The Phoenix Suns fight, but kill the Toronto Raptors in crunchtime. Brandon Ingram runs completely hot in the final phase and sinks Minnesota with a game winner. The wizards win with a lot of effort, good luck and despite internal quarrels. The Bulls shoot down Detroit, the Nuggets experience an epoch-making collapse.
Washington Wizards (21-20) – Oklahoma City Thunder (13-27) 122:118 (BOXSCORE)
- The team with the most Clutch wins in the league are actually the Wizards with 17 successes (out of four defeats) in close matches. This time Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had to save his team in the final minute in the absence of Bradley Beal (corona protocol) – and needed a lot of luck to do so. In general, Washington had a lot of trouble with the Thunder.
- Without the team’s top scorer, Kyle Kuzma initially took the Wizards on his shoulders, with 12 quick points leading Washington to an early double-digit lead. However, OKC responded with a 12-0 run and then the game remained level until the final minute. Then KCP got the ball on the right wing, pump-fake, stepback and over the board the ball landed in the basket 30 seconds before the end!
- On the other side, Luguentz there managed an airball and Kuzma brought the win from the free throw line to a dry sheet. The 26-year-old confirmed his last strong form with 29 points (12/17 FG), supported by Spencer Dinwiddie (22 and 10 assists) and Caldwell-Pope (16).
- In the meantime, however, the mood in Washington was apparently quite dark, according to Shams Charania (The Athletic) KCP and Montrezl Harrell clashed at half-time. The latter was apparently angry that Caldwell-Pope had not passed him the ball in a play. The teammates had to intervene and defuse the situation.
- Shai Gilgeous-Alexander defended himself against the fifth bankruptcy in a row with 32 points (13/22), 8 assists and several clutch layups, ultimately unsuccessful. Josh Giddey had 18 and 8 assists, where the game ended with 17 points in 2/7 threesomes.
- Corona-Protokoll: Bradley Beal (Wizards) – Isaiah Roby, Kenrich Williams (Thunder).
Toronto Raptors (20-18) – Phoenix Suns (31-9) 95:99 (BOXSCORE)
- Speaking of the best clutch teams, the Suns also have a say. The wizards may have the most Clutch wins, but no team has a better balance (14-3) and a better net rating (38.3!) In tight games than Phoenix. Devin Booker and Chris Paul once again demonstrated why in Toronto.
- The guests from the Arizona desert didn’t deliver a perfect basketball against the last hot Raptors (6 wins in a row). The Suns gave up 22 offensive rebounds and lost 20 balls – Toronto was unable to punish this due to problems with the shooting (8/37 threesome) and at the free-throw line (15/25 FT).
- So it went into a tight final phase, in which Toronto thanks to Pascal Siakam (22, 7 rebounds and 7 assists, with 10/23 FG and 0/5 threesomes) as well as a three and two freebies from OG Anunoby (25, 9/20 FG ) took the lead. Just over a minute before the buzzer, however, only Booker struck with a jumper to change the lead again, shortly afterwards CP3 increased in the well-known manner from the middle distance. Anunoby was able to shorten again, but Phoenix didn’t let the free throw line get too close.
- Booker was only 3/12 out of the field in front of his clutch jumper, and overall he scored a meager 16 points for his standards. “It was a tough fight. They gave us a hard time, but in the end we shifted up a gear and did our job,” said the guard, who was on his last free throws Felt distracted by the Raptors mascot and called in the referees.
- Paul had 15 counters, 12 assists and 5 steals, Deandre Ayton (16 and 9 rebounds) and Jae Crowder (19, 5/11 threesomes) also made a decent match. Fred VanVleet scored 21 points for Toronto, but remained largely pale in the fourth quarter. Chris Boucher made a good appearance with a double-double (13, 16 rebounds and 3 blocks), Scottie Barnes (knee) was absent due to an injury.
- Corona-Protokoll: Ish Wainright (Suns).
Memphis Grizzlies (29-14) – Golden State Warriors (30-10) 116:108 (SPIELBERICHT)
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