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Los Angeles (AFP) – Phoenix cemented its NBA Western Conference lead on Sunday by beating Detroit 135-108, while the Jazz snapped their four-game losing streak by beating Denver 125-102 for the return of Rudy Gobert.
The Golden State dolphin, deprived of its star Stephen Curry, injured in the right hand, was dominated by Minnesota (119-99).
The Suns were notably carried by the 30 points scored by Devin Booker, in just over half an hour of play.
“I was just shooting and the guys were giving me the ball in the right places,” Booker said following the game.
“I didn’t often get to watch the Pistons play – I grew up regarding two hours west of here – so I enjoy playing once morest what was my favorite team growing up.” , added the Michigan native.
Landry Shamet added 11 points and Chris Paul another 10, with six rebounds and six assists for the Suns, winners of six of their last seven games.
This brings their total to 33 wins for only 9 defeats, including 16 wins for 4 losses on the outside, the best ratio in the NBA.
On the Pistons side, the evening was definitely not good with, in addition to the defeat, the expulsion of Cade Cunningham following receiving two penalties during the third quarter (the second for a “provocation” following he pointed fingered a Suns player following making a dunk), cutting him off when he had already scored 21 points in 25 minutes.
The struggling Warriors
Another disappointment in the West: the Golden State Warriors, also deprived of Draymond Green, lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Karl-Anthony Towns finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds, while Jaylen Nowell, with his 17 points, and Malik Beasley, who made five 3-pointers in the second half, were also instrumental in Wolves’ victory , who return to the top 8 of the conference.
The Jazz, 3rd, put an end to their bad series of four defeats in a row by winning on the Denver floor for the return of Rudy Gobert (18 points, 19 rebounds), who had missed the last five games due to of the Covid protocol.
“I felt pretty good. Every time you play in Denver you know you’re going to be tired at some point, it was in the first quarter and the third quarter but it was, better than usual in Denver. I’m just grateful to be back,” Gobert said following the game.
Utah was also able to count on Bojan Bogdanovic (21 points), Jordan Clarkson (16), Royce O’Neale (11) and Eric Paschall (10).
Finally, in Sacramento, the Houston Rockets beat the Kings 118-112, thanks in particular to Christian Wood, who scored his 20th double-double of the season (23 points and 14 rebounds).
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