Thompson outshines Giannis in the NBA and the Miami Heat skates against the Wolves

Star forward Klay Thompson overshadowed Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo this Saturday in the NBA and the Golden State Warriors comfortably beat the champions Milwaukee Bucks, while the Miami Heat skidded against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Sharp shooter Thompson overflowed with a season-high 38 points, thanks in part to eight of 14 3-pointers (24 points) to beat the Bucks 122-109.

The Warriors snapped the Bucks’ six-game winning streak.

In his best game since returning in January after missing 2 1/2 years with injuries, the 32-year-old guard went 15-for-24 from the floor with six rebounds and five assists in 34 minutes.

“Don’t lose confidence. Never lose confidence,” Thompson said. “I’ve been through a lot. Just being able to be here and compete is already a blessing.”

Jordan Poole added 30 points for the Warriors, who got just eight points and eight assists from star Stephen Curry.

“I’m a perfectionist sometimes,” Thompson said. “(I had to) be patient. Steve (Kerr, the Warriors coach) was telling me to just take good shots.”

Thompson missed the entire 2019-20 season with a torn ligament in his left knee and the entire 2020-21 campaign with an Achilles tendon injury, but returned in January and had his previous record of 33 points last month in a victory over the Los Angeles Lakers.

Golden State tied Memphis for second place in the Western Conference with a 46-22 record while the Bucks, led by 31 points from Giannis, fell to 42-26, second in the Eastern Conference, 2 1/2 games behind Miami. .

On the other hand, basket player Jaylen Nowell scored 16 points, Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards each added 15 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the Miami Heat 113-104.

The Wolves have won seven of eight games, while the Heat lost their second meeting in the last three outings.

Tyler Herro scored 30 points for the Eastern Conference-leading Heat.

Miami’s Markieff Morris had six points and four rebounds in 17 minutes off the bench in his first game in more than four months. He missed 58 games due to a cervical injury.

The Heat played without star Jimmy Butler (sore toe), Caleb Martin (knee) and veteran Victor Oladipo (knee).

Butler missed his 22nd game of the season. He has missed, due to injury, illness or other reasons, 27% of Miami’s regular-season games during his three years with Miami.

For his part, Oladipo’s absence was planned after he played in three games in a span of five days in his first games in nearly a year after surgery.

Herro scored 18 of his first-half points during Miami’s 42-point second quarter, which helped build a 67-55 halftime lead. Center Bam Adebayo added 15 cards in the first half.

– Saturday results in the NBA:

Chicago a Cleveland 101-91

Minnesota a Miami 113-104

Indiana a San Antonio 119-108

Golden State a Milwaukee 122-109

Toronto a Denver 127-115

Utah a Sacramento 134-125

Portland a Washington 127-118

meh / ag / mas

–