It is actually raining MVP calls for Russell Westbrook in Los Angeles, but the Lakers concede the next bankruptcy against the Utah Jazz – the ailing LeBron James is particularly weak. The Warriors descent in a foreign hall continues, the Brooklyn Nets shoot the frustration from the soul.
Detroit Pistons (2-8) – Cleveland Cavaliers (7-1) 88:112 (BOXSCORE)
- Seventh win in a row – even though the entire Cavs starting backcourt had to watch. Darius Garland (knee) and Donovan Mitchell (ankle) were rested after minor injuries, but the injuries do not appear to be serious. The strong bench and Jarrett Allen as the top scorer (23, 7 rebounds at 11/16 FG) stepped into the breach.
- A dominant 23:5 start in the second quarter ensured a comfortable lead for the guests, which ultimately was no longer in danger. As the game progressed, the lead grew to 30 points. On the one hand, Detroit couldn’t find any means against the Cavs’ Big Men (58:24 points in the paint), on the other hand, the second unit couldn’t keep up with Cleveland’s (54:21 bank points).
- In that second quarter, it was Allen in particular who terrorized the Pistons with 14 points under the basket. Meanwhile, Evan Mobley cleaned up defensively with 8 blocks (plus 11 points and 8 rebounds) and Kevin Love (21, 10 assists and 8 rebounds, 7/10 FG, +30!) and Cedi Osman (15, 4/6 threes) a really strong performance.
- Cade Cunningham was already the Pistons’ top scorer with 19 points, but he only scored 3 points after the break. Jaden Ivey and Saddiq Bey each scored 18 points, while Bojan Bogdanovic couldn’t find his rhythm at all (6, 2/9 FG). The Pistons have lost eight of their last nine games.
Indiana Pacers (4-5) – Miami Heat (4-6) 101:99 (BOXSCORE)
- For the second time this week, Tyler Herro had a shot at the game winner, but this time he didn’t become the hero of the heat. His three-pointer with the clock ticking down at -2 was clearly too short and so the Pacers finally celebrated – also thanks to the defense of rookie Andrew Nembhard in the last play, as coach Rick Carlisle emphasized.
- “If you put a rookie on Herro on the last play of the game and he forces him into a difficult three-pointer while falling, that’s strong,” said Carlisle. Previously, a defensive action by Myles Turner, who blocked a lay-up by Max Strus, was also important ten seconds from the end. The original goaltending whistle was withdrawn after review.
- The Heat, who again had to do without Jimmy Butler (hip), were unable to respond to Buddy Hield’s fifth three-pointer a good three and a half minutes before the end. That put the Pacers ahead 97-94. A little later, Tyrese Haliburton raised and the defense made everything clear. Hield advanced to the team’s top scorer with 25 points (5/12 threes).
- Haliburton scraped a triple-double (22, 9 rebounds and 9 assists), rookie Bennedict Mathurin threw up 23 points from the bench and Turner put on 16, 7 rebounds and 3 blocks. Chris Duarte had to leave early due to an ankle injury, Daniel Theis (knee) was again absent. While Herro scored 29 points (8/20 FG), Miami as a team only scored 38 percent from the field (Indiana: 46 percent). Bam Adebayo had a double-double (18 and 10 rebounds), Strus had 17 points.
Philadelphia 76ers (4-6) – New York Knicks (4-4) 104:106 (BOXSCORE)
- No Joel Embiid (ill), no James Harden (foot injury), and then a 12-point loss in the fourth quarter against the Knicks. The Sixers certainly envisioned a different start to the weekend, but Obi Toppin had something against the home side winning.
- Toppin finished off a 16-5 run with his in the final quarter third threesome of the evening, which gave the Knicks the lead with a minute and a half to go. Jalen Brunson followed up with an and-one while Tyrese Maxey missed a three-pointer for a potential lead just before the end. De’Anthony Melton also failed in the wild finish a few seconds before the buzzer from a distance and all hopes were gone. Philly only hit 13/47 from downtown anyway (27.7 percent).
- Although Maxey was the most diligent points collector in his colors in the absence of the two stars (31, plus 7 assists), he did not act particularly efficiently (10/29 FG, 4/13 three). Tobias Harris still got 23 points, Montrezl Harrell was allowed to start and ended the game with 14 points. Coach Doc Rivers surprised with his lineups in the final section, for example he let Harrell and Paul Reed play at the same time in the final minutes.
- Toppin fared much better, scoring 13 of his 17 points in the fourth quarter. Brunson helped with 23 points, 7 assists and 6 rebounds, RJ Barrett scored 22 points and Julius Randle collected a double-double (17 and 10 rebounds, plus 5 assists with 6 turnovers). In addition to Toppin, Cam Reddish (11, 4/4 FG) and Isaiah Hartenstein (8, 10 rebounds and 3 blocks in 21 minutes) also knew how to please the bench.
