Stephen Curry, 36 years old, and LeBron James, almost 40 years old, offered a feast to the San Francisco public on Wednesday, December 25 for the « Christmas Day » of the NBA, the North American basketball league. At the end of the suspense, it was the runner-up team, the Los Angeles Lakers who, thanks to a basket from Austin Reaves scored one second from the buzzer, won over the San Francisco Warriors (115-113). ).
Noël “is a day of giving, and that’s what Steph and I continue to try to do for our fans, for this magnificent game”commented LeBron James, who played on December 25 for the 19e times. “We don’t know how much longer we’re going to have this confrontation. We try to give basketball what it deserves, because it has given us so much”he added.
The two legends went blow for blow, as evidenced by their statistical lines: 38 points and 6 assists for the « Golden Boy »the nickname of Stephen Curry, 31 points and 10 assists for « King James »who had to do without his friend Anthony Davis, victim of a sprained ankle in the first quarter. But the LA star, who will celebrate his 40th birthday on Monday December 30, was able to count on Austin Reaves, author of 26 points – and 10 assists and 10 rebounds.
And it was necessary to overcome Stephen Curry in the opposing team, true to himself by bringing his team to one point on a first winning shot (111-110) then by equalizing on a second seven seconds from term (113-113). Accounting, the good operation is obviously for the Lakers, seventh in the Western Conference after this 17e victory, while the Warriors (ninth in the standings) suffered an 11e defeat in 14 matches.
Dallas loses a game and Luka Doncic
In a remake of the last Western Conference final, the Dallas Mavericks not only lost to the Minnesota Timberwolves (105-99), but they also lost leader Luka Doncic to injury. The Slovenian, injured in a calf, left in the second quarter, when he had 14 points on the clock.
Despite this, the « Mavs »behind in the score (−22 at the end of the third quarter), had the merit of rebelling at the end of the match, led by Kyrie Irving (39 points). With this victory, the “ Wolves » move into the green in the rankings (15 wins, 14 losses).
In Phoenix, despite the 25 points scored by Nikola Jokic (and his 15 rebounds), Denver was beaten (110-100) by the Suns of Kevin Durant (27 points).
Earlier in the day, Victor Wembanyama had shone with the San Antonio Spurs (Texas) against New York, scoring 42 points (best scorer of the match), but that did not allow his team to win: San Antonio lost 117-114 to the New York Knicks.
Read also | NBA: Victor Wembanyama shines at Madison Square Garden, despite the defeat of the San Antonio Spurs
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The Sixers spoil the party in Boston
The party was spoiled in Boston for the Celtics, who lost for the second time in a row – which had never happened to them this season – by losing to the Sixers (118-114).
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Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers, who suffered a scare when he twisted his ankle before the game, made decisive free throws late in the game. But the best scorer of the evening was his teammate Tyrese Maxey: 33 points and 12 assists. It was he who carried Philadelphia in the last quarter, scoring 13 points and responding to Jayson Tatum (32 points, 15 rebounds).
The Celtics remain second in the Eastern Conference, but, with only four victories, take the risk of seeing Cleveland soar a little further.
