The current NBA champions, Oklahoma City Thunder’s basketball players stopped the streak of Cleveland Cavaliers at seven victories by defeating them in their hall with 121-113.
The home team played without their best player by Shai Gilgeous-Alexanderso episodic actors stepped into the main roles Isaiah Joe with 22 baskets and Cason Wallace with 20 interceptions and 10 rebounds, while Chet Holmgren along with excellent defense, he collected 17 points and 15 rebounds. At the Cavs, who have this first defeat since arrival James Harden in the team, 20 goals were scored by Harden, Donovan Mitchell and Sam Merrill.
The duel itself had a strange course, the Thunder ran away to 28-5 in the opening, the Cavs briefly took the lead (68-67) at the beginning of the third quarter, only for the home team to be dominant in the last 12 minutes.
Oklahoma is at the top of the Western Conference with a 44-14 win-loss ratio, while Cleveland with a 36-22 fourth in the East.
In Los Angeles, the NBA classic was played between the home team Lakers and Boston Celticsand this time a convincing 111-89 victory was achieved by the guests in the evening when the Lakers were in front of the hall unveiled a statue of their legendary coach Pat Rileywho led them in the 1980s when the Celtics-Lakers rivalry was at its peak. A versatile game in the Celtics team was played by Jaylen Brown with 32 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists, Payton Pritchard added 30 points, while the only ones with a significant performance for the home side were Luka Doncic with 25 i LeBron James with 20 hits.
The Celtics are the second team in the East with 37-19, while the Lakers are fifth in the West with 34-22.
2024 Finalists Dallas Mavericks they snapped a 10-game losing streak with a 134-130 win against last year’s finalists Indiana Pacers. Khris Middleton led the winners with 25 interceptions, while Pascal Siakam scored 30 for the losers, who are still without Croatian center Ivica Zupac due to an ankle injury. Dallas is 20-36 in 12th place in the West, while Indiana is 15-43 at the bottom of the East.
Golden State Warriors surprisingly, they won on their floor Denver Nuggets by 128-117 considering they were playing without Stephen Curry, Jimmy Butler, Draymond Green and Kristaps Porzingis. In such a situation, they had to rely on unexpected heroes, Moses Moody scored 23, veteran Al Horford 22, and Brandin Podziemski was close to a triple-double with 18 points, 15 rebounds and 9 assists. Denver was not helped by another great game by Nikola Jokić who, in addition to 35 points, also had 20 rebounds and 12 assists.
With a record of 30-27, Golden State is eighth in the West, while Denver is third with 36-22.
Results of Sunday’s meetings:
Indiana – Dallas 130-134
Ivica Zubac was not part of Indiana
Chicago – New York 99-105
LA Clippers – Orlando 109-111
Phoenix – Portland 77-92
Minnesota – Philadelphia 108-135
Washington – Charlotte 112-129
LA Lakers – Boston 89-111
Atlanta – Brooklyn 115-104
Milwaukee – Toronto 94-122
Golden State – Denver 128-117
Oklahoma City – Cleveland 121-113
LADDER,
EAST:
1. Detroit 55 42 13
2. Boston 56 37 19
3. New York 58 37 21
4. Cleveland 58 36 22
5. Toronto 57 34 23
6. Philadelphia 57 31 26
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7. Orlando 56 30 26
8. Miami 58 31 27
9. Atlanta 59 28 31
10. Charlotte 58 27 31
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11. Milwaukee 55 24 31
12. Chicago 58 24 34
13. Washington 56 16 40
14. Brooklyn 56 15 41
15. Indiana 58 15 43
WEST:
1. Oklahoma City 58 44 14
2. San Antonio 56 40 16
3. Denver 58 36 22
4. Houston 55 34 21
5. LA Lakers 56 34 22
6. Minnesota 58 35 23
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7. Phoenix 58 33 25
8. Golden State 57 30 27
9. Portland 58 28 30
10. LA Clippers 57 27 30
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11. Memphis 55 21 34
12. Dallas 56 20 36
13. Utah 57 18 39
14. New Orleans 58 16 42
15. Sacramento 58 12 46
(China | Photo: OKC)
