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Los Angeles (AFP) – The Suns, undisputed leaders of the championship, were still able to count on a “masterclass” from Chris Paul in money-time, to beat the Jazz on Monday in the NBA, while the Bulls and the Cavaliers survived in extremis the comebacks of the Thunder and the Knicks.
Mr. Clutch, the man who takes responsibility and decides the fate of a game in the last quarter, a rare specimen in basketball, is called Chris Paul in Phoenix. And the leader made a new brilliant demonstration of his talent, offering his team a seventh consecutive victory (115-109).
While Utah (4th) still harbored hopes of achieving a feat without their major five – Rudy Gobert (calf), Donovan Mitchell (concussion), Mike Conley (rest), Bojan Bogdanovic (knee), Joe Ingles (ankle) -, leading 95-91 nine minutes from the end, “CP3” changed everything.
He was involved in the next twenty points scored by the Suns, scoring 20 on his own and providing two assists. The score went in the space of six minutes to 111-100, a burst of 20-5 conceded by the Jazz, KO standing.
Recalling that he is very human, the 36-year-old leader then missed a final attempt behind the arc, coming close to the triple-double (27 pts, 14 assists, 9 rebounds). Without consequence on the fate of the match, despite a start from Jordan Clarkson (22 pts), author of two long-distance shots which were not used for much.
Until then, it was Devin Booker who had shown the way for the Suns more than ever in the lead in the West, ahead of Golden State.
In Oklahoma City, the thunder almost fell on Chicago, which had a whopping 28-point lead, before suffering an irresistible opposing comeback, only contained in free throws in the last ten seconds by Zach LaVine (23 pts ).
Chicago dauphin du Heat
The rear, who was returning after a knee injury, while DeMar DeRozan (spare) and Alex Caruso (wrist) were absent, thus ensured victory (111-110) for the Bulls, new Miami dolphins at the ‘East, just past Brooklyn. Nikola Vucevic (26 pts, 15 rebounds) contributed just as much.
For OKC, still worn by Shai Gildeous-Alexander (31 pts, 10 assists), times are tough with this sixth consecutive loss, synonymous with last place in the West.
In Cleveland, the Cavs resisted the return of the Knicks in money-time to win (95-93), thanks in particular to a decisive shot behind the arc of Darius Garland (13 pts, 12 assists) at 1 min 23 sec of the term.
While depriving themselves of Evan Fournier (7 pts) and Kemba Walker (8 pts) out of the game, New York had just equalized at 91-91, after erasing a deficit of fifteen units in the wake of Julius Randle ( 18 pts, 7 rbds), who then found RJ Barrett (24 pts) for the victory shot at the buzzer, finally missed.
Cleveland, which remains 5th in the East thanks to this second success in a row, had previously counted on a good evening from Kevin Love (20 pts, 11 rebounds), author in particular of three award-winning shots in a row in a little more than one minute, which had precisely created the gap in favor of his team in the third quarter.
Close end of the match also in New Orleans (11th), which had the last word on Indiana (117-113), thanks in particular to four throws from Josh Hart (22 pts, 10 rebounds) in the last 27 seconds, taking the relay of Devonte Graham (26 pts).
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