The Warriors, who won only their 9th away game this season, fought a fierce battle at the Mavericks, with 14 team changes in the lead, before finally winning 127-125 in the final moments.

With 8.5 seconds left, Curry (20 points, 13 assists and 5 rebounds) gave Golden State a 3-point lead. In the aftermath, Kevon Looney extended the margin on free throws to five lengths. Enough to calmly cash Reggie Bullock's three-point shot at the siren after 30 new points from Luka Doncic and 27 others from Jaden Hardy (including 6 award-winning shots).

The most bizarre moment of the game came in the 3rd quarter, when, after a timeout during which they thought they would recover the ball, the Dallas players came back in the wrong half of the court, thus offering 2 points to their opponent.

"We organized ourselves superbly to confuse them," laughed Steve Kerr, the coach of the Warriors. "When I saw them, I thought: +eh, but it's not our basket?+ I don't know what happened, I guess they thought the ball was for them."

Opposite, Dallas has much less tasted the joke, like the forceful explanation between the owner Mark Cuban and the delegates of the meeting.

"The worst refereeing error in the history of the NBA, without appeal," he said after assuring that the officials had signaled a possession for his players.

Morant "supported"

This victory allows the Warriors (38v, 36d) to hang on to the West the 6th and last place directly qualifying in the playoffs while it leaves the Mavericks (36w, 37d) in a very uncomfortable 9th place less than three weeks from the end of the regular season.

Grizzlies player Ja Morant and Tari Eason (Houston Rockets) during Wednesday's NBA © game between Memphis and Houston Justin Ford / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP

Elsewhere, Memphis secured a little more its 2nd place in the West by winning 130-125 against Houston, good last in the conference.

It is especially the return to the floor Ja Morant, absent since March 4 and suspended for brandishing a gun in a night establishment, which animated the evening on the Grizzlies side.

Coming off the bench, the 23-year-old star had 17 points, four rebounds and five assists in less than 24 minutes.

"Before the game, I did some meditation exercises, just to relax my nerves and emotions," he said. "When I came in, I appreciated the reaction of the fans who supported me. I don't have the words, but it helped me feel good."

Impressive in the 122-111 victory against Phoenix, the Lakers maintain their good series and can continue to believe in the final sprint with now the same record as Dallas.

TRossed Monday by Chicago, Philadelphia took a brilliant revenge (116-91) but the Sixers trembled after the exit of Joel Embiid, injured in a calf after halftime.

Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat), who scored 35 points against New York on Wednesday in Florida during the NBA game between Miami and the Knicks Megan Briggs © / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP

"He'll be ready for the next game," coach Doc Rivers said. "It was a simple precaution. We thought we could maintain our lead. We have a big trip ahead of us and I thought it was the right thing to do."

Finally, Miami dominated New York 127-120, thanks to 35 points from Jimmy Butler.

© 2023 AFP