A tense match between OKC and Denver
If there was only one game to watch tonight, it was the one between OKC and Denver. It took overtime to see the Thunder victory over the Nuggets (127-121). The level of play was present, like several confusions… The first at the start of the match when Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, returning from injury, returned the ball to Nikola Jokic. But the most important remains the one after Lu Dort’s bad gesture, which brought down the Serb. The latter gets up and is ready to grab the entire Oklahoma City team. Dort will be ejected, Jokic and Jaylin Willams will receive a technical foul. We should not limit this meeting to small skirmishes, because the level of play and the atmosphere were also there. Everyone must hope that the two teams find themselves in the playoffs… SGA finished with 36 points and 9 assists, Nikola Jokic lined up a new triple-double with 23 points, 17 rebounds and 14 assists. Jamal Murray scored 39 points.
A scent of playoffs in the East too
On the other side of the USA, the confrontation between Cleveland and Detroit also kept all its promises. Despite the absences of James Harden and Donovan Mitchell, the Cavaliers were close to overthrowing the best team in the East after overtime (122-119). The Pistons, with an impressive Jalen Duren (33 points, 16 rebounds including 7 offensive!) will take the break at the start of overtime, the Cavs not managing to get back on track, despite a last prayer from Evan Mobley to try to snatch 5 additional minutes of play. Cleveland’s interior also had the opportunity to kill the game at the free throw line at the end of regulation time…
And also…
The Knicks easily disposed of the Bucks (127-98) thanks in particular to Jalen Brunson (27 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists). The Celtics destroyed the Nets (148-111), Jaylen Brown coming close to a triple-double (28, 7, 9). Finally, the Grizzlies dominated the Mavericks from the start of the match to win quite easily (124-105).
