The “NBA HIGHS & LOWS” column kicks off, in which we will analyze the best and worst of the overseas basketball week. The past week saw the Boston Celtics once again as protagonists, reaching 10 consecutive victories and confirming, as if there were still any need, their desire to aim for the big coup this year. Jalen Green’s Houston Rockets also did very well, coming off 8 wins in a row and coming very close to the playoff zone (8th place Dallas is six games away). However, Doncic and Irving’s team appeared to be on the upswing, capable of winning 7 of the last 8 games, including the one against Denver with the spectacular buzzer-beater of the former Duke number 2. However, the fall of Toronto and Brooklyn continues, with Cleveland also doing badly, with the Magic and Knicks getting ever closer.
HIGHS
BOSTON NO LONGER KNOWS THE WORD DEFEAT
10 consecutive victories which serve as a warning to the entire League, this year Mazzulla’s men are the team to beat. A week that saw no obstacles for the green and whites, capable of first beating the derelict Detroit Pistons (119-94 and 31 points from Brown), and then moving on to a good victory against Milwaukee (122-119 and 31 from Tatum), continuing again with a roll against the Pistons (102-129 and 33 from Brown) and conclude at the United Center in Chicago against the Bulls (113-124 and 5 players above 15 points). A team that doesn’t seem to have any weaknesses and that seems to have accumulated the right maturity to avoid falling back into past mistakes. The playoffs are close, the Celtics are the only team already qualified and the objective is clear: we’re playing for the ring.
THE MOST IN SHAPE TEAM OF THE WEEK: HOUSTON ROCKETS
For the Rockets 8 victories in a row, 10 in the last 11, and the Warriors ever closer. Udoka’s team is traveling on the wings of youth and light-heartedness and is trying to achieve goals that seemed complicated at the beginning of the season. Sengun, Jabari Smith Jr. and above all Jalen Green are the most decisive men of the team, capable during the week of beating first Washington (114-137 and 42 points from Green), then Chicago (127-117 with 26 from Green) and finally the direct opponent Utah (147-119 with 41 from Green and 34 from VanVleet). Golden State is only one game away and Curry and company seem to be at the end of the race, could the play-in place go to Brooks and company?
DALLAS SHOW WITH A SUPER KYRIE IRVING
A complicated team, two stars who thought they couldn’t coexist. And instead we are at the end of March, sixth place in the West, 7 wins in the last eight and a close fight with the Clippers, Suns, Kings and Pelicans. After opening the week with the defeat against Oklahoma (126-119 although Irving’s 36 but without Doncic), Dallas was able to beat the reigning champions Denver (107-105), with Irving’s buzzer-beater left-handed as one of the most beautiful (and difficult) baskets of the year. The week then continued with victories over San Antonio (107-113 with 28 from Irving) and Utah (113-97 with 34 from Doncic). In the West, a fight is expected to avoid the play-ins and Dallas with these Irving and Doncic seem to have all the cards in order to play it.
LOWS
TORONTO CHAMBER
The Toronto Raptors do not emerge from the tunnel, reaching 10 consecutive defeats and seem to definitively abandon their play-in dreams. Rajkovic’s team played 3 matches this week in which they suffered as many defeats. The first against the Sacramento Kings (123-89 with 6 Kings players in double figures), the second against the Thunder (103-123 and here even 7 OKC players in double figures) and the last against the not irresistible Washington Wizards (112-109 although Trent’s 31 points).
BROOKLYN, ATLANTA IS ALWAYS FARTHER
In the category of the worst teams of the week there is also room for Mikail Bridges’ Brooklyn Nets, who have reached six consecutive defeats (1 win in the last 9). The same goes for Toronto, the play-in place is dangerously distant and a providential change of direction is needed for Ollie’s men who seem to have let go a bit. Week that opened with the overtime defeat against the Spurs (122-115) and then continued with the defeat at home against New Orleans (91-104), the one away against the Bucks (115-108) and the one in the derby with New York (105-93). The only positive note for the Bianconeri is the growth of Cam Thomas, who is increasingly a protagonist and has an interesting future ahead of him.
CLEVELAND, WHAT’S HAPPENING?
Dark period for the Cavs, fresh from 3 consecutive defeats and a 3-7 record in the last 10. Bickerstaff’s team now risks the return of their pursuers (Knicks and Magic above all) and sees the Bucks 3 games away (Celtics now unreachable ). However, the week began under the lucky stars of the victory against Indiana (103-108), but continued in a completely opposite way given the defeats against Miami (104-107), Minnesota (104-91) and Miami again (121-84 and only one player for the Cavs in double figures). This last match sounds like an alarm bell for Garland and his teammates, who will have to be good at not wasting all the good work done so far.
Diego Loretelli
2024-03-26 20:31:34
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