The Suns are no longer at the zenith in the NBA: the Warriors stopped their winning streak on Friday to regain the lead in the standings in the West, where the Clippers tamed the Lakers, while Kevin Durant brought Brooklyn out of a bad situation against Minnesota .
Three days after their loss (104-96) in Phoenix during their first confrontation, Golden State took revenge (118-96), thanks in particular to Stephen Curry (23 pts, 5 assists), also revenge him who had been muzzled 72 hours earlier (12 pts at 4/21).
Like their star author of a 6/11, the Warriors were formidable behind the arc (19/39). Andrew Wiggins and Gary Payton II each brought in 19 points.
Deprived of Devin Booker (hamstring), the Suns suffered from the constant opposing defensive activity (38.3% success), only DeAndre Ayton (23 pts) winning inside.
They therefore stop at 18 wins in a row and descend to 2nd place, followed by Utah who won a 3rd consecutive success, at the expense of Boston (137-130), by scoring the trifle of 27 three-pointers.
Thanks to Jayson Tatum (37 pts), the Celtics came back to three lengths in the final minute, but Donovan Mitchell (34 pts) put the fatal shot 28 seconds from the end to win the Jazz, in which Rudy Gobert (18 pts, 12 rebounds, 2 blocks) was very solid.
In the “angeleno” derby, the Clippers, dominating throughout but worried until the end, still had the last word against the Lakers (119-115).
– Embiid plume les Hawks –
After counting up to twelve lengths in advance, they saw the 2020 champion come back to one with two minutes remaining. But Luke Kennard planted two long-distance baskets in a row (5/8 overall, 19 pts) and Marcus Morris another with the board (6/9, 21 pts).
In the absence of Nicolas Batum (Covid-19), Paul George was very clumsy behind the arc (0/7), still finishing with 19 points (9 assists, 8 rebounds).
Opposite, LeBron James also struggled to find the sights (9/23). If he was nevertheless complete (23 pts, 11 rebounds, 6 assists), in the wake of Anthony Davis (27 pts, 10 rebounds), he was unable to influence the end of the match.
The Purple and Gold left their 6th place to the Clips, ahead of Dallas, 5th after being beaten at home by New Orleans (107-91).
Leaders in the East, the Nets were hooked to the end by the Timberwolves, but Kevin Durant released a winning shot 11 seconds from the end, to end the suspense (110-105). Dominant throughout (30 pts, 10 rebounds, 6 assists), he was assisted by Patty Mills (23 pts) and James Harden (20 pts, 9 assists, 7 rebounds).
Despite the absences of Jimmy Butler (coccyx) and Bam Adebayo (thumb), Miami relaunched in Indiana (113-104) after two defeats in a row, relying on Kyle Lowry (26 pts, 9 assists), Duncan Robinson (24 pts) and Tyler Herro (18 pts), authors of 13 of the 16 baskets behind their team’s arc.
The Heat goes back to 3rd place, taking advantage of Washington’s home loss against Cleveland (116-101). The Cavs, 6th with this 4th consecutive success, had up to 29 units in advance, carried by Darius Garland (32 pts, 10 assists, 8 rebounds) and Jarrett Allen (28 pts, 13 rebounds).
8th in point Philadelphia, winner at the finish (98-96) in Atlanta (10th), taking revenge on the Hawks who eliminated them in the conference semifinals last season. Joel Embiid (28 pts, 12 rebounds) managed the decisive shot 42 seconds from the buzzer.
