Memphis doubts, Golden State turns positive
Series: Memphis Fanny Returns
It was time for the Memphis Grizzlies’ journey to end. In an environment aggravated by the release of footage of the — excruciating — arrest that led to the death of Tyre Nichols (30) in Memphis on Jan. 7, the Tennessee franchise snapped a five-game winning streak. Minnesota Timberwolves home loss (100-111). After both teams commemorated Nichols with a minute of silence, the locals were most effective at the start with the aggressiveness of Anthony Edwards (25 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists).
Conversely, the Grizzlies didn’t have the weapons to contend, especially since they thrived without the team’s second-leading scorer Desmond Bain (21.6 ppg), Steven Adams or John Konchar, who were injured on the road. If Ja Morant did all he could to keep his team in the game by posting a triple-double (27 points, 10 rebounds, 11 assists), he proved too lonely to hope to leave Minnesota with a win.
“It was a journey of revelations, head coach Taylor Jenkins. In the heart of the season, we learn a lot about ourselves. After the game, I told the guys that we were in good shape. We’ve got about thirty matches to go and that’s a season for ups and downs. » On Sunday, it will be necessary to succeed against the Indiana Pacers.
French: Rudy Gobert contributes, 10 minutes for Ousmane Dieng
If he didn’t record a new double-double this season (he has 18), Rudy Gobert stood out in another way during the Wolves’ home win: by proving — which is pretty common — tough on defense (3 blocks). , but above all, by offering two “highlights” late in the match: a behind-the-back dunk early in the fourth quarter, then a blind pass on an offensive rebound in the final minute. In the end, the pivot collected 7 points, 13 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 3 blocks in 31 minutes.
The Oklahoma City Thunder (112-100), who won on the occasion of receiving the Cleveland Cavaliers without Donovan Mitchell (groin), were able to offer Ousmane Dieng ten minutes of play. In his second game back from injury (broken wrist), the winger didn’t attempt a single shot and the forward settled for a rebound and an assist (for two stray balls).
35
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finished with 35 points (12 of 21 shooting, 10 of 11 shooting, 8 assists) in the matchup between the Thunder and the Cavaliers.
The duo: Thompson and Curry make a splash for Golden State
It won’t surprise anyone, but a statistic that has become rare this season: against the Toronto Raptors at home (129-117 victory), Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson, nicknamed the “Splash Brothers”, scored 64 points between them. 35 points for the playmaker (13 of 21 shots, 7 assists, 11 rebounds), 29 points for the wing defender, the author of 6 prize baskets (14 attempts).
$25,000
That’s the amount of the fine (about €23,000) that Stephen Curry was fined for swinging a mouth guard late in a game against the Memphis Grizzlies in a previous outing. This gesture also eliminated him when his team won by the wire (122-120).
Had the Warriors waited until the final quarter (31-23) to secure their third straight win in four outings, they could have been content to return to the positives, especially in the West (25-24), which they haven’t seen since January 5 (20-19).
With the exception of the San Antonio Spurs (14 wins) and the Houston Rockets (11), these two consecutive victories allowed the defending champions to move up to seventh place, one win, at a time when the debate in the Western Conference is particularly intense. for Dallas (26 v-24d), the last outright playoff seed.
3
Beating the Orlando Magic at home (110-105), the Miami Heat won their third victory (28v-22d), synonymous with the sixth place in the slightly consolidated East, ahead of the New York Knicks (27v-23d).
