In Milwaukee, Brook Lopez scored 24 points with 10 rebounds and 9 interceptions, leading the Bucks to consolidate their lead in the Eastern Province with 37 wins in 66 games, with the help of Bobby Portis, who scored 28 points with 13 rebounds.
Pax missed the services of his star, Antitokounmpo, for the second match in a row, this time due to a right hand injury, following he missed the 134-123 victory over the Orlando Magic on Tuesday due to illness.
And if the Bucks missed their Greek giants, the Nets entered the meeting with a squad that missed Nick Claxton, Cam Johnson, Royce O’Neal, Australian Ben Simmons for injury, and Spencer Dinwiddie for some rest.
Only Michal Bridges and Dorian Feeney-Smith participated in the starting line-up that beat the Houston Rockets 118-96 two days ago, but neither of them was on the field for more than 12 minutes following coach Jack Vaughn decided to ease the burden on them.
Despite this, the Nets were able to keep up with their hosts, following making up for falling behind 24-46 at the start of the match, to narrow the difference to only two points, 97-99.
However, the comeback was not completed despite the efforts of Australian Patty Mills (23 points), Cam Thomas (21) and Drew Smith (17 in only 10 matches in the league), so that the guests suffered their twenty-ninth defeat once morest 37 wins in the last sixth place that qualified directly for the “Playoffs”. In the eastern region.
And in Memphis, without his star Ja Morant, who missed the third game in a row as a disciplinary measure following publishing a video clip in which he appeared carrying a gun in a nightclub, the Grizzlies made a tremendous start following scoring 48 points in the first quarter on his way to sweeping the Warriors 131-110 in their first confrontation in the season. Memphis since the second round of the “Playoff” Western Region last season, when Golden State emerged victorious 4-2.
Thanks to the efforts of Taius Jones (22 points with 11 assists), Jaren Jackson (21 with 9 rebounds) and Diamond Payne (21 points), the Grizzlies achieved their thirty-ninth victory in 65 games and remained in third place in the Western Region ranking at the same distance from the second Sacramento Kings, who In turn, he continued his wonderful season by defeating the New York Knicks for the second time following a series of nine consecutive victories, by defeating him 122-118.
The Kings owe their seventh victory out of eight matches they played since the All-Star match break, to Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis, who achieved three double figures (Triple Double) for the ninth time this season, by scoring 24 points with 13 rebounds and 10 assists.
In other matches, the Indiana Pacers defeated the Houston Rockets 134-125 following an extra period, the Charlotte Hornets defeated the Detroit Pistons 113-103, and the Utah Jazz defeated the Orlando Magic 131-124.
© 2023 AFP
