Basketball: Wiggins plays it like Curry, Simons like Lillard

Slowly but surely, Golden State continues its rise in the standings, after a big air pocket at the start of the year. Here is the outgoing champion who is in 7th position after his victory at the expense of Houston (14th), who remained on a feat in Phoenix the day before. The Californians, deprived of Klay Thompson put to rest, started very strong, counting 25 lengths ahead before the break, carried by Andrew Wiggins who finished with 36 points (14/19 in shots). Then a guilty release let the Texans close to four units, seven minutes from time. Moment at which Stephen Curry came to kill all suspense, by planting two banderillas at long distance in a row, which also made for him eight in total (out of 17 attempted), with 30 pawns (10 assists) on arrival.

The performance of the night came from Utah, where, in the absence of leader Damian Lillard (calf), Anfernee Simons scored 45 points. In the very last seconds, the young rear of the Trail Blazers also managed a decisive counter on Jordan Clarkson, who could still hang the equalizer, synonymous with extension.

Portland, which remained on three losses, took the opportunity to move up to 9th place, behind the Jazz (8th) and ahead of the Mavericks (10th), wealthy winners (121-100) at the Knicks. Luka Doncic, current top scorer in the championship, has 30 pawns (11/21 on shots, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 blocks), well supported by Tim Hardaway Jr (28 points). It was in the third quarter that New York (11th in the East), defeated for the sixth time in eight matches, took on the water, conceding a crippling 41-15.

For its part, Sacramento, one of the surprise teams of the first quarter of the season, had no trouble winning with the Clippers (123-96), it is true deprived of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George (spared). The Kings (5th) folded the game at the break, with a twenty-point lead, relying in particular on Domantas Sabonis (24 points, 6 assists).

In Minnesota (11th), it was the Thunder (12th) who won (135-128), thanks to a still remarkable performance from Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (33 points). The meeting was marked by the exclusion of the pivot of the Timberwolves Rudy Gobert, for a trip on Kenrich Williams, sanctioned with a flagrant foul of category 2 which sent him directly back to the locker room in the second quarter.

It all started with a harmless action, when Williams fell to the ground in contact with the Frenchman, after scoring a basket. The latter then took his feet against his vis-à-vis, falling in turn. It was when the Oklahoma City winger wanted to get up, that “Gobzilla” tripped him up. Swept to the ground, as in judo, the OKC winger immediately wanted to do battle inside Minnesota. The two players clung to each other, before being quickly separated by their teammates and the referees.

Already deprived of Karl-Anthony Towns, injured in a calf, the Wolves could have to play a few matches without their second “big man”, three times best defender in the league, if the disciplinary committee of the NBA were to suspend him.

Finally, in the East, Milwaukee consolidated its second place, winning in Charlotte (105-96), without Giannis Antetokounmpo, Jrue Holiday or Khris Middleton, at rest for this “back-to-back” the day after the setback conceded at home against the Lakers. Bobby Portis (20 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists) guided the Wisconsin team to its 16th success of the season.