It is not so common for the removal of a player to have such an immediate impact on a team. The Cleveland Cavaliers lived the experience of not having Ricky in their own flesh Blond on track. They lost 110-93 to the Wizards and in Washington they stayed for the first time below 100 points in the last 18 games and they were not even close to contesting the victory in the entire second half. Something very unusual this season for the Ohio team. It is true that also they were missing two headlines and two of the most important players on the team this year, Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen, which are in the protocols of the League, but the feeling in Ricky’s first post-injury game was not good. Perhaps it is only that they are recovering from the emotional blow that has undoubtedly been the loss of the Spanish in their dressing room. “We have to figure out how we’re going to do it,” Cavs coach JB Bickerstaff said after the game. At the moment Kevin Pangos debuted (6 assists but 1/8 in shots and -13 with him on the track), waiting for some reinforcement in the direction.
In the wizards Bradley Beal returned after twelve days without playing, confirming that he had taken the first dose of the vaccine: “I am more worried about my father, about my family. The last thing I want is to see him in a hospital bed, so if this helps I will do it. But I still have many questions about the vaccine,” said the escort about his change of position on the matter, after signing a great meeting. 29 points and 10 assists for him, well supported by Kyle Kuzma (25 and 10 rebounds). The capitalists avoid with this triumph falling below 50% of victories for the first time in the whole season.
Magic 118 – Bucks 136
The Milwaukee Bucks have put the engine on full blast and have no intention of stopping putting coal on it. Of course the Orlando Magic were not going to stop her. With this defeat have lost the entire series to the Bucks (0-4), as well as his eleven clashes (since 2019). The Bucks only have the best winning streak against the Pistons (12). The match was resolved in the last quarter, when just starting it the visitors endorsed a partial of 5-17. Just before, and even though the Bucks had dominated the entire time, the Magic got their first lead on the scoreboard in the second half (80-79) with five seconds left in the third quarter. But the champions did not let their rival believe it when they returned to the track. Giannis Antetokpunmpo scored 16 of his 33 points in the last 12 minutes, escorted throughout the game by Jrue Holiday (25) and Khris Middleton (22).
The Bucks are 7-0 when three of their players score 20 or more points. That is, when his Big Three puts them in, he has not coincided on the court as much as he would like to because of the injuries. But now that they are healthy the team shows its true potential. Not in vain are we talking about the champion and, apparently so far, the most serious team in the Eastern Conference. At the other end are the Orlando Magic, who share the second-worst record in the League with the Houston Rockets (They are outnumbered by the Pistons again), but at least they can console themselves with their rookie, number 8 from the last draft, Franz Wagner. The forward came from scoring 38 points to the same rival. This time it stayed at 20, a figure that is above its average. An average (15.6) that is the best of the season among newcomers. In addition, he is also the seventh rookie with the most rebounds per game (4.7), the sixth with the most assists per game (2.7) and the second with the best 3-point percentage (36.4%).