers side (32 points), the players of the American federal capital were more aggressive. Finally, in Boston, where Martin Luther King obtained his doctorate in theology in 1955, the Celtics (10th) won a second consecutive victory, against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Here are the full match results:
LA Lakers-Utah 101-95
Dallas-Oklahoma City 104-102
San Antonio-Phoenix 107-121
Miami-Toronto 104-99
Orlando-Portland 88-98
Atlanta-Milwaukee 121-114
Cleveland-Brooklyn 114-107
Memphis-Chicago 119-106
Washington-Philadelphia 117-98
New York-Charlotte 87-97
LA Clippers-Indiana 139-133
Boston-New Orleans 104-92.
Source: AFP
The Phoenix Suns increased their lead at the top of the Western conference and the Miami Heat made an excellent operation in the Eastern conference Monday evening in the NBA, in the United States (yesterday in the early morning in Lebanon), during Martin Luther King Day which celebrates every 3rd Monday of January the anniversary of the birth of the reverend human rights defender, assassinated for his…
