With their “Greek Freak”, the Bucks do not fear much at the moment: on this virtuous series of ten successes, he averages 37.3 points.
After a piano start, LA taking the lead (27-22) in the first quarter thanks to Paul George (19 pts, 11 rebounds), orphan of Kawhi Leonard, Milwaukee tightened the bolts.
In the absence of Khris Middleton, it was Brook Lopez (22 pts, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks) who played lieutenants with Jrue Holiday (19 pts, 6 assists).
The 2021 champion remains second in the East, behind Boston which chained a third victory at the expense of Charlotte (127-116).
Without Jaylen Brown (facial fracture) or Marcus Smart (ankle), the Celtics were able to rely on Jayson Tatum, effective (41 pts at 13/21 on shots) and well relayed by Derrick White (33 pts, 10 assists).
In third place, remain the Sixers who had the last laugh once morest the Knicks (119-108).
The match settled down in the last quarter and if Joel Embiid (35 pts, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 blocks) has been the most prominent so far, it is the sixth man Tyrese Maxey who knew make the difference by scoring nine of his 27 points, thanks to three award-winning banderillas.
Philly, who remained on two setbacks, had just cleared 13 lengths behind New Yorkers (7th) yet well guided by Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle at 30 points each. But neither of them was able to weigh in the last twelve minutes, both blocked at two points.
cold blooded irving
Cleveland (4th), carried by 30 points from Donovan Mitchell, for its part had no trouble winning a fifth success in a row once morest New Orleans (118-107).
In Miami, Jimmy Butler (16 pts) played the saviors 7/10ths of a second from the buzzer, crushing a dunk on a pass in the air from Gabe Vincent, in the heart of a ghostly defense of the Rockets, beaten on the thread (97-95).
An unconvincing success for the Heat (6th), once morest the last in the West, despite a solid Tyler Herro (31 pts, 9 rebounds, 8 assists).
In the West, Memphis, second in the standings, had no trouble disposing of Minnesota (128-107). Ja Morant was familiar with the triple-double (32 pts at 13/23, 9 assists, 9 rebounds), rewarding the fans with a dunk at very high altitude upon receiving an alley-oop (pass in the air) .
For his second game with Dallas (4th), Kyrie Irving, author of 25 points (10 assists), was decisive in the victory obtained on the floor of the Kings (122-114). The leader was not very skilful (5/14), except on the free throw line, with a 6/6 in the last minute which made 12/12 in the end.
De’Aaron Fox, author of 15 of his 33 points in the final quarter, almost brought back into the game Sacramento (3rd), led throughout.
Phoenix won at Indiana (117-104) to move up to fifth place. DeAndre Ayton (22 pts, 11 rbds) and Devin Booker (21 pts) enlightened the Suns.
Finally, Oklahoma City (11th) was still able to count on the untenable Shai Gelgeous-Alexander, author of 44 points (13/16 on shots), to defeat (138-129) Portland (12th) and its star Damian Lillard, not outdone (38 pts, 9 assists).