NBA, comeback with a bang for Nikola Jokic

After a month of absence due to a knee hyperextension suffered last December 29, Nikola Jokic returns to the NBA parquet and does so with a top-notch performance, which allows the Denver Nuggets to close the positive series of the Los Angeles Clippers: 122-109 the score in the game played in the Italian night between Friday and Saturday, with the Serbian author of 31 points, 12 rebounds and 5 assists. Useless, on the other side, were James Harden&#8217s 25 and Kawhi Leonard&#8217s 21. Clippers defeated after three straight wins.

In the night’s other contests, another Balkan champion, Luka Doncic, also shines: the Slovenian is in triple-double already at the conclusion of the first half and at the end, in the Los Angeles Lakers’ stark 142-111 win over the Washington Wizards, he scores 37 points, collects 11 rebounds and hands out 13 assists. The yellow-viola are one of three teams capable of winning away from home in this round: the others are the Brooklyn Nets, who beat the Utah Jazz 109-99 with Egor Demin’s double-double of 25 points and 10 rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons, who rule 131-124 the Golden State Warriors on the wings of Cade Cunningham’s 29 points, who also authored 11 assists.

Francesco Lucivero

In contrast, in addition to Denver, the Boston Celtics, who overcome the Sacramento Kings 112-93 with 29 points from Payton Pritchard, the New Orleans Pelicans, who beat the Memphis Grizzlies 114-106 with 22 points apiece for Saddiq Bey and Derik Queen, the New York Knicks, who dispose of the Portland Trail Blazers with a clean sweep 127-97, led by Jalen Brunson’s 26 points; the Orlando Magic, who get the better of the Toronto Raptors 130-120 with 32 from Desmond Bane; and the Phoenix Suns, who beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 126-113 with 27 points from Dillon Brooks.

The Eastern Conference standings still see the Detroit Pistons ahead of everyone, with 35 wins and 12 losses. Also in the playoff zone are Boston, New York (both at 30-18), Cleveland, Toronto (29-21 for the two franchises) and Philadelphia (26-21), while in the play-in zone are Orlando (25-22), Miami (26-23), Atlanta (24-26) and Chicago (23-25).

In the Western Conference, however, the defending league champions Oklahoma City Thunder lead the way, with 38 won and 11 lost. They are followed in the top six by San Antonio (32-15), Denver (33-16), Houston (29-17), Lakers (29-18) and Minnesota (30-19). Same record but momentary play-in zone for the Phoenix Suns, followed by Golden State (27-23), Portland (23-26) and Clippers (22-25).