Reigning champion with defeat
Tuesday, September 08, 2020 | 11:17 am
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WHAT / WHAT (AFP / Getty) / Mike Ehrmann
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The defending champion of the National Basketball Association (NBA) is threatened with death on Thursday night (from 0.30 a.m. CEST / live DAZN). The Toronto Raptors lost on Monday in the “Bubble” in Orlando against the record champion Boston Celtics 89: 111 and are thus 2: 3 behind in the “best of seven” series of the Eastern Conference semifinals.
Especially when it comes to defense, it was an extremely bitter lesson for the only NBA team from Canada. The 17-time champion from Boston (most recently in 2008) allowed the Raptors to only count eleven points in the first quarter, thus equalizing their negative record. The Celtics also clearly dominated in the aftermath and took off at 62:35 until the break, which was the preliminary decision. Boston’s top scorer was Jaylen Brown with 27 points.
Toronto coach Nick Nurse said his team simply lacked “energy” and was accordingly “disappointed” after the game. “They were faster, stronger and hungrier than us,” was the apt comment from the 53-year-old, who was named NBA Coach of the Year.
In the second match of the day, the Los Angeles Clippers celebrated a 113:10 victory over the Denver Nuggets, making it 2-1 in the series. The two all-stars Paul George (32 points) and Kawhi Leonard (23 and 14 rebounds) led the big title favorites to victory. The top scorer of the Nuggets was the Serbian center Nikola Jokic, who resisted the defeat with 32 points, twelve rebounds and eight assists.
Play-off results of the NBA on Monday in Orlando (2nd round / conference semifinals, “best of seven”):
Eastern Conference: Toronto Raptors – Boston Celtics 89:111 (Stand 2:3)
Western Conference: Denver Nuggets – Los Angeles Clippers 107:113 (Stand 1:2).
From: apa
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