Los Angeles (AFP)
The Los Angeles Lakers, with a discreet LeBron James but a sparkling Anthony Davis, beat without forcing the New Orleans Pelicans (123-113) Friday night in the NBA, and still dominate the Western Conference.
Faced with his former team, which had drafted it in 2012 and which drags on the penultimate of the Conference, Anthony Davis was the best scorer (46 points) and the second best rebounder (13 catches) of the game .
A performance with an excellent percentage of success in the shoot: 71.4% at 2 points, 60% at three points!
"My teammates put me in the best condition," said the hero of the evening humbly.
The cause was heard for the Lakers after the third quarter (105-83), which then allowed them some relaxation in the last quarter.
In the match at the top of this evening, Houston (4th in the West) took over Philadelphia (118-108).
James Harden took the opportunity to achieve the first triple-double of his season, with 44 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds. His teammate Clint Capela made his contribution by achieving his best total points of the season (30).
The Sixers, still 4th in the Eastern Conference at the end of December, suffered their fourth defeat in a row and now occupy only 6th place.
- Boston was scared -
Boston was scared. The Celtics, 2nd in the Eastern Conference, welcomed the red lantern of the Eastern Conference, Atlanta. After conceding a 19-32 in the first quarter, they had to whip in the next two.
Leading only two lengths at the start of the last quarter, they were still under threat from the Hawks. Up to 2 sec 7/10 of the buzzer exactly, when Daniel Theis countered a final three-point attempt by Trae Young to equalize. Final score: 109-106 for Boston.
In Florida, Orlando, with an inspired Terrence Ross (6 successful award-winning baskets, for a total of 25 points), nailed the bill at the Miami Heat: 105-85.
Orlando turned off the light in the Miami house in a last one-way quarter, where Jimmy Butler's teammates scored just 6 points: the lowest total for an NBA team in a last quarter in more two years!
"They completely smothered us," said Heat coach Erik Spoelstra after the game.
© 2020 AFP