ONE System | 20/02/2021 06:42
Joel Ambide, a one-man show (Reuters)
Philadelphia (10:20) – Chicago (16:12) 105: 112
The Sixers became the first team in the East to reach the top 20 wins this season, largely thanks to a performance by, who if not, Joel Ambide, who celebrated with a career-high 50 points, at the expense of the Bulls, who gave up a fight but returned to lose after two wins. The host’s chin was simply unstoppable and completed a monstrous double double as he also dropped 17 rebounds, alongside 5 assists and 4 blocks.
Despite the dominance of the Cameroonian, the visitors stayed close all the way, but after Zac Lavin shrank to 105: 103 with 2:17 left in the last buzzer, Philly’s 0: 7 run decided the match. Tobias Harris added his own double-double with the winner with 22 points and 12 rebounds, while at Chicago Lavin led the scoring list with 30 points that were not enough.
Orlando (18:12) – Golden State (14:16) 120: 124
The Warriors failed to produce a streak of three wins and after defeating Miami and Cleveland, braked against the Magic and allowed Memphis to get closer to them in a battle for eighth place in the West. The host on the other hand, with a third win in its last four games. Thanks to a great second quarter of 17:27 Orlando went down to the break with a double-digit lead, but the Warriors’ 43 points in the third quarter, led by Steph Kerry, helped them turn and advance to the decisive quarter with 93:94.
Golden State had already escaped to a 13-point lead but Orlando was the one to raise the level of intensity in the final 5 minutes of the game and thanks to a 0: 8 run in the crucial moments completed a makeover and an impressive victory. Nikola Wojciech was the one who shone above everyone with a triple double of 30 points, 16 rebounds, 10 assists and 3 more blocks, Ivan Fournier supported him with 28 points. The loser from Auckland Kerry was not far from his own triple-double with 29 points, 11 assists and 7 rebounds.
Los Angeles Clippers (9:22) – Utah (6:24) 112: 116
The battle for the presidency of the West heated up even more tonight (light Saturday) at Staples Center, when the host stopped the team from Salt Lake City after 9 consecutive victories, reduced the gap from it to three games and also clung to city rival, Los Angeles Lakers, in second place, with an important victory At the end of a great drama. The two contenders for the crown in the West were shoulder-to-shoulder most of the way and although the Clippers ran for 15 points during the second quarter, the team from Salt Lake City was not excited, quickly got back to business and until the opening of the decisive quarter shrank to 79:75.
During the fourth quarter the host again ran to a two-digit lead when it went up to 94: 107, but a 1:10 run shrank to 4 its advantage, with 25.8 seconds left. Patrick Beverly scored two from the line but Donovan Mitchell refused to give up and immediately sniped a three on the other side. Kwai Leonard restored the lead to 5 points with two more from the line but Mitchell was quick to fire another three and shrink to 110-112 with 13 seconds left. Despite the pressure, the locals managed to hold on to the lead until the last buzzer as they did their job on the road to an important victory. Leonard led the winning scoring list with 29 points, 35 of Donovan Mitchell were short of saving the Jazz.
Cleveland (20:10) – Denver (13:16) 120: 103
The Nuggets took advantage of the meeting with the team that is in the worst shape in the league (9th straight loss) to get back on the winning track after 2 consecutive losses. The duo Nikola Jokic and Jamal Marie led, but this time the Serb, who admittedly recorded another triple-double for the collection with 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, let Gard take control. Marie recorded his best game of the season and shot 50 points at insane percentages, with 8 of 10 from three and 21 from 25 from the field. With the Nuggets’ leading double providing such numbers, the Cubs didn’t really stand a chance and even Colin Sexton’s 23 points were far from enough.
Boston (14:15) – Atlanta (17:12) 109: 121
The Celtics did not let the Hawks complete a double on them and came back to win and also a positive balance, en route to fourth place within the very crowded eighth of the East. The guest, on the other hand, lost for the fifth time in six games and was unable to get close to eighth place. The Celtics finished the story already in the first half and thanks to great defensive ability went down to the locker rooms with a very promising 41:66. Although in the final quarter the Hawks recorded 23:36, they failed to fall behind in a single-digit deficit and the Greens ’victory was not questioned all the way through. Kamba Walker led the winner with 28 points, 31 for Tara Young and 11 assists that didn’t really help the loser.
Milwaukee (13:17) – Oklahoma (18:11) 85:98
Yannis Antocompo and his teammates provided a great defensive performance to stop a streak of five losses, at the expense of the Thunder, who fail to rise with a third straight loss. The Greek freak was great with 29 points, 19 rebounds, 8 assists and 3 blocks and led the Bucks to an easy victory over the opponent who simply did not function in the offensive part and recorded a shocking percentage from the field.
More results
New Orleans (17:12) – Phoenix (10:18) 132: 114
(Devin Booker with 23 points for Phoenix, 15 points and 19 assists for Chris Paul)
Minnesota (23: 7) – Toronto (15:15) 86:81
Memphis (12:13) – Detroit (21: 8) 109: 95
(Ja Morant with 29 points for Memphis)
