First edit: Last edit:
Los Angeles (AFP) – After a four-game losing streak, the Los Angeles Lakers rallied Tuesday against the Orlando Magic 129-110, while the Philadelphia 76ers snapped up an eight-game NBA winning streak in Washington despite Joel Embiid’s 48 points.
Orphaned of their figure Anthony Davis, the Lakers offered a great performance in Orlando led by LeBron James, who scored 28 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists.
Three days after his 38th birthday, ‘King James’ was close to eighth consecutive game, reaching thirty points.
The forward missed all seven of his 3-point attempts, but veteran point guard Patrick Beverley made up for it with an uncharacteristic 4 of 3-pointers.
Other Los Angeles guard Russell Westbrook continues to shine off the bench and makes his third triple-double as a substitute, with 15 points, 12 rebounds and 13 assists.
The Lakers remain in thirteenth place in the Western Conference, with 13 wins and 20 losses, trying to give up as little ground as possible in the fight for the playoffs while awaiting the return to the field of Davis, injured in his right foot.
On the Magic side, third from bottom in the East (13-21), the favorite for the Rookie of the Year award, Paolo Banchero, was wrecked with just 4 points while point guard Markelle Fultz was the top scorer with 16 points.
In Washington, the Sixers fell 111-116 to the Wizards to cap off an eight-game hitting streak.
Center Joel Embiid did everything in his power to add another win for Philadelphia with a spectacular career high of 48 points and 9 rebounds.
The Cameroonian, one of the big MVP award nominees, added his sixth game with at least 40 points this season and the 32nd of his career, surpassing the legendary Wilt Chamberlain to place second in franchise history in that bracket second only to Allen Iverson (76).
The Sixers’ other figure, James Harden, had 26 points and 13 assists, but only one other of his teammates, Tobias Harris (15), surpassed double figures in scoring.
For the Wizards, Latvia forward Kristaps Porzingis shone with 24 points and 10 rebounds.
The “Jays” dismount from Houston
In turn, the Boston Celtics defeated the Houston Rockets 126-102 with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown confirming themselves as one of the best couples of the season, combining for 77 points and 12 3-pointers.
Tatum added 38 points and Brown added 39 more in a game in which both teams shot a total of 101 3-pointers (on 34 shots), the most so far this season.
The victory keeps the Celtics ahead in the East (25-10) and sinks the Rockets (10-24) a little more in last place in the West.
The Texan team had scored a victory in Chicago the day before and some of their players were suffering from fatigue. Turkish center Alperen Sengün, who had just scored 25 points and 11 rebounds, left his scoring box empty with three missed shots in 22 minutes.
In another of 10 games on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Toronto Raptors 124-113 with 23 points by Paul George and another 15 by Kawhi Leonard.
Cameroonian Pascal Siakam finished with 36 points and 9 rebounds for the Canadians, who lost guard Fred VanVleet in the fourth quarter to a back problem.
– Tuesday results in the NBA:
Orlando Magic-LA Lakers 110-129
Washington Wizards-Philadelphia 76ers 116-111
Boston Celtics-Houston Rockets 126-102
Indiana Pacers-Atlanta Hawks 129-114
Los Angeles Clippers vs Toronto Raptors 113-124
In game:
Memphis Grizzlies – Phoenix Suns
Oklahoma City Thunder – San Antonio Spurs
Dallas Mavericks-New York Knicks
Golden State Warriors – Charlotte Hornets
Sacramento Kings v Denver Nuggets
© 2022 AFP
