The Clash in the East was clearly not worthy of national broadcast, as it did not involve the defending champion Bucks or the Embiid/Harden duo Sixers. However, Miami asserts itself as an equally credible candidate in the race for the final.
The Bulls can testify to this, as they were powerless (112-99) against the 2020 finalist, who has many strings to his bow and knows how to aim (50% success).
Around the leader Butler (15 pts, 7 rebounds, 4 interceptions), Tyler Herro and Gabe Vincent added 20 points each, Bam Adebayo multiplied (15 pts, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 2 blocks).
The recipe for the Heat, carried by a constant combativeness, is known but works, because collectively it is solid and homogeneous, even when Kyle Lowry is missing (personal reasons). And the Bulls were unable to compete, despite Zach LaVine (22 pts) and DeMar DeRozan (18 pts).
That’s Miami with a 41-21 record. harmless? Maybe not, the last five times it happened, it ended in three crowns (2006, 2012, 2013) and two finals (2011, 2014).
Next major test, Wednesday, against Milwaukee who remained on two defeats and reacted by beating Charlotte (130-106).
Giannis Antetokounmpo was the usual strongman (26 pts, 16 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 blocks) and his lieutenants were present: Jrue Holiday (21 pts, 8 assists), Bobby Portis (20 pts, 10 rebounds) and Khris Middleton (19 points).
Brooklyn still confused
This success allows the Bucks to steal 4th place from Cleveland, beaten on its floor by Minnesota (127-122).
The Hornets, currently in the tough, remain 9th, failing to take advantage of the new rout at home in Brooklyn (8th), corrected (133-97) by Toronto (7th) and Scottie Barnes (28 pts, at 12/14, 16 rebounds, 5 interceptions).
Still deprived of Kyrie Irving (prevented from playing in New York because not vaccinated) and Kevin Durant who could however make his return in the week, after a month and a half of absence due to a sprained left knee, the Nets missed offensive impact (38% shooting success).
Quite the opposite of Ja Morant, stratospheric, who again burst the screen to guide Memphis to victory against San Antonio (118-105), beating his points record and that of the franchise in passing, all with a excellent address (22/30).
The Grizzlies star (3rd in the West) has also combined spectacle and efficiency, weaving his web of “Spider-Man” in every corner of the FedEx Forum and spending almost more time in the air than on the floor, force of acrobatic gestures to make the crowd rise.
His end to the second quarter was one of impressive power and control: not content with getting three shots in a row from behind the arc, he crushed a huge dunk on the head of Jakob Poeltl, 2, 16 m and which makes him 25 cm, before scoring at the buzzer, in an off-center position, volleying a ball in the air launched on the other side of the field by Steve Adams in quarterback mode.
With 29 pawns at the break, Morant did not stop in such a good way because the Spurs resisted. And in the money-time, he scored 13 points in a row, still flying on double-steps, to complete the job.
