Another triumph for the Sacramento team with the Catalan coach at the controls.
The Sacramento Kings, with the Spanish Jordi Fernández on the bench in Mike Brown’s absence, they pulled off a spectacular 127-126 win this Wednesday against the Denver Nuggets, who were joined in the NBA’s Western Conference lead by the New Orleans Pelicans.
The day also saw DeMar DeRozan post a 42-point, 10-rebound double-double to defeat Greek Giannis Antetkounmpo’s 45 points and 22 rebounds to give the Chicago Bulls the win against the Milwaukee Bucks, while the Brooklyn Nets continue to fly and celebrate the their tenth consecutive win.
KING 127 – NUGGETS 126
The Kings avenged Tuesday’s home loss to the Nuggets and rallied from a 19-point third quarter deficit against Colorado to win 127-126, with Jordi Fernández on the bench. The Spaniard directed his third game in the NBA and has two wins by one setback.
Domantas Sabonis, who was playing with a sore thumb on one hand, posted a double-double of 31 points and 10 rebounds, while Malik Monk had 33 points. Also for the Kings, De’Aaron Fox had 31 points and thirteen assists.
The Nuggets fell despite Nikola Jokic’s 40 points and were caught in the West lead by the Pelicans.
BULLS 119 – BUCK 113
DeMar DeRozan had 42 points and ten rebounds and thwarted Antetokoumpo’s 45-point, 22-rebound double-double to lead the Bulls to a victory in overtime.
The Bucks, who couldn’t count on Khris Middleton or Jrue Holiday, lost their fourth straight game, while the Bulls moved to eleventh (15-22), after winning four of their last five games.
PELICANS 119 – WOLPS 118
Zion Williamson scored 14 of his 43 points in the fourth quarter and the Pelicans, without Spain’s Willy Hernangómez, defeated the Wolves, in which Anthony Edwards and D’Angelo Russell each had 27 points.
The Pelicans tied the Nuggets in command of the West, while the Wolves suffered a fourth straight loss and remained out of the playoffs.
WARRIORS 112 – JAZZ 107
Without Steph Curry, Klay Thompson or Andew Wiggins, the Warriors outlasted Finn Lauri Markkanen with 29 points and 16 rebounds, rallied from a ten-point lead in the third quarter to win 111-107 led by Jordan Poole’s 26 points.
The Warriors increased their home record to 15-2, best in the NBA, and finished 10th in the West (18-18).
HEAT 112 – LAKERS 98
With an aggressive defense, the Heat disarmed the Lakers in LeBron’s return to the city where he won his first NBA title. James ranked tenth on the list of all-capped players in the U.S. league, 1,393, and posted 27 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
For the Heat, Jimmy Butler had 27 points while Bam Adebayo had a double-double of 23 points and fourteen rebounds.
HAWKS 107 – NETS 108
The Nets sealed their tenth consecutive win, led by a Kyrie Irving with 28 points, five rebounds and eight assists and a Kevin Durant who signed a double-double with 26 points and 16 rebounds.
Jacque Vaughn’s team is third in the East, with a 23-12 record, while the Hawks, who could not count on Trae Young, suffered their second straight loss despite Dejounte’s 24 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
MAGI 127 – SOLO 102
On the day it was revealed that Devin Booker will be out for at least four weeks with pubic problems, the Suns fell in Washington despite DeAndre Ayton’s 31 points.
The Wizards triumphed overwhelmingly pushed by the trio formed by Rai Hachimura (28 points), the Latvian Kristaps Porzingis (24 points) and Kyle Kuzma (22 points).
PISTONS 121 – MAGIC 101
From the Palace, site of a tremendous clash between the Pistons and Ron Artest’s Indiana Pacers in 2004, to Little Caesars Arena. The Pistons-Magic was marred by a tough fight which ended in the dismissal of three players Franz Wagner, from the visitors, and Killian Hayes and Hamadou Diallo, from the Pistons, and local manager Dwane Casey.
In the drive for a split ball, Wagner pushed Hayes into the Pistons dugout. Hayes fought back and hit Wagner in the head, as virtually the entire Magic bench emptied to approach the incident area.
