Los Angeles (AFP)

The Milwaukee Bucks inflicted a third straight loss to Philadelphia and Joel Embiid (124-117) Thursday in the NBA.

Dirty evening also for the Lakers, beaten 115-110 by Dallas which spoiled the return of injury to Anthony Davis.

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Reaction bucks

Defeated in quick succession by Memphis then Phoenix, Milwaukee reacted Thursday against the leaders of the Eastern Conference thanks to his double MVP.

Giannis Antetokounmpo, the game's leading scorer with 27 points, 16 rebounds and six assists, avoided a third straight loss to the Bucks

"Today was a play-off match for me, one more step, said the Greek. We must remain humble. We were already the first seed in the East, but we did not have not lived up to the last two years. "

With this victory, they get closer to the two teams which now share the head of the conference: the Brooklyn Nets and therefore the Sixers, who lose them for the third time in a row.

Announced as a clash between two of the three best teams in the East, the meeting quickly turned to the advantage of Milwaukee who led by 17 points at halftime, 77-60.

Philadelphia, deprived of Ben Simmons (illness) and Furkan Korkmaz (ankle), is going through a bad patch that could continue on Saturday as a new confrontation against the Bucks awaits them.

The occasion of new duels between Embiid (24 pts), one of the candidates for the title of MVP, and Antetokounmpo.

The first round has already offered in the third quarter a spectacular blocking of the Cameroonian on the Greek, who responded with a long distance basket on the next action.

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Davis' failed comeback with the Lakers

On the other floors, Luka Doncic signed 30 points to give the Dallas Mavericks a 115-110 success against the Los Angeles Lakers and spoil the return of Anthony Davis.

Lakers star Davis was playing his first game after missing 30 games with a sprained calf.

Rusty, he only made two out of twelve baskets and finished with four points.

"I felt good, better than I expected, yet said Davis. I had good situations that I missed. It will come back with time and the sequence of matches."

Reigning NBA champions, the Lakers were still without their superstar LeBron James, who hasn't played since March 20.

He probably won't return for two weeks, according to the LA franchise, which in his absence has slipped from second to fifth in the West.

This is his third loss in four games, including two at home against Utah and previously Boston.

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The Celtics don't blink at the Suns

The Celtics who inflicted a rare loss on the Phoenix Suns on Thursday.

Kemba Walker stacked 32 points in Boston's 99-86 victory despite a slew of absences: Jaylen Brown (shoulder), Evan Fournier (Covid protocol) and Robert Williams (knee).

With this ninth success in eleven matches, the Celtics have a record of 32 wins for 27 losses and occupy fifth place in the East.

Chris Paul signed 22 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for the Suns, who lost for just the third time in 16 games.

© 2021 AFP