NBA: Santi Aldama has become the best news in Spanish basketball this season

ESpanish basketball took a hard blow with Ricky Rubio’s season-ending injury with the Cleveland Cavaliers. The El Masnou point guard was being the greatest joy for the national fans who longed for times not so distant in which our basketball was the protagonist in the best league in the world. Something that, except in the case of Ricky, this season we were not seeing.

A back injury and his subsequent recovery process prevented us from enjoying a Serge Ibaka that every time is improving performance (eight points and six rebounds in loss to Suns) and sensations. Plans Ime Udoka at the helm of the Celtics they have deprived us of a Juancho Hernangmez who lives ostracized from the Boston bench. His brother Willy seemed to settle in the Pelicans, but after the recovery of Valanciunas add two games in a row without minutes. Y Usman Garuba has not yet managed to settle on the plans of Stephen Silas and has alternated minutes in the Rockets with trips to Edinburg to play with the Rio Grande Valley Vippers. In short, a regular year for the so-called BA.

However, from Memphis, chords begin to arrive without going out of tune from the ‘guitar’ of Saints Aldama. The Canarian pvot continues with his particular path to the top and as he has done so far in his entire career, he is traveling slowly and away from the medical radar to focus solely on his true objective: to make a name in the best league in the world.

What he is achieving at the moment is to gain a foothold in the rotation of a few Memphis Grizzlies who happen to be the big surprise of the season and the fittest team in the Western Conference after adding seven victories (the last against the Pistons 118-88) in a row. A set in which the Spanish player has been gaining minutes and prominence and his participation is no longer limited to leaving when the matches are already decided, as demonstrated against the Nets. Also, their numbers (seven points, three rebounds and one assist in 18 minutes against the Pistons) begin to agree with the Tennesssee franchise and have turned Aldama into the best news in Spanish basketball this year.

Evan Fournier had a thorn stuck with Celtics after not giving his best version last season with the green jersey. However, seeing the Boston uniform in front seems to motivate the disputed French guard, who is not performing as expected in the games. Knicks. Fournier was in charge of the New York team’s comeback against the Massachusetts franchise with his NBA scoring record: 41 points with 10 of 14 from the triple.

Evan Fournier was the great architect that allowed the Knicks to enter the game and come with options to the last possession of the clash. Yet the hero of the night was RJ Barrett. The Canadian made the mythical go crazy Madison Square Garden with a triple on the horn to execute the Celtics with the best basket of the night in the NBA.

The Pelicans receive some Golden State Warriors without Stephen Curry and more pending the return of Klay Thompson that of what could happen on the court against the New Orleans team. And what happened was a cyclone named Brandon Ingram, which ended the reign of Steve Kerr’s team with 32 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.

The Suns they did not miss the opportunity that the Pelicans and took advantage of their visit to Los Angeles to pass over the Clippers (106-89) and take the throne as the best team in the NBA. Those from Arizona were led by a Chris Paul record ending with a triple-double: 14 points, 13 rebounds (his career high) and 10 assists.

“We lack mental toughness.” These are the words of Ime Udoka, coach of the Celtics, after the Boston team allowed themselves to overcome a 25-point lead against the Knicks. The ‘greens’ are the only one who has squandered such an advantage this season … along with the Lakers, the other great NBA classic.