To start this recap of the night, we are going to use a little time machine to go back to 2010. Why is that? Because the different performances of the night over the three games with the Thunder, the Blazers and the Lakers remind us of the start of the decade.
On the one hand, the Lakers faced the Knicks in an inevitably unbalanced clash on paper, despite the recent good performances of the Big Apple players. With a LeBron James sick but finally well present, the Lakers did not have so much trouble getting rid of the Knickersbockers. Thus, after the first 15 balanced minutes, LeBron James will finally start to find his shooters who are also successful (16 points for the duo Bradley/Green). The Lakers therefore score 36 points in the second quarter and take off before half-time (+17). The second period becomes a simple time of management for the men of Jason Kidd Franck Vogel because despite the awakening of RJ Barrett, the Lakers will not give up, and this despite the injury ofAnthony Davis badly falls on a fall. So this is Dwight Howard (8 pts, 13 rebounds) which will continue the monumental work he is doing on the rebounds. Rondo region finds a little reprieve with a good part the pass (8 pts, 10 assists). Despite the good third quarter of RJ Barrett (13 pts out of his 19) and the good part of Randle (15 pts, 10 rebounds), New York will not see the day again and will bow to LeBron’s 31-5-5.
On the side of OKC, a close match since the decision will be made in overtime. Until then, neither team will manage to take more than 10 points in advance and each will have its small moments of domination. In a generally dominated game, the Thunder was very scared in the last quarter, seeing the Nets regain the advantage and keep it until the last two minutes. Fortunately, Chris Paul, excellent this night with 28 points, will return the basket to go in overtime one minute of the term. This overtime will also be the playground of CP3 and his companion Shai Gilgeous Alexander, scoring 10 points while facing alone Joe Harris successfully register a basket. Thus, behind Chris Paul, the 22 points of SGA and the 10 pts, 18 rebounds of Steven Adams, OKC continues its excellent series despite the 41 points of the duo Prince-delivered.
To end on the sensation of the years back in the 2010s, Portland won against the Raptors, when they were lying 14 points and did not lead the entire game (except at the start). It was in the last moments that the perfect robbery was carried out with the head of the gondola, Mr. Carmelo Anthony, author of 28 pts and 7 rebounds but also the game winner allowing Portland to win. For this, they could count on the 14-16 of Whiteside and on the 20 points of Lillard. Opposite, they had victory at their fingertips thanks to 24 points and 10 assists Lowry but unfortunately Melo went through there.
To end the night a little faster, same scenario for the Pistons and the Kings who have won thanks to two standards last quarter time and when they were respectively 15 by the Pistons and 21 by the Suns. Thus, thanks to the 23 points / 20 rebounds of Drummond and at 24 points D-Rose, Detroit wins despite the duo’s 50 points Love/Sexton. For the Kings, despite the 34 of Booker and the 21-9 of Ayton, they win in particular thanks to the 27 points of Fox but above all a solid collective.
In the last match of the night, Memphis also won thanks to a last quarter time of madness (37-28) in which Years Jackson Jr (21 points au total), Dillon Brooks (28 points) and of course Ja Morant (25 points) took matters into their own hands. So, Jarrett Culver and his 24 points could not do anything and must bow to the endurance and resentment of the Grizzlies.
Detroit 115 Cleveland 113
Portland 101 Toronto 99
Oklahoma City 111 Brooklyn 103 – PR
Minnesota 112 Memphis 119
Sacramento 114 Phoenix 103
New York 87 L.A Lakers 117
–
