Updated
Basketball: Philadelphia and Dallas ruin Christmas for Knicks and Lakers
Opening Christmas night in the NBA, the Sixers and Mavericks respectively overthrew the Knicks (119-112) and the Lakers (124-115).
Dominated and led for most of the game, the Philadelphia Sixers finally won 119-112 once morest the New York Knicks on Sunday, for the first NBA game on Christmas Day.
After being up to 14 points behind, the Sixers took the lead early in the fourth quarter and held it until the end. “In the second half, we were more physical,” reacted Joel Embiid (35 points, 8 rebounds), who becomes the first Sixer to score 35 points on Christmas Day since 1969. James Harden scored 29 points (including 5 3-point shots) and distributed 13 assists.
Philadelphia, 5th in the Eastern Conference ahead of … the Knicks, signs its eighth consecutive victory. It is also the Sixers’ eighth victory once morest the Knicks on Christmas Day, this meeting being the most frequently disputed on December 25, with thirteen editions.
Dallas sets fire
In the process, the Dallas Mavericks beat LeBron James’ Lakers 124-115, following a third quarter of anthology. After scoring only 43 points in the first half, the Mavericks sublimated following returning from the locker room, simply by achieving the best quarter of this NBA season, with 51 points. Luka Doncic and his teammates netted a total of 18 award-winning shots, including 9 in the third quarter, following only taking 5 of 22 in the first half.
The Slovenian star scored 32 points, took 9 rebounds and offered 9 assists. Christian Wood also distinguished himself with 30 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists. Tim Hardaway Jr added 26 points. Despite the loss, star LeBron James, playing his 17th game on Christmas Day, a new NBA record under his belt, carried the Lakers, scoring 38 points. He also took 6 rebounds and provided 5 assists.
‘Christmas Day’ continues with the clash between the Boston Celtics and the Milwaukee Bucks as they battle it out for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Then, in the West, the Golden State Warriors, defending champions but 11th, will face the Memphies Grizzlies, while the Phoenix Suns, which should register the return of Devin Booker, welcome the Denver Nuggets, currently first.
(AFP)