The match: Wembanyama and the Spurs dominate the Lakers
The Lakers played their first home game after a break imposed by the violent fires which ravaged part of Los Angeles. Perhaps a little short of pace, JJ Redick’s players did not last long against Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs. San Antonio won (102-126) by taking the upper hand in the third quarter before establishing its domination in the fourth. Several players left their mark on the match, including Wembanyama, author of 23 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 interceptions and 2 blocks. .
The French pivot was very well supported. Devin Vassell and Stephon Castle posed big problems for the Angelenos’ (weak) defense and finished with 23 points each. The Spurs also pressed Harrison Barnes for a large part of the second half. The veteran had a size advantage over Max Christie and Austin Reaves and he exploited it wonderfully to score 17 points while allowing his team to widen the gap.
Anthony Davis kept Los Angeles in the game for a while but even his 30 points and 13 rebounds weren’t enough. LeBron James (18 points, 8 assists) lacked precision with the ball and lost several balls (7 in total) as San Antonio began to accelerate.
The player: Cade Cunningham carries Detroit like a star against New York
First choice in the 2021 draft, Cade Cunningham is getting closer to the franchise player status that often accompanies players drawn this high. Finally rid of his health problems, he asserts himself as a major force in the NBA. He is the favorite for the MIP trophy and will probably be an All-Star in a month. In the meantime, the young leader continues to lead the Pistons. Detroit made a very good impression by winning on the floor of New York (119-124) with 36 points from its maestro.
Malik Beasley scored 22 points coming off the bench and he planted the three-point basket that ended the suspense in the final seconds. The Pistons took advantage of certain defensive errors by the Knicks, perhaps tired from their victory the day before against Milwaukee. Jalen Brunson finished with 31 points and 11 assists to go with his 44 points for the Bucks. But that did not prevent Detroit from seeking a new success, the tenth in the last twelve meetings. JB Bickerstaff’s players are eighth in the East and are finally getting back on track after several difficult seasons.
The comeback: Jalen Green and the Rockets overthrow the Grizzlies
Another hotly contested duel between Houston and Memphis, the teams ranked second and third in the Western Conference. The Grizzlies seemed to have the game in hand, leading by 12 points in the fourth quarter. But the Rockets went 16-2 to regain control (105-107) with just under five minutes remaining. The two teams then exchanged blows until the Texan team ended up winning in front of their home crowd (120-118).
-The big man of the evening is Jalen Green. The Houston back was excellent throughout, and even more so in money time. He finished with 42 points on 13 of 18 shots (5 of 6 behind the arc) without missing a single free throw. It was again he who gave the Rockets the last advantage in the final moments. A boss performance.
The performance: Anthony Edwards plants 41 points against Washington
The Timberwolves showed some difficulty in defeating the Wizards, the worst team in the league, but they ended up making the difference in the fourth quarter (106-120) under the leadership of their superstar Anthony Edwards. The young man scored 20 of his 41 points in the final 12 minutes and was responsible for a 16-2 run that allowed Minnesota to pull away for good. The All-Star guard added 6 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals to his tally to give a little more depth to his performance. The Wolves have won 4 of their last 5 matches and even remain on 3 victories in a row away from home.
The French: Gobert takes over Sarr and Coulibaly
Several French players found themselves on the Washington floor during the duel between the Wizards and the Timberwolves. Rudy Gobert came away with the victory by posting 11 points and 11 rebounds. Opposite, Bilal Coulibaly (15 points) and Alexandre Sarr (13 points, 5 rebounds, 2 interceptions and 2 blocks) were not unworthy either.
All scores
Wizards – Timberwolves : 106-120
Knicks – Pistons : 119-124
Raptors – Warriors : 104-101
Rockets – Grizzlies : 120-118
Lakers – Spurs : 102-126
Clippers – Heat : 109-98
