17 defeats in a row – never before for the San Antonio Spurs. Until now. Even top talent Victor Wembanyama could not prevent the negative record. The Orlando Magic won with the Wagner brothers, while Dennis Schröder suffered another defeat despite a good performance
The Orlando Magic, led by the two basketball world champions Franz and Moritz Wagner, have apparently overcome their minor slump in the NBA. Orlando won 104:94 at home against the Cleveland Cavaliers and celebrated its second win in a row after two defeats in a row.
Franz Wagner scored 19 points and grabbed eight rebounds, but did not have a good day from the three-point line. Not a single ball landed in the basket on five attempts. Brother Moritz scored eight points in 18 minutes, while the Magic’s top scorer was Paolo Banchero (20 points, but 9/21 from the field and eight turnovers). The Cavs, on the other hand, hit just 35.3 percent of their shots. With their 16th win of the season, the Magic caught up with record champions Boston Celtics at the top of the Eastern Conference, although the Celtics have suffered two fewer defeats so far.
The season is still not going according to plan for national team captain Dennis Schröder and the Toronto Raptors. The Canadians lost 130:136 at the New York Knicks with Isaiah Hartenstein and, with nine wins this season, would currently only be spectators in the play-offs. The Knicks, on the other hand, are clearly on course for the finals with 13 wins and only nine defeats.
Next Raptors loss despite a strong Schröder
Schröder put in a good performance and recorded a double-double with 20 points and ten assists. However, even he was unable to prevent the Raptors’ fourth defeat in a row. Hartenstein scored eleven points and grabbed eight rebounds for the Knicks.
The Los Angeles Clippers and Daniel Theis, on the other hand, are still on the upswing. The Clippers won their home game against the Portland Trail Blazers 132:127 and celebrated their fourth win in a row. However, Theis only played a supporting role in the game; the 31-year-old played 14 minutes and contributed three points. Kawhi Leonard led his team with 34 points, while Paul George and James Harden added 20 points each. At the other end, Anfernee Simons scored 38 points.
Once again without the injured Maximilian Kleber – and also without the injured Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Jr., Grant Williams and Josh Green – the Dallas Mavericks celebrated their next success. In the 120:113 away win against the Memphis Grizzlies, Luka Doncic (35 points) was once again the outstanding man for the Texans, but the role players around Jaden Hardy (19), Dante Exum (16) and Dereck Lively II (16 and 16 rebounds) also shone. Jaren Jackson Jr. stood out for Memphis with 41 points.
Wembanyama focused on the “long-term goal “
Meanwhile, the San Antonio Spurs set a negative record with super talent Victor Wembanyama (15 points, 18 rebounds, 5 blocks and a poster dunk over Alperen Sengün). The Texans suffered their 17th defeat in a row with an 82:93 loss at the Houston Rockets, a streak never seen before in the team’s history – but the Pistons have lost even more games in a row this season, with the 123:131 defeat against the Indiana Pacers meaning Detroit has now lost 20 in a row. The Spurs’ three-point percentage in particular was indisputable, with only five of 41 attempts landing in the basket.
“Of course it’s not easy right now,” said Wembanyama after the game about the current situation in San Antonio. “But we have no choice: keep going and keep fighting. The good thing is that nobody doubts that we’ll be the winners in the long run. I hate to lose, but I stay focused on the long-term goal.”
Meanwhile, the New Orleans Pelicans are coming off an impressive win over the Western Conference’s top team, the Minnesota Timberwolves. In the 121-107 win, Zion Williamson responded to criticism of him after a dismal 89-133 in the semi-finals of the in-season tournament against the Lakers, pouring in 36 points on 13/17 from the field for the Wolves.
