In their distance duel for third place in the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Denver Nuggets did not falter on the road Tuesday. The Californians won (115-96) in Tampa Bay on the ground of a Toronto team plucked by absences and demobilized, with a good Nicolas Batum (5 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists in 23 minutes) in support of the Leonard-George duo. They still have a victory ahead of Denver, winner in Charlotte (117-112 with 30 points from Nikola Jokic and Michael Porter Jr).
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The two rivals will play their last three away matches. The Nuggets, now assured of having home advantage in the first round, have the tie-break (two wins to one over the season) in the event of a tie in victories after the seventy-two matches.
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Despite her loss, Charlotte is guaranteed a play-off (May 18-21) thanks to Chicago’s Tuesday loss to Brooklyn. Also assured of participating in the draft tournament in the west, Memphis made an impression by dominating Dallas (133-104) on Tuesday.
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The playmaker Ja Morant (24 points) weighed heavily, unlike a mini Luka Doncic (12 points to 4 of 16 shooting). ” This is one of the worst matches I have ever played », Commented the Slovenian while his team, sixth, is under pressure from the LA Lakers, seventh, who seek to avoid the dam.
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For the Grizzlies, young French winger Killian Tillie played fifteen minutes for a three-point basket and two assists.
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Three other young French people distinguished themselves on Tuesday in matches without a stake. Winger Jaylen Hoard had fifteen minutes (one missed shot, 4 assists, 4 rebounds) in Oklahoma City’s loss to Sacramento (106-122) while Theo Maledon was not aligned.
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The Detroit doublet, Killian Hayes-Sekou Doumbouya, still took advantage of his playing time (13 points to 5 of 13, 6 rebounds, 7 assists in 36 minutes for the playmaker, 12 points to 3 of 7, 8 rebounds in 26 minutes for the winger) but could not avoid the home defeat against Minnesota (119-100).
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