NBA: Down three for Boston, Dallas wins without Doncic
Undisputed leaders of the NBA, the Boston Celtics fell for the third time in a row (120-117 ap), Thursday against the New York Knicks, while Dallas won in Phoenix (99-95) without its superstar Luka Doncic due to injury.
In the Knicks, Julius Randle (37 points, 9 rebounds) and Jalen Brunson (29 pts, 4 rebounds, 7 assists) were the main players in this snatch victory against the C’s.
But it is especially on the Massachusetts franchise that all eyes are focused after the third consecutive setback, a series that is a task for Boston, at the top of the Eastern Conference with 35 wins and 15 losses.
At first glance, the star duo Jayson Tatum (35 pts, 14 rebounds) and Jaylen Brown (22 pts, 9 rebounds) should not be ashamed of their performance on Thursday night. But they also accumulated six turnovers, and Brown missed two free throws 8 seconds from the buzzer…
“I’m a better basketball player than what I show today,” was the disgusted reaction of the interested party. “Those two missed shots pretty much symbolized my game as a whole.”
Small consolation, his friend Jayson Tatum could not have been more determined to miss the winning basket in the fourth quarter.
And the “clutch” players of the night were therefore on the opposite team: Randle and RJ Barrett made their final free throws, and Brunson blocked a potential three-pointer from Malcolm Brogdon at the end of overtime. .
– Detroit shocks Brooklyn –
In the storyline of the game, the Knicks closed the deal after letting the Celtics close a 12-point gap.
“We’ve had games like this before,” Randle said. “All year we have meetings with ups and downs (…) so we know how to act” in these situations, he explained.
In the end, if Boston still has a margin, with four victories ahead of its pursuers, the men in green will have to remobilize on Saturday against the LA Lakers. The Knicks are 7th with a green record (27 v., 23 d.).
The other surprise of the night, in the East came from Brooklyn, where the Nets surprised the Detroit Pistons (130-122), the team with the worst accounting record in the conference (13 v., 37 d.).
The New York franchise is still without Kevin Durant, Ben Simmons left the field early with a sore knee, and Kyrie Irving’s 40 points weren’t enough.
After their return to favor in the fall, the Nets, 4th, have a shot that is less proven by a clear negative balance (2 v. for 5 d.) since mid-January.
For the Pistons, French point guard Killian Hayes scored 16 points and grabbed five rebounds, but dished out just three assists in 25 minutes.
– Ankle under guard –
In the Western Conference, Dallas (6th, 26 v., 24 d.) can have a smile after his victory (99-95) over the direct rival, the Phoenix Suns (7th). But the Mavericks had to do without their star Luka Doncic, who sprained his ankle early in the game and did not return to the field.
It’s not panic time for the Slovenian, but the condition of his ankle should be monitored in the coming days…
In his absence, Spencer Dinwiddie occupied the space, with 36 points and 9 assists, for the Mavs who led throughout the second period but saw the Suns come back to a small point (96-95) 20 seconds behind.
“No one panicked and we found a way to win,” Texas coach Jason Kidd said.
In Los Angeles, the Clippers, 5th in the standings, for their part took place against the San Antonio Spurs (138-100), following Paul George (35 pts) and Kawhi Leonard (27 pts).
