Cameroonian Joël Embiid continues to inflate his statistics. Holder for the All-Star Game, he is regularly cited as a potential MVP (best player) at the end of the season.
In the meantime, the league’s second scorer (29.1 pts) was voted Eastern Conference Player of the Month. Collectively this translates into three wins this week, allowing the Philadelphia Sixers (31v-20d, 3rd) to remain fully in the fight for the top spots in the East.
Four victories for as many matches on the side of the other Cameroonian star Pascal Siakam. The Toronto Raptors move up to 7th place and return to the playoff race. The native of Douala is still as complete as ever: 21.8 points, 11.5 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 2.8 steals and 1.8 blocks per game this week. He was not selected for the All-Star Game, but in the event of a forfeit, he keeps all his chances.
His Nigerian teammate Precious Achiuwa was a little more discreet, but remains within his standards. Note all the same a point at 12 points at 2/3 at three points once morest Miami. Still, his regularity did not go unnoticed as All-Star Weekend approached, since he was selected for the Rising Stars (selection of the 28 best players of 1st and 2nd year).
Three wins and one loss for the Phoenix Suns over the same period. Very solid in the first two games (12 pts, 11.5 rebounds), the Congolese Bismack Biyombo then left the bench very little (6 ‘in two games) with the return of the holder and his usual replacement. But his January interim proved to be more than conclusive, both personally and collectively.
Full card for Golden State which is hot on the heels of the Suns in the Western Conference. As often when we call on him, Jonathan Kuminga (DRC) responded present. After ten minutes of playing time in the first two matches, the rookie signed two good performances, at 19 and 18 points (including a nice dunk number three in Thursday’s Top 10). A very encouraging apprenticeship for the rest of his career.
Now on the downward slope, Serge Ibaka plays little this year. But the Los Angeles Clippers (27v-27d) know they can count on him if needed: 14 points, 11 rebounds and 2 blocks then 20-8-2 for the experienced Brazzavillois in his last two games as a starter.
Little used this season at the Utah Jazz, Udoka Azubuike nevertheless released a good match once morest Denver (8 pts, 10 rebounds), when he was the holder in the absence of the other pivots. Absences which are also not for nothing in the recent fall of Utah in the standings (31v-21d, 4th).
At the end of the Miami bench, Chris Silva sees little light. Taking advantage of 19′ on the field in the defeat of his team in Boston, the Gabonese only took one shot (2 pts), but did the work behind the scenes: 9 rebounds, 3 assists and one counter.