Chicago (USA), Nov 29 (EFE).- This Friday, the Atlanta Hawks became the first to qualify for the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup thanks to their victory against the Cleveland Cavaliers, in a day in which The Oklahoma City Thunder stormed the Los Angeles Lakers field.
After the break for Thanksgiving Day, the NBA resumed the competition with the Boston Celtics, current champions, who triumphed in Chicago to the rhythm of Jayson Tatum and Payton Pritchard, and the Orlando Magic who crushed the Brooklyn Nets at home.
HAWKS 117 – 101 CAVALIERS
The Hawks have been responsible for two of the three losses suffered by the Cavaliers this season. They defeated them at home just three days ago and they won again this Friday, driven by 23 points from DeAndre Hunter and a double double of 21 points and eleven assists from Trae Young.
The Cavs, who three days earlier had surrendered at home to an extraordinary Young, with up to 22 assists, lost their second of three games in the NBA Cup.
Darius Garland scored 29 points and Evan Mobley had a double-double of 24 points and twelve rebounds, without a reward for the Cavs.
BULLS 129 – CELTICS 138
Jayson Tatum, with a double-double of 35 points and fourteen rebounds, and Payton Pritchard, with 29 points and seven triples coming off the bench, gave the Celtics a valuable 138-129 victory at the Bulls’ field.
The Celtics closed group A of the East with three wins and one loss, a balance sufficient to remain in the fight for a wild card for the next round of the Cup.
Joe Mazzulla’s team will know next Tuesday if they will advance, while the Chicago Bulls are mathematically eliminated from contention.
NETS 100 – MAGIC 123
Orlando triumphed in the field of Jordi Fernández’s already eliminated Nets, guided by 29 points from German Franz Wagner, and remains perfect with three wins out of three and an astonishing plus 60 in point difference.
The Nets started the game with no chance of advancing in the NBA Cup after the Atlanta Hawks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Knicks and Magic will face each other next Tuesday in a decisive match to settle the leader of the group.
LAKERS 93 – THUNDER 101
The Thunder, the best team in the West with a record of 15-4, triumphed in Los Angeles led by Shai Gilgeous Alexander, who had 36 points, seven rebounds and nine assists.
It was a victory of great importance for the Thunder, who tied the Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs with a balance of 2-1 with one game remaining in the group. The Lakers, who had as many as 17 turnovers in the game, dropped to 2-2.
The Lakers’ leading scorer was Dalton Knecht with 20 points. Anthony Davis contributed a double-double of fifteen points and twelve rebounds, and LeBron James finished with twelve points, eight rebounds and six assists.
GRIZZLIES 120 – PELICANS 109
Spanish Santi Aldama scored 20 points in the Grizzlies’ victory at home against the already eliminated New Orleans Pelicans (120-109), which marked the first victory for Taylor Jenkins’ franchise in the NBA Cup.
Aldama played 27 minutes off the bench and contributed 20 points, six rebounds and four assists. He had a brilliant success with eight of nine in field goals and three of three in triples. In the victory against the Pelicans, the Grizzlies’ leading scorer was Ja Morant, with 27 points. Jaren Jackson contributed 23 points.
The Grizzlies, placed in Group C of the West, had lost their first two games in the NBA Cup. The Pelicans have a record of one win and three losses in the NBA Cup and are already eliminated.
HORNETS 98 – KNICKS 99
The Knicks had to suffer to win in the field of the modest Charlotte Hornets, without LaMelo Ball, and needed 31 points from Jalen Brunson in a tight finale in which the New York leader scored two key free kicks with just over eight seconds left. chronometer.
The Knicks maintained their perfect path in Group A of the East, but remain behind the Magic in the standings.
Among the other results of the night, the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Los Angeles Clippers (93-92), the Detroit Pistons beat the Indiana Pacers (130-106) and the Miami Heat defeated the Toronto Raptors (121-111).
