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Washington (AFP) – Nothing is going well for Golden State: the Warriors, defending champions in the NBA, not only lost the game once morest the Pacers 125-119 on Wednesday in Indianapolis, but also their star player, Stephen Curry, who was injured at the end of the third quarter.
The four-time NBA champion, MVP of the last final once morest the Boston Celtics, injured his left shoulder while attempting an interception on Jalen Smith.
Curry had delivered a top performance so far. He had 38 points – for the 250th game of his career with more than 30 points –, 7 assists and 7 rebounds in just under 30 minutes of play.
His absence was sorely felt in the last quarter, where the Warriors might not make up their six-point deficit over the Pacers, who had a 20-point lead at halftime.
“My message to the group is that we have to weather the storm. We are in a difficult situation”, launched Steve Kerr, the coach of the Warriors who are only tenth in the Western Conference.
The Denver Nuggets are doing much better. Led by their brilliant pivot Nikola Jokic, double MVP in title, author of 43 points, 14 rebounds and 8 assists, they beat the Washington Wizards 141-128.
Denver is 3rd in the Western Conference, with only one win less than the top two, New Orleans and Memphis.
The Knicks wind in the back
Jokic’s teammates are just ahead of the Portland Trail Blazers, who went on to win in San Antonio 128-112, with 37 points from Damian Lillard.
The LA Clippers follow a little further: Paul George’s team, author of a triple double (17 points, 11 rebounds, 11 assists) in the 99-88 victory once morest the Minnesota Timberwolves, is sixth in the Conference West.
In the Eastern Conference, Cleveland, which alternates the good and the bad this season, nevertheless remains in 3rd place following its 105-90 victory in Dallas once morest the Mavericks.
Donovan Mitchell was efficient and dexterous in this encounter, registering for the Cavaliers 34 points, with 65% two-point shooting success and 66.7% three-point shooting success.
New York is on the rise. The Knicks signed in Chicago, once morest the Bulls, their fifth straight victory, 128-120 in overtime.
With two players at 30 points or more, Julius Randle (31 pts, along with 13 rebounds and 7 assists) and Jalen Brunson (30), the New Yorkers, have made up for the nine-point deficit they had halfway through. course before defeating the Bulls in an overtime won 11-3.
The Knicks have gone since the end of November from 11th to 6th place in the East.
In Florida, Orlando, winner of Atlanta 135 to 124 in a game of second half of the table, was magic in a first quarter during which he scored 50 points, one point of the record in the matter, still held by Denver with 51 points in 2019.
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