Resistance fighters: Charlotte Hornets
Covid, what Covid? The absence of four players placed in isolation, including their star LaMelo Ball and their third leading scorer Terry Rozier, did not prevent the Charlotte Hornets from winning in Atlanta on Sunday night (130-127). Miles Bridges (31 pts including 4/6 to 3 pts) and Kelly Oubre Jr (28 pts, 6/10 behind the arc) jumped into the breach to stop the hornet’s bad three-game losing streak.
The two teams continued to draw award-winning shots: 17/37 each, but the Hornets were the most effective in the fourth quarter, in particular Bridges who signed 13 points at 100% shooting in the money-time. “It’s a match that sends a message, to tell people that we are there”launched the latter.
Trae Young had 25 points and 15 assists for the Hawks, but he was more inaccurate in his 2-point shots (5/12) than 3-pointers (4/10). John Collins had 31 points and 12 rebounds. In the five major of Atlanta for the fourth time in a row, the Frenchie Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot had the longest playing time of his team (39 minutes), recording 12 points (5/10 shooting including 2/5 behind arc), 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 blocks. Charlotte climbs to 6th in the Eastern Conference.
Rebirth: Houston Rockets
A fortnight ago, the Houston Rockets were the laughingstock of the NBA after fifteen defeats in a row, seventeen in total in their first eighteen outings. And then the rocket took off, somewhat by surprise. Sunday, the Texans lined up a sixth victory in a row against the New Orleans Pelicans (118-108). A participation in the play-offs even becomes possible.
Brandon Ingram, however, split 40 points for the New Orleans team, still deprived of the phenomenon Zion Williamson (foot). But the Rockets took over through their collective, led by Christian Wood and Eric Gordon (23 pts each) with six other players at 9 points or more.
The Promenade: Toronto Raptors
A surprise team from the start of the season, the Washington Wizards have become much more ordinary again in recent weeks. Sunday, the team from the federal capital did not exist in Toronto (118-108), despite the effectiveness of Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (26 pts, 8/9 in shooting including 4/4 at 3 pts). The Raptors have always had a lead of more than ten points from the end of the first quarter.
Pascal Siakam (31 points, 6 rebounds) gave the “the” to the Canadian formation, which remains in the race for the play-offs. Frenchman Joël Ayayi, assigned to the G-League in recent weeks, made a short stint on the floor for the Wizards (4 minutes for 1 defensive rebound), his first minutes in the NBA since November 19.