Brooklyn and his gunner duo Kyrie Irving / Kevin Durant sent a message to the NBA Eastern Conference by correcting Boston on Friday, “Christmas Day” which also smiled at LeBron James’ Lakers who won their first success against Dallas.
Picked cold at the opening of the championship by their rivals “angelenos” of the Clippers, the Lakers, defending champions, corrected the shot at the expense of Dallas (138-113) at Staples Center. Author of 22 points (10 assists, 7 rebounds), James took the opportunity to climb to the 2nd place of the best scorers in Christmas matches (383 pts in 15 appearances), just behind Kobe Bryant (395 in 16 games).
Above all, with the help of Anthony Davis, author of 28 points (8 rebounds, 5 assists), he put his team back on track, which has appeared in break-in so far and which has shown the best collectively, like from the bench (50 points, including 22 for the only Montrezl Harrell). Opposite, the defense of the Mavs took the water and Luka Doncic, not yet in his best form (27 pts, 7 assists all the same), was never able to really weigh to prevent a second loss in a row.
Brooklyn confirm
All is well with the Nets: a second consecutive victory, which is more scathing (123-95) with one of their rivals in the East, Boston, during which Irving was delighted to be the “Father Fouettard “from his former team with 37 points scored (8 assists), 7/10 behind the arc, breaking the specialty record for a game on December 25.
▪️ @KyrieIrving: 37 PTS, 6 REB, 8 AST, 7-10 3PM
▫️ @KDTrey5: 29 PTS, 9-16 FG, 3-4 3PMVictory of @BrooklynNets against the Celtics!
#NBAXmas pic.twitter.com/wT7e6HwoMm— NBA France (@NBAFRANCE) December 26, 2020
Durant was not left out. He added 29 points (9/16 on shots) confirming his rise to power after a year and a half without basketball, the time to recover from a ruptured Achilles tendon. His 16 pawns in the third quarter allowed Brooklyn to stand out. For the Celtics, where only Jaylen Brown survived (27 pts), this Christmas is to be forgotten since a few hours before the match, died at 88 years one of their legends KC Jones.
The Clippers take revenge
Eliminated in the Western Conference semifinals (4-3) to the surprise of Denver, after leading 3-1, the Clippers were keen to take revenge on the Nuggets. What they did with authority (121-108). But they got scared when Kawhi Leonard was nudged in the mouth from teammate Serge Ibaka. An impressive but not so serious laceration, according to the medical staff, which still required eight stitches.
Before the incident at the end of the 4th quarter, the winger had time to register 21 points (7 assists). Paul George added 23 (9 assists) and the French Nicolas Batum had a solid performance (13 pts, 10 rebounds, 4 assists). Denver, who returned to eight lengths after having counted twenty before the last quarter, believed to redo the blow of their series of September, but the blows of Jamal Murray were too late (23 pts) anyway. moment Nikola Jokic (24 pts, 10 assists, 9 rebounds) was down.
Heat et Bucks s’imposent
Two days after a losing start in Orlando (113-107), Miami recovered against New Orleans (111-98), counting on Duncan Robinson (23 pts) author like Irving of seven long-distance baskets, record Christmas shared.
Deprived in the second half of Jimmy Butler, hit in the right ankle, Miami let the opponent come back to five lengths at the start of the fourth quarter. But Bam Adebayo (17 pts) and Goran Dragic (18 pts, 9 assists), accelerated, facing Pelicans carried by Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram, 32 and 28 points each.
For its part, Milwaukee had (138-99) a harmless Golden State team, relying on Khris Middleton and his 31 points (6/8 behind the arc).
Giannis Antetokounmpo was more discreet (15 points, 13 rebounds), still missing too many free throws (7/15), he who failed to enter that of a potential equalizer, during the defeat in Boston on Tuesday ( 122-121).
