The West does not give up. Each day injects optimism in some teams and pessimism in others. Already it has become normal for anyone to look at sixth place with a victory and eleventh with a bad day. Match up or down, a win more or less, it will be resolved a play in that it has been very cheap but that it is still very equal eight days after the end of the regular season. The mammoth day on Friday, to make room for the university semifinals on Saturday, put almost everyone in contention with the exception of the two who are playing today, in two games as well of maximum importance: Pelicans-Clippers and Heat-Mavericks.
The Nuggets lost again without Jokic, this time in Phoenix (100-93) and against some Suns in which Kevin Durant is picking up the pace. The Grizzlies avenged the defeat a few days ago against the Clippers in which they Kawhi only played the first half thinking about today, at the Pelicans. Other bath and massage session of the Kings in Oregon leaves the top 3 on track but unresolved: two games between the Nuggets and Grizzlies, two between the Grizzlies and Kings.
From there, much more trouble: the Suns have taken a giant step to secure fourth place with their victory and the loss of the Clippers. The latter are tied with the Warriors, who beat the Spurs, and are close to the Lakers and Pelicans. There may be a curious game: avoid the play in (the fifth and sixth will do it) but surely prefer not to be fifth to get rid of the first round duel against the Suns De Durant and Booker … and without a home court factor. Of course, at the same time, the play in It is so close that too many accounts cannot be made in these last games of the season. Better to win and it will be seen.
MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES 108-LA CLIPPERS 94
Strange game in Tennessee, two days after the Clippers won (131-141) with an offensive display that, of course, was not repeated this time. partly because Kawhi Leonard played only in the first half (12 points) and rested afterwards, a strange decision of load management within a party and with an eye on today, in New Orleans and with serious qualifying implications. Kawhi will play, but Tyronn Lue was tense explaining the situation afterwards. And players like Westbrook recognized that they did not know that the strategy was that and that it disoriented them to have their franchise player in one part yes and in the other no.
The Clippers started 14-34 against a sleeping Grizzlies that woke up with a 7-0 before closing the first quarter (21-34). A breath of life that was actually the fulcrum of a bestial reaction: 85-43 between that closing of the first quarter and minute 4 of the last one. They went from -20 to +24 and they overwhelmed a rival who this time did not hit the triples that cascaded on Wednesday and did not have a good version of Russell Westbrook: 4 points, 11 assists. The triples of Luke Kennard, a former clipperswere decisive in the turnaround (he finished with 17 points) and Santi Aldama also shone (13 points, 8 rebounds) from the second unit. Bane had 22 points and 9 assists and Ja Morant had 10 and 4 with 4/11 shooting.
PHOENIX SUNS 100-DENVER NUGGETS 93
Strange match, of two halves despite the fact that its sign seemed clear since, between some things and others, the West leader arrived in Phoenix without four starters: Nikola Jokic, Jamal Murray, Michael Porter Jr and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope. The first part (60-40) followed the planned script, with Kevin Durant picking up the pace and Devin Booker accompanying. Fluent game and, between the two cracks, 37 points with a 12/18 shooting. The lead reached 27 points… but it dropped to 4. After the break, the Suns’ fourth straight win was up in the air. The Nuggets, pushed by Aaron Gordon (26+8+6) relied on his energy in the area and his rival’s mistakes and almost signed a comeback that had seemed impossible minutes before. Without brilliance, the Suns did the minimum not to lose. D.Urant finished with 33 points and 11/15 shooting. And Booker, with 27 and 6 assists.
GS WARRIORS 130-SA SPURS 115
The Warriors were slow to get serious, but they did. They did not take advantage of the visit of the weak Spurs to shine, but they won. In fact, they came from behind in the last quarter (87-88), although they ventilated that partial with a 43-27 That saved them trouble. Ready. And to see how a strange West is being configured, in which they have not yet moved away from the play in enough but to whose resolution they are approaching piling up good news: Gary Payton is picking up the pace, and his energy is again contagious for the group, and Andrew Wiggins is still absent (he has not played for 21 games due to a personal problem) but the latest information indicates that it is already in the Bay. There is some optimism regarding their chances of being in the playoffs. In addition, Draymond Green was scared by a blow to the knee but continued in the game without problems. He gave, in fact, 11 of the 37 assists of a team that also conceded 15 losses and, of these, 23 points for the Spurs.
The key fact, of course, is the 20/38 in triples that signed between (1/11 the rest of the team), Stephen Curry (7/11, 33 points), Klay Thompson (7/14, 31) and Jordan Poole (6/13, 27). Second trio from the same team with at least 200 3-pointers a head in a season. They did it before, in 2016-17, James Harden, Eric Gordon and Ryan Anderson (Houston Rockets).
INDIANA PACERS 121-OKC THUNDER 117
Huge missed opportunity for the Thunder, who are tenth and are very aware of what happens today with the Mavericks in Miami. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who was initially ruled out, he played through ankle problems and scored 39 points on 17/17 free throws. The exceptional point guard had a shot to tie with 10 seconds left, but missed. And the Pacers clinched the victory from the personnel line. Much credit to the Carlisle team, which played without Tyrese Haliburton and without Myles Turner, two fundamental casualties. The tireless TJ McConnell finished with 21 points, 9 rebounds and 8 assists. The rest was provided by the youngsters: 15 points from Mathurin, 18 with 6 assists from Nembhard… For the Thunder, 21+7+4 from Giddey and 14+6+6 from Jalen Williams. There are already four defeats in six games for a team pending Shai’s ankle and that can finally end up out of the play in despite what is being, and will be whatever happens, a brilliant season full of good news in its reconstruction phase.
PT BLAZERS 114-SACRAMENTO KINGS 138
The exceptional campaign of the Kings, andn the one that has ended its curse of 16 years without playoffs, is enjoying a pleasant ending: he has played two straight games in Portland and now he is coming home to host the Spurs. Passing through Oregon, against a rival in extreme tanking and that stacks up eleven defeats in twelve games, has settled with a +64. First 80-120, then 114-138. Little more need be. In the second game against the Blazers, four players scored 20 points: Sabonis, who added 12 rebounds and 8 assists, Fox (with 8 and 11), Keegan Murray and Monk. The Kings signed 61% shooting with a 19/39 triple. His electric attack is for much higher levels than these Blazers who are waiting for the end of the season and the draft lottery. In Sacramento they are about to seal the lead in the Pacific Division and third place in the West… without losing sight of second, just in case. they skate the Grizzlies.
