Edwards Stops Shai: Wolves Win at Thunder. Pistons Win 7 in a Row After 10 Years
Minnesota wins in Oklahoma City by recovering 25 points against the Thunder, Jokic serves 19 assists to lead Denver to victory in Indianapolis. Detroit reaches seven consecutive victories by knocking out the Los Angeles Clippers, Miami scores just 86 points by going down against Atlanta. There were eight NBA games scheduled for the Italian night, here are the details.
The team from the capital returns to winning ways after six defeats. Thanks to a great finale: they were down 96-97, they close the game with a partial 11-2. Jordan Poole scores 26 points, the Wizards win for just the tenth time this season. Brooklyn (21-36) makes a fool of itself. They score just 12 points in the 4th quarter, becoming the only team to be held under 100 points by Washington this season. They get stuck in the sprint, they don't score any baskets from the field in the last 4'45" of the game.
Washington : Poole 26 (3/5, 5/8, 5/5 TL), Coulibaly 20, George 12. Rebounds: Champagnie 7. Assists: Middleton/George 5.
Brooklyn : Williams 19 (1/3, 5/7, 2/2 tl), C. Johnson 17, Martin 15. Rebounds: Sharpe 6. Assists: Hayes 8.
Charlotte (14-42) is becoming the panacea for all the ills of the evening's opponents. After losing by 53 points to Portland 48 hours earlier, they are swept by 42 in Sacramento. The Kings (29-28), who needed to recover their self-esteem after a few too many stumbles, are having fun this time. Zach LaVine is the one doing it, scoring 42 points, his season high, coach Christie's team shooting 54% from the field, distributing 30 assists.
Sacramento : LaVine 42 (8/10, 8/9, 2/3 TL), DeRozan 18, Monk 13. Rebounds: Sabonis 10. Assists: Monk 10.
Charlotte : Bridges 23 (5/11, 4/8, 1/2 TL), Ball/Smith 13. Rebounds: Nurkic 9. Assists: Ball 9.
Atlanta beats Miami and overtakes them in the standings to earn eighth place in the East. The Hawks (27-31) prevail thanks to their defense, allowing just 86 points, their season low, their best performance in their half since March 2021, when they were able to hold Cleveland's offense to 82. Dyson Daniels steals 7 balls, Caris LeVert and Terrance Mann off the bench score 15 points each. Miami (26-30) is unwatchable without Jimmy Butler: they lose for the sixth time in their last seven games, Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo shoot 9/32 between them.
Atlanta : Okongwu 17 (5/7, 2/3, 1/2 TL), LeVert/Mann 15. Rebounds: Capela/Daniels 11. Assists: Young 14.
Miami : Wiggins 23 (2/5, 4/9, 7/7 TL), Adebayo/Anderson 14. Rebounds: Ware 15. Assists: Herro 3.
Nikola Jokic is inspired in Indianapolis. He distributes 19 assists, a career high, adding 18 points and 9 rebounds, Denver's offense shoots 56%, the entire starting five scores in double figures and the Nuggets go up 38-20 in record, the second best in the West. The Pacers (32-24), coming off three straight wins, are swept away 46-32 in rebounds, overall under the basket (74-46 for the guests in points in the paint) and shoot 14/43 from 3-point range. It can't be enough against the Serbian Joker.
Indiana : Turner 23 (5/8, 2/10, 7/8 TL), Siakam/Haliburton 19. Rebounds: Siakam 9. Assists: Haliburton 15.
Denver : Gordon 25 (9/13, 2/4, 1/1 TL), Porter 19, Jokic 18. Rebounds: Porter 11. Assists: Jokic 19.
Eighth consecutive defeat for Philly, which is giving up the season. Embiid is not playing, he has done so only 19 times so far, slowed down by his left knee, he is considering the possibility of ending the year early, even having surgery. The injuries are piling up: this time the 76ers (20-27) lose Guerschon Yabusele and Quentin Grimes. Chicago (23-35), despite being without Nikola Vucevic (calf) and losing Lonzo Ball (head), wins after six consecutive defeats, led by Josh Giddey's 25 points and 16 rebounds.
Philadelphia : Goerge/Oubre 19, Maxey 13. Rebounds: Drummond/Oubre 8. Assists: Butler 5.
Chicago : Giddey 25 (5/8, 3/3, 6/6 TL), Huerter 23, Collins 19. Rebounds: Giddey 16. Assists: Giddey/White 6.
The Blazers (25-33) return to winning ways after three consecutive defeats. They take over the Delta Center in Salt Lake City with a heart-pounding victory because at the last second Keyonte George misses a three-pointer to go to overtime, after having scored two in a row. Utah (14-43) was without half its team, all veterans, losing for the sixth time in its last eight games. 20 points for Jerami Grant who however with 3” to go makes only 1/2 from the free throw line allowing the home team to make a triple of desperation. He doesn't go in.
Utah : Sensabaugh 23 (4/8, 4/5, 3/3 TL), George 21, Filipowski 20. Rebounds: Filipowski 11. Assists: Filipowski/George/Williams 5.
Portland : Simons 28 (7/10, 3/13, 5/5 tl), Grant 20, Avdija 18. Rebounds: Avdija 14. Assists: Simons/Henderson 6
Seventh win in a row for Detroit, which had not managed to do so since the streak of successes put together from December 2014 to January 2015. The Pistons go up 32-26 thanks to Cade Cunningham who overflows with 32 points. Simone Fontecchio did not play, having injured his right hand in Sunday's victory against Atlanta. The Clippers (31-26) are at their third consecutive defeat. They shoot with 27% from 3 points and 12/19 from the line, James Harden 5/22 from the field with 7 turnovers.
Detroit : Cunningham 32 (5/13, 4/9, 10/12 TL), Harris 20, Duren 12. Rebounds: Duren 19. Assists: Schroeder 4.
Los Angeles : Harden 18 (2/11, 3/11, 5/8 TL), Jones 15, Bogdanovic/Zubac/Dunn 13. Rebounds: Zubac 16. Assists: Harden/Bogdanovic/Zubac 5
La Gazzetta dello Sport
