On the floor Thursday, the Louisiana franchise ended a four-game losing streak against San Antonio (before-
last in the West) and is placed immediately behind the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics on the podium in the Eastern Conference. Willie Green’s players now have a record of 19 wins and 12 losses.
Leading largely (94-75) after three quarters, the Pelicans finished on inertia, conceding no less than 44 points in the final twelve minutes. CJ McCollum’s 40 points, 9 assists and 8 rebounds won’t have been enough to guarantee the final victory. Lithuanian pivot Jonas also contributed to this success with 16 points and 10 rebounds.
Jeremy Sochan scored 23 points for the Spurs as they remain mired in the depths of the Western Conference with the Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers.
In the other game of the night, the Utah Jazz beat the Washington Wizards 120-112 with 25 points by Malik Beasley and 23 by Jordan Clarkson.
After a good start, the Wizards can no longer come off a disastrous streak of 11 losses in 12 games. What dropped them to 12th place in the Eastern Conference, well outside the play-off qualifying spots.
Personal best for Siakam
The day before, the Brooklyn Nets, fourth in the east, dealt a major blow by crushing the defending champion Golden State Warriors, 143 to 113.
Looking transfigured by their completely botched start to the season, Kevin Durant’s teammates posted the third-best first half total in NBA history.
Against the Warriors, orphaned by their double MVP Stephen Curry, who suffered a dislocated left shoulder Dec. 14 vs. the Pacers Dec. 14, they led at the half 91-51!
Nothing goes well for defending champions. The San Francisco franchise is now aiming for a worrying 11th place in the West that will make them spend the holidays outside the play-off area.
The Nets have lost just one of their last twelve games and just tied for a seventh straight win. Everyone attended the offensive party in the ranks of Brooklyn, where nine players scored at least ten points, completely forgetting the absence of Kyrie Irving, who suffered a calf injury.
Less happy were their neighbors, the New York Knicks, sixth in the standings and with eight wins, who lost at Madison Square Garden against the Toronto Raptors, winners 113-106.
Pascal Siakam, with 52 points, the most points in a game of his career, helped the Raptors stop the bleeding and end a six-game losing streak.
Doncic dominates Gobert
Also in this Eastern Conference, the Chicago Bulls went to snatch the victory in Atlanta, 110 to 108. At the siren, Demar DeRozan fired a shot, which was missed, but Ayo Dosunmu was there to recover the ball on the rebound and to offer a basket definitive. victory for the Bulls. In the West, in the absence of the top four not playing, the fifth-placed LA Clippers took the opportunity to move closer to the Phoenix standings, thanks to their big hit against the Charlotte Hornets 126-105. Paul George and Nicolas Batum were the Clippers’ two leading scorers, with 22 and 21 points, the Clippers still held firmly by the sixth-ranked Sacramento Kings, winners at home against the Los Angeles Lakers 134-120 with four players over 20 points.
In Minnesota, Rudy Gobert stood out grabbing 15 rebounds and scoring 19 points, but his team still lost (104-99) against the Dallas Mavericks led by Luka Doncic, leading scorer of the game with 25 points. The Timberwolves are far from their early season goals, ranking just 10th in the Western Conference with a record of 16 wins and as many losses, just like their evening opponents who, despite repeated escapades from their Slovenian rearguard, have had to settle for a 9th place.
Source: AFP
On the floor on Thursday, the Louisiana franchise ended a four-game losing streak against poor San Antonio (second to last in the West) and fell back just behind the Milwaukee Bucks and Boston Celtics on the Eastern Conference podium. Willie Green’s players now have a record of 19 wins and 12 losses, ahead (94-75)…
