Los Angeles (AFP)
Paul George, author of 36 points, rebounded after the loss of the Clippers on Tuesday against Brooklyn, to avoid a second defeat in a row to his team to the detriment of the Cleveland Cavaliers (121-99), while Giannis Antetokounmpo once again Imperial summer with Milwaukee facing Indiana (130-110) on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, the Clippers were overwhelmed by the magical trio of the Nets - Kevin Durant, James Harden and Kyrie Irving - who won in Brooklyn 124-120.
Tuesday's match "was an excellent preparation for tonight's (Wednesday, editor's note)," said George, for whom defeats are a way to learn about himself and progress.
"I had played badly, badly + shot + and I said to myself that if I continued to be so bad, it was not going to be possible," he explained.
- Without Utah or Lakers -
The Clippers, whose sixth consecutive trip and who were once again deprived of Patrick Beverley, injured in a knee, had yet arrived tired in Cleveland, where an audience of only 2,000 people were able to applaud them at the Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse, due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"We wanted to end this six-game away streak on a great note, losing twice in a row was out of the question," said George, who had eight of his nine three-pointers.
At his side, Kawhi Leonard scored 24 points and Ivica Zubac caught 16 rebounds.
Opposite, Collin Sexton was the author of 27 points and Darius Garland of 23.
"We have certainly improved," said Clippers coach Tyronn Lue, "but we still have things to improve. This is only the start of a long road."
Nicolas Batum played 24 minutes of this meeting, with 7 points and a rebound to the key.
Thanks to the victory, the Clippers remain in second place in the Western Conference, behind Utah and ahead of their rivals the Lakers, two franchises that did not play Wednesday.
- Triple-double for Antetokounmpo -
In Milwaukee, the double MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo once again splashed his class against the Indiana Pacers, achieving a triple-double with 21 pts, 14 rebounds and 10 assists.
Within the Pacers, Domantas Sabonis nevertheless achieved good statistics (33 pts and 12 rebounds) but Indiana, after its victory (134-116) on Tuesday over the Memphis Grizzlies, did not have sufficient resources to face the Bucks in fire, whose players have passed no less than 21 three-point baskets.
Philadelphia, for its part, consolidated its first place in the East, winning over Charlotte 118 to 111, with Cameroonian Joel Embiid (34 pts) and Tobias Harris (26) as the best directors on the 76ers side.
In the other games of the night, Luka Doncic, Kristaps Porzingis and Tim Hardaway together scored 73 points, allowing the Dallas Mavericks to break a downward spiral of six straight losses to win Atlanta 122-116 against the Hawks. .
Doncic, for which it was the eighth consecutive game with more than 25 points, managed his 11th double-double of the season (27 pts, 14 assists).
In New Orleans, Zion Williamson for his part scored 28 points, took 7 rebounds and delivered 6 assists in the Pelicans' victory against the Phoenix Suns (123-101).
Finally, Oklahoma City dominated the Houston Rockets at home (104-87), with Theo Maledon used for 36 minutes, who finished the game with six points, four assists and three rebounds.
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