Brooklyn complicates life: the Nets find themselves in 10th place in the East, synonymous with complicated dams outside, after their defeat in Atlanta (122-115), Saturday in the NBA, where Miami consolidated its leadership of the conference, beating Chicago.
Kevin Durant did everything, but his 55 points, including eight out of ten baskets from behind the arc (personal bests broken), didn’t change anything. Because apart from Kyrie Irving, in tune (31 points), the rest of the team did not follow and once again the defense sinned with the New Yorkers, punished by Trae Young (36 points, 10 passes).
And here are the Hawks climbing two ranks to 8th place and Brooklyn sliding two ranks lower. There are four games left for the Nets to reverse the positions, otherwise they will have to play, away from home, two play-off matches to hope to reach the play-offs in last position.
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Miami recovers
This scenario, if it materializes, would make them meet in the 1st round Miami, which consolidated its first place, by imposing itself in beefy at the Bulls (127-109).
Last week’s storm with four defeats in a row and as a bonus a clash between coach Erik Spoelstra and star Jimmy Butler is well forgotten. He may even have done some good, because the Florida collective is once again united and very solid, since six players finished between 13 and 22 points. Opposite, the duo Zach LaViine (33 points) DeMar DeRozan (26 points) performed in vain.
Finally in the West, Golden State (3rd), led by 13 points at the break, overthrew Utah (111-107), thanks to a fiery money-time during which the Warriors scored six consecutive award-winning baskets, inflicting a 18-0 fatal to Jazz (5th). Klay Thompson scored eight alone throughout the game to finish with 36 points, well supported by Jordan Poole (31 points). Opposite, Rudy Gobert dominated inside (14 points, 19 rebounds), in vain.
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