We have to start putting our eyes on Orlando, because the Magic are already without a doubt one of the teams of the moment in the NBA. The New Orleans Pelicans arrived in Florida, having won seven of the last eight games and seriously threatening the Clippers in the fight for fourth place in the West. That team that had finally found its ideal game model, with the best Zion Williamson in months surrounded by young athletic players and shooters, had nothing to do in the face of what can be considered its dark reverse on the other side of the country. If the Pelicans are all about speed and scoring, the Magic are like a granite rock capable of withstanding whatever challenges are necessary. Before destroying them you will end up broken. And that happened to the Pelicans, who ended up falling decisively (121-106).
And they came out much better on the court, leading by 12 points in the first quarter. Paolo Banchero, a League star already in his second year in the NBA, missed his first 10 shots, including two free throws. Nothing suggested what was to come. With the second unit coming onto the field, especially Cole Anthony and Mo Wagner, the locals turned the score around in a big way, with a 33-10 run in the first 9 minutes of the second quarter. When Banchero scored his first point, his team was already winning 47-36. That’s playing as a team. Now, when the power forward started plugging in, he didn’t stop. He finished with 9/18 shooting from the field for 20 points, in addition to grabbing 10 rebounds and giving 11 assists. It marks his second triple-double of his career. Furthermore, at the beginning of the second quarter, Brandon Ingram injured his ankle and had to be helped by his teammates to leave the court, unable to put his foot on the ground properly. We will have to be attentive to the extent of the injury.
The Pelicans were killed by their high number of turnovers (19, 8 by Zion alone) and triples, both the bad percentage (30%) and the amount they attempted (20). “We have to create opportunities from the three-point line and that is one of their defensive virtues. 20 are not enough. You have to give them credit for that,” Pelicans coach Willie Green later acknowledged. And these Magic are one of the most perfect defensive machines in the NBA in which Banchero himself, Jonathan Isaac, Jalen Suggs, Wendell Carter stand out… Defense wins championships, they say. We don’t know if this defense will help the Magic win rings, but it sure does help to win games. They have five in a row, eight of the last ten and 18 of the last 23. And they are already fourth in the East.
Nuggets 113 – Knicks 100
The Magic’s victory was even more important thanks to the New York Knicks’ loss in Denver. The Big Apple team had once again found a rhythm of play that brought them victories, the last four in a row. Three of them had arrived on their Western tour that closed today. But winning at the champion’s home is a big deal. For that you have to be 100%, and the Knicks, who are still without Julius Randle, OG Anunoby and Mitchell Robinson, were not prepared for this challenge. They tried, yes. They made the Nuggets have to work for the win. But in the end the thing fell under its own weight.
Michael Porter was his team’s top scorer with 31 points. The three triples he made made him the highest triple maker in a season in the history of the franchise (193), surpassing Dale Ellis, who had 192 in 1997. The forward is playing better than ever and he relates it to the good health he is having this season. He has already played 69 games, more than any other year. Nikola Jokic achieved his 22nd triple-double of the course with 30 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists and the Nuggets, who are 13-2 since the All Star, are once again tied with Oklahoma at the top of the Western conference.
Bucks 115 – Nets 108
The Milwaukee Bucks remain firm in second place in the East, although this time the Brooklyn Nets did not make it easy for them. Despite the return of Giannis Antetokounmpo after two games out due to injury, and the fact that they managed to amass leads of 20 points in the second quarter and 18 in the third, the Bucks had to fight for victory until the last minute after The Nets came back to take the lead midway through the fourth quarter thanks to a 6-21 run. Damian Lillard was the key man, not only because of his success in attack (30 points and 12 assists, averaging 31 and 11.3 in the last three games), but also because of a couple of absolutely decisive defensive actions. With a tie at 96 he stole a ball, came out quickly on the counterattack and assisted Antetokpunmpo for a 2 + 1. And with 103-101 with less than 2 minutes remaining he stole another ball and assisted Malik Beasley for the triple. Afterwards, he would score 5 goals in a row, to definitively close the game.
This is the NBA classification
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2024-03-22 05:11:08
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