Basketball: The Hawks and Capela find their superb

“It was a game to win absolutely,” commented Dejounte Murray after the victory of the Hawks in Orlando. In the night from Wednesday to Thursday, Atlanta won 125-108 against the Magic, to end a three-game losing streak. A success that allows Clint Capela’s teammates to occupy 6th place in the Eastern Conference, with a record of 12 matches won against 10 lost.

Nate McMillan’s men made the difference in the first quarter, which they finished with an 11-length lead. They increased it further afterwards, leading 50-70 at the break. “We played a full match today, analyzed Trae Young. I think my ability to unbalance them was important.”

The leader carried his team with 30 points and 12 assists, well supported by Murray (27 pts) and Capela. The Genevan, 20 points and 12 rebounds, signed his 11th double-double of the year. In addition to his offensive contribution, the 28-year-old pivot was very valuable under the baskets. “The rebounds obviously hurt us,” admitted Jamal Mosley, the Magic coach, who conceded a 6th setback in a row and stagnates in the penultimate place in the East,

The Georgian franchise will have to confirm on the night of Friday to Saturday against the Denver Nuggets, second in the Western Conference and who remain on a series of four consecutive victories.

The Conference leaders managed the cards for an eventful evening: led by a sparkling Jason Tatum, the Boston Celtics, first in the East, beat Miami 134 to 121, and the Phoenix Suns with a Devin Booker on fire comfortably outscored Chicago 132-113.

Jayson Tatum, candidate for the title of MVP (best player of the season), totaled 49 points under the eyes of Prince William and his wife Kate Middleton. The NBA finalist team last season thus brings its winning streak to ten in its TD Garden lair this season, and is now at five consecutive successes.

Tatum matched his performance with a very good percentage of success: 60% at two points, and 66.7% at three points, also taking eleven rebounds in the process. It’s the ninth time in the month of November that the 24-year-old has scored at least 30 points in a match. Only the legendary Larry Bird in an increasingly distant past had achieved such a performance. Opposite, the Heat, with Max Strus, Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro at more than thirty points each, did not deserve.

The Western Conference-leading Phoenix Suns floored the Bulls 132-113, with a fiery Devin Booker scoring 51 points with staggering 80% two-pointers and 85.7% three-pointers. All in just thirty minutes spent in the field.

“It was, for sure, a special night. It’s just one of those times when you sit back and just watch the guy get hot,” Celtics coach Monty Williams said admiringly. Suddenly, the thirty points and fourteen rebounds of Deandre Ayton, for his seventh double-double in a row, would go almost unnoticed in a Phoenix team which is six straight wins.

The Boston and Phoenix Dolphins also won: the Milwaukee Bucks in the East, who snatched the Knicks Nets a precious 109-103 victory at Madison Square Garden, and the Denver Nuggets who beat Colorado Houston 120 100.

In the ranks of the Nuggets, who had done the job in the first half, reaching rest with already 27 points ahead, Jamal Murray was the top scorer with 26 points.

During an ultra-tight game from start to finish in New York, Giannis Antetokounmpo was invaluable for Milwaukee, brushing the tripe-double with 37 points, thirteen rebounds and seven assists.

The two third in the Conference did not let themselves be counted. They too won, New Orleans on the banks of the Mississippi against Toronto 126 to 108, and Cleveland which stifled the attack of Philadelphia 113 to 85.

In Los Angeles, LeBron James, the second best scorer in NBA history, had a good performance by also coming close to the triple double with 31 points, eight assists and seven rebounds, during the victory of his team over Portland 128 to 109. But “King James” is still more than a thousand points from the record held by another former Lakers glory, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

The Lakers are better: this is their third victory in four games, the fourth having ended in a defeat on the wire 116-115 against Indiana on Monday. Finally, note the victory of the Utah Jazz over the Los Angeles Clippers 125 to 112, which marks the end of a series of five defeats for the Jazz.