On the night between Thursday and Friday, four NBA games were played. Oklahoma City defeated Denver 102-87, while Dallas, Minnesota, and Boston also secured victories.
Nikola Jokić started the season with a triple-double, but there’s no reason for celebration. The Nuggets’ premiere at Ball Arena doesn’t bode well for a successful season.
Oklahoma, led by another MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, dominated on the court of their direct conference rival for a high playoff spot, exposing all the weaknesses of Mike Malone’s team. The Thunder could have won even more convincingly, they had a +20 lead in the final minutes, constantly led from the end of the first quarter, and eventually achieved a well-deserved victory.
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Gilgeous-Alexander led the visitors with 28 points, eight assists, and seven rebounds. Holmgren had a notable performance with 25 points and 14 rebounds. On the other side, Jokić finished the game with 16 points (6/13 from the field, 1/3 from three-point range), 13 assists, and 12 rebounds, while Christian Braun also recorded 16 points. Jamal Murray had 12 points but shot 4/14 from the field, and the biggest reinforcement, Russell Westbrook, was disappointing with six points (2/10 from the field), five rebounds, and five assists. Šarić recorded two points and a rebound, and Čančar had a rebound.
Dallas didn’t allow any unpleasant surprises and won at home against San Antonio 120-109. Luka Dončić led with 28 points (9/25 from the field), ten rebounds, and eight assists. Klay Thompson followed with 22 points (7/13 from the field, 6/10 from three-point range). On the other side, Sochan and Champagnie each scored 18 points, and Barnes and Wembanyama both scored 17.
After a lot of drama, Minnesota secured a victory in Sacramento against the Kings 117-115. Anthony Edwards scored the winning free throws with two seconds left. He finished the game with 32 points, one point less than Julius Randle. For Sacramento, DeRozan was the most efficient with 26 points, while Domantas Sabonis scored two points less.
The reigning champions, Boston, sent a clear message from the capital. The Celtics were convincing against the Wizards in Washington 122-102 with 27 points from Brown and a double-double from Tatum (25 points, 11 rebounds). On the other side, Jordan Poole finished the game with 26 points.
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Source: Sport Klub
Photo: Reuters