Less than 10 days before the start of the play-offs (April 20), Denver offered itself a good rehearsal on the night of Wednesday to Thursday, against Minnesota (116-107), winning a third match in a row, the day after a victory at the Utah Jazz (95-111).
The match indeed resembled a play-off encounter, with neither team managing to lead by more than seven points during the first three quarters. The Timberwolves had taken the lead at halftime (52-49) but the Nuggets and Jokic kept the pace, going ahead thanks to a 9-1 sequence which gave them the advantage (83-80) before the start of the last quarter. Denver then increased its lead to 12 points, including two dunks from Christian Braun, the second bringing the score to 108-94.
This success allows the Denver Nuggets to take first place in the Western Conference alone, when the Timberwolves make the bad operation of the night, with the victory at the same time for OKC against the Spurs. Denver, which now has a victory ahead of Minnesota and Oklahoma City (tied for 2nd), could finish in first place for the second consecutive season if it wins its away matches against the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday. and the Memphis Grizzlies on Sunday. The Wolves, for their part, are nevertheless assured of finishing among the top three, while they finished last season in 8th place. Rudy Gobert finished the evening with 13 points, 15 rebounds and 3 assists.
Promised for the title of MVP of the regular season, Nikola Jokic once again shone, scoring 41 points, including 24 in the second half, and adding 11 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals. Jamal Murray scored 20 points and Michael Porter Jr. 18. The win was Nuggets coach Michael Malone’s 423rd, tying him with George Karl for second in franchise history, behind Doug Moe (432). ).
The Bucks perform even without Giannis
Deprived of Giannis Antetokounmpo, injured in the calf during Milwaukee’s victory against Boston (104-91) on Tuesday, the Bucks still held their own against Orlando. Led by a Bobby Portis – Damian Lillard duo, they won with authority (117-99) to regain the margin (2 wins ahead and one game in hand) over the Knicks in 2nd place in the Conference standings. East.
The Magic had nevertheless tried to take advantage of the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo in the paint, but the gap still widened in the heart of the second quarter, the fault in particular of the numerous ball losses by Orlando players , when the Bucks of an incisive Damian Lillard (29 points, 6 rebounds, 9 assists) were more clinical. We must also note the excellent performance of Bobby Portis, who, with a second quarter of very high quality (24 points at 11/14 shooting) finished the match top scorer (30 points, at 14/18 shooting) and also worked in defense, as evidenced by his five interceptions.
This defeat, however, weighs heavily on Orlando who carry out the bad operation of the evening since this second consecutive setback drops them to fifth place in the East with only one victory ahead of the Philadelphia Sixers, seventh. Sixers whom they will also have to face on Saturday, before challenging the Bucks again on Sunday.
