A strong performance by Daniel Theis did not help the Boston Celtics to victory. Nikola Jokic showed himself in gala form again after laceration – with forehead jewellery. The NBA on Friday morning.
MVP Jokic led the Nuggets to a 122-109 over the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday night and made history in the process. Not because he was acting with a protective red headband after suffering an early laceration. Nor because he was once again the decisive man on the court with 35 points and 16 rebounds. No, the Serbian star centre is now the only professional in the history of the NBA to score at least 2000 points, 1000 rebounds and 500 assists in one season. The reward for Denver was the last remaining direct play-off place on top.
Let’s stay in the Conference. The Minnesota Timberwolves also won thanks to the strong 49 points of Anthony Edwards, but the 127-121 against the San Antonio Spurs around the strong Viennese Jakob Pöltl (15 points, 17 rebounds) did not help. The T-Wolves have to go into the play-in round in seventh place and can enter the play-offs there with a win – and would then meet the Grizzlies, who played without injured young star Ja Morant again on Friday night.
Theis unlucky at the end
A swing to the East of the league: Daniel Theis came up trumps for the Celtics for a long time and collected 22 points. The bottom line, however, was a 121-127 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks and the loss of second place in the Eastern Conference to the reigning champions. Theis missed an important attempt right under the basket in the closing seconds.
The Philadelphia 76ers lost 114-119 to the Toronto Raptors, but at least the Celtics did not slip further behind in the battle for the best play-off spots. The Miami Heat have secured first place in the East with Thursday’s results. The record-holding Boston Heat have one more game in the main round, while the Bucks and 76ers each have two.
17 points by Moritz Wagner
In the absence of his ankle-injured brother Franz, Moritz Wagner scored 17 points for the Orlando Magic. However, it was not enough for a win for the cellar child, the last team in the East lost clearly 101-128 to the Charlotte Hornets.