Some NBA events
In a rematch of last year’s Finals, the Boston Celtics triumphed in overtime against the Golden State Warriors, led by Jayson Tatum, on an NBA day in which the Kevin Durant-less Brooklyn Nets extended their slump with a loss at the Phoenix Suns, who were hampered by injuries.
CELTICS 121 – WARRIORS 118
The Celtics came from behind to beat the Warriors at TD Garden on the strength of 34 points, 19 points and six assists from Jayson Tatum and a double-double of 20 points and 10 rebounds from Dominican Al Horford.
Joe Mazzulla’s team inflicted the 18th loss in 23 games away from San Francisco on the Warriors, in which Steph Curry scored 29 points, with six three-pointers, one of them from downtown.
The Celtics have won eight straight and sit atop the East (34-12), ahead of the Milwaukee Bucks (29-16).
The Warriors melted down in overtime and remain seventh in the West with a 22-23 record.
SUNS 117 – NETS 112
The Nets can’t do without Durant. With their star player out due to knee ligament problems, the Brooklyn team fell to the Suns without Chris Paul and Devin Booker, despite a great comeback in the fourth period.
A 20-4 run, led by Kyrie Irving, allowed the Nets to close to within -2 after touching a 24-point deficit, but the Suns managed to defend their win.
It was the fourth straight loss for the Nets, who had a vertical involution since the injury to Durant, who will not return before the next two weeks.
Irving’s 30 points, 21 of them in the fourth period, were not enough for them in a game in which Ben Simmons was ejected in the third period for repeatedly protesting to the referees.
The Suns, in which Cam Johnson returned after nearly three months on the sidelines, were led by 28 points from Mikal Bridges and a double-double of 24 points and fourteen rebounds from DeAndre Ayton.
PISTONS 108 – BULLS 126
In the NBA’s return to Paris and in a classic between franchises that had their moment of glory in the late 80’s and 90’s, the Bulls triumphed led by Zach LaVine’s 30 points and DeMar DeRozan’s 26 points.
The game was played at the Accor Arena in Bercy, with tickets on sale between 80 and 1,870 euros and with glories such as Richard Hamilton and Ben Wallace, champions with the Pistons in 2004, Frenchman Tony Parker or Magic Johnson.
TRAIL BLAZERS 95 – 76ERS 105
The 76ers celebrated their fourth consecutive victory, winning at the Blazers’ home court with 32 points and nine rebounds from Joel Embiid and a triple double of 16 points, ten rebounds and fourteen assists from James Harden.
Doc Rivers’ team finished with a 50% shooting percentage, while the Blazers were held to 37.6% shooting, with Damian Lillard as the leading scorer with 25 points and eleven assists.
TIMBERWOLVES 128 – RAPTORS 126
A final 23-7 run allowed the Wolves to come from behind against the Toronto Raptors, who trailed by as many as fourteen points in the fourth period.
D’Angelo Russell, with 25 points and five three-pointers, Anthony Edwards, with 23, and Kyle Anderson, with 20, led the comeback for the Wolves, who were without Karl Anthony Towns and Frenchman Rudy Gobert.
