French rookie Zaccharie Risacher achieved a stellar performance with Atlanta (33 points). The Cleveland Cavaliers remained undefeated. Wembanyama and the Spurs fixed in Houston.
Risacher flames
The French No.1 in the draft in June Zaccharie Risacher achieved his first major NBA performance with 33 points (11/18 shooting, including 6/10 at 3 pts) for a prestigious success for the Atlanta Hawks against New York Knicks (121-116).
For his 9th game in the NBA, Risacher (19 years old) crushed his previous points record (17 on October 30), accumulating 22 points from the break, for a total of 33 points accompanied by 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 interceptions and 2 blocks, a very rare complete performance for a “rookie”.
The young Frenchman arrived from Bourg-en-Bresse, son of ex-international Stéphane Risacher, displayed his versatility between shooting precision (11 out of 18, including 6 out of 10 from distance), aggressiveness near the circle and defensive ease in 37 minutes of play, his biggest total.
Cleveland last undefeated team
The Cleveland Cavaliers continued their fantastic start to the season with a 9th success in as many matches against the New Orleans Pelicans (131-122) thanks in particular to 29 points from Donovan Mitchell.
The “Cavs” have had the best start to the season in their history with their new coach Kenny Atkinson, assistant to Vincent Collet this summer at the Olympic Games with the French team. The 57-year-old American coach, former boss of Brooklyn (2016-2020), has had the best start to the season for a new coach in the history of the league.
The Oklahoma City Thunder experienced a first defeat on the floor of 2023 champion Denver (124-122).
Jalen Williams (29 points, 10 rebounds, 9 assists) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (28 points), long in front, did not resist Nikola Jokic (23 points, 19 rebounds, 16 assists) and Former Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook (29 points).
LeBron James, 39 points en vain
Without pivot Anthony Davis, injured in one foot, “King” LeBron James, who is starting his 22nd NBA season at 39, showed his muscles in Memphis with 39 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists.
Despite their star’s best match since the restart, the Los Angeles Lakers were defeated by the Grizzlies (131-114) of Ja Morant (20 points, 5 assists) and remain on 4 defeats in 5 matches (4 wins – 4 losses to the total balance sheet).
Discreet Wembanyama
Still without their coach Gregg Popovich, their fullback Devin Vassell and with the new absence of their strong winger Jeremy Sochan, victim of a broken left thumb, the San Antonio Spurs sank in Houston (127-100), without ever taking the head of the game.
Like his team, Victor Wembanyama was relatively quiet with 15 points on 6 of 14 shooting, 6 rebounds and 3 blocks.
In the debacle, Sidy Cissoko was able to gain some playing time (5 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists in 8 minutes).
Curry manhandles the Celtics
The eternal Stephen Curry shone with the Golden State Warriors (27 points at 4 of 9 at 3 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists) in a match with twists and turns which saw the San Francisco Bay team win at the champion Boston (118-112).
Jayson Tatum’s Celtics, still hot (32 points), suffered their first setback of the season in regulation time, after an overtime defeat against Indiana.
For the Warriors, the start of the season appears to be a spectacular rebirth with 7 victories (including 5 away) and only one defeat, a few months after a pitiful elimination in the play-offs, far from the luster of the last decade (titles in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2022).
