US-Sport compact Schröder’s Lakers get another big point in playoff fight
Düsseldorf · While most Europeans are asleep, the North American professional leagues are buzzing. What Happened That Night in American Football, Basketball, and Ice Hockey.
Dennis Schröder (l), guard of the Los Angeles Lakers, and Mike Conley, guard of the Minnesota Timberwolves, in action.
Photo: dpa/Abbie Parr
Basketball: Davis leads Lakers to victory – New York Knicks just before playoffs
The Los Angeles Lakers have celebrated an important victory in the fight for the playoffs in the NBA. On Friday (local time) the Lakers beat their direct competitor Minnesota Timberwolves 123:111 (55:65), scored their fifth win from the past six games in the North American Basketball League and climbed from ninth to seventh place.
Anthony Davis excelled: The center scored 17 of his 38 points in the final quarter, and in one phase Davis scored twelve Lakers points in a row. “You need one key figure who takes responsibility: And for us that’s him at the moment,” Lakers coach Darvin Ham praised the center. Superstar LeBron James scored 18 points, ten rebounds and six assists, national basketball player Dennis Schröder had eleven points and six assists.
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In the west, the Phoenix Suns defeated the first-placed Denver Nuggets 100-93 (60-40) and maintained fourth place with their fourth win in a row. Superstar Kevin Durant led the Suns with 30 points, Phoenix has won all five games with Durant on the floor.
In the Eastern Conference, the New York Knicks are on the verge of being the next team to make the playoffs. After a 130-116 (79-72) away win at the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Knicks have been unbeaten in three games and are still comfortably in fifth place. New York playmaker Jalen Brunson set a personal career high with 48 points, while German center Isaiah Hartenstein put up five points and eight rebounds.
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Photo: AP/Ashley Landis
The Orlando Magic around the German brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner only have arithmetical chances of making the play-offs. The 116-109 (60-63) away win against the Washington Wizards gave the Magic their fourth win in the past five games, but Orlando remains 13th in the table. Franz Wagner scored eleven of his 20 points in the final period, which the Magic dominated 31-13. Moritz Wagner only played seven minutes and scored four points.
Hockey: JJ Peterka scores in Buffalo’s win over New York
The German national ice hockey player JJ Peterka kept the slightest chance of a play-off entry in the NHL with the Buffalo Sabers. On Friday (local time) the Sabers defeated the New York Rangers 3-2 (1-0, 1-1, 0-1) after overtime. After their third win in four games, Buffalo are now five points behind the Pittsburgh Penguins, who currently hold the last wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference.
Peterka scored in the middle of the first period to take a 1-0 lead and scored his eleventh goal of the season. Rangers equalized Buffalo’s 2-0 lead in the third period, after two minutes of overtime Jeff Skinner scored the winner for the Sabers. Goaltender Devon Levi made his NHL debut at Buffalo, and the league newcomer made a strong start with 31 saves.
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Photo: AP/Charles Krupa
In the east, three places behind the Sabers are the Detroit Red Wings around German defender Moritz Seider. The Red Wings had no chance against the Winnipeg Jets and lost 2:6 (0:3, 0:2, 2:1). After 33 minutes of play, the guests were already 0:5 behind. Seider put on Detroit’s 1-6 lead and has scored at least one assist in the past three games.
Basketball: NBA and players’ union agree on new collective bargaining agreement
The North American basketball league NBA and its players’ union have successfully concluded negotiations for a new wage agreement. According to media reports, both sides agreed on a new agreement on Saturday morning (local time), which will come into effect for the 2023/24 season and will apply at least until the 2028/29 season.
Both players and owners of the 30 NBA clubs are expected to vote in favor of the new collective agreement. If the NBA and players’ union hadn’t reached an agreement, the league would have been prepared to withdraw from the current wage agreement on June 30.
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Photo: AFP/ANGELA WEISS
According to media reports, a mini-tournament planned by NBA boss Adam Silver is to be introduced within the regular season for the new season. Furthermore, the league wants to prevent star players from sitting out and resting themselves more and more often: Players will have to have played 65 out of 82 games to be eligible for awards.