In the NBA, Portland lost at home to Minnesota, the number 1 in the Western Conference. Our compatriot Toumani Camara played a strong match despite the loss. Mixed feelings in Orlando too: a defeat spoiled Shaquille O’Neal’s “retirement party”.
Toumani Camara had to settle for a substitute role in recent weeks, but was allowed to start again against Minnesota.
The Belgian did well, but made mistakes early on, which kept him on the bench for a long time. Camara clocked a total of 22 minutes. He was good for 14 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists.
Camara was perfect from the free throw line (2/2) and from behind the three-point line (2/2). He only missed 2 of his 7 shots. Also striking: in the minutes that Camara was on the field, Portland scored 7 points more than Minnesota.
The Timberwolves did especially well when the Belgian was on the bench and eventually won easily 109-121. This means the Wolves remain number 1 in the Western Conference. Anthony Edwards had a great day for the visitors with 41 points.
In Orlando, the evening was all about Shaquille O’Neal. The former center, who put the then young Orlando Magic on the NBA map in the 1990s, was allowed to hoist his shirt with number 32 into the rafters of the stadium. No one will be playing with number 32 at Orlando from now on.
O’Neal, one of the most dominant players in NBA history, was selected first overall by Orlando in the 1992 draft.
His impact in 4 seasons with the Magic was profound. With Shaq, the team went from being a loser to a title contender. In 1995 he even guided Orlando to the NBA finals, where they lost without a chance to Houston.
A year later, O’Neal traded Orlando to the LA Lakers. The heyday that Magic fans experienced during the Shaq era have not been matched since. O’Neal is also the first-ever player in Orlando Magic history to have his jersey number retired.
“No one deserves this more than him,” said CEO Alex Martins. “Shaq put Orlando Magic on the map. He laid the foundations for his impressive career here.”
For O’Neal, it is already the 3rd time he has seen one of his shirts “retired”. The LA Lakers previously did it with jersey number 34 and Miami with number 32. “This is where it all started for me. This is the most beautiful,” Shaq said at the ceremony.
Small dampener on the celebration: the current Orlando team could not enhance Shaq’s special evening with a victory. Oklahoma City won 113-127 in Orlando.
2024-02-14 06:51:47
#Toumani #Camara #starting #place #good #match #prevent #defeat
