Aurélien CANOT, Media365, published on Thursday December 08, 2022 at 08:23
In the clash of the night in the NBA, between the two leaders, Boston pulverized Phoenix (125-98) on the floor of the Suns, who were at one point 45 points behind. The Pelicans take the opportunity to take control in the West.
Nightmarish night for Phoenix. The Suns were pulverized at home (125-98) by Boston on Wednesday night during the clash between the leader of the Western conference and that of the Eastern conference. Humiliated in front of their audience, the Arizona players also ceded their first place in the standings to the Pelicans during the evening, winners at the same time at home in Detroit (104-98). Either the worst possible scenario for Phoenix, which must have felt the wind of the ball from its last outing, in Dallas, where Devin Booker (17 points to 6 of 17 on shots) and his team had already not been very brilliant ( defeat 130-111). The arrival of Boston, the other team in form at the start of the season, however, suggested that adversity would once again make Phoenix reach new heights. It has not happened. Not only did the Suns not compete with the other leader, but they also sank against the Celtics who have lost only five games since the start of the season (21 wins).
And Boston took a 45-point lead!
There has never been a match in this clash. From the outset, while the Suns missed almost everything, especially from a distance (none of their first eight three-point attempts of the game hit the mark, for a total of 8 of 32 in the end), Boston detached. Carried by their two leaders Jayson Tatum (25 points, 5 rebounds) and Jaylen Brown (25 points, 7 rebounds), the C’s quickly increased their lead, which at one point reached … 45 points. A lead such as the franchise coach of Massachusetts Joe Mazzulla could afford to rest Tatum for the entire last period, when Brown entered the game for only two minutes. Opposite, only Josh Okogie, phenomenal off the bench (28 points, 7 rebounds, career best game) did not collapse. Phoenix, which travels to New Orleans on Friday, which ousted the Suns from first place on Wednesday, could have a hard time recovering from this knockdown.