Daniel Theis continues to do really well with the Los Angeles Clippers. Dennis Schröder also gets a win with Toronto. Isaiah Hartenstein underlines his bid for a place on the German national basketball team with a new career best
World basketball champion Daniel Theis has also won with the Los Angeles Clippers against his former team Indiana Pacers and extended the NBA’s longest winning streak. The 151:127 victory on Monday evening was the eighth win in the last eight games for the Clippers. Theis had switched from the Pacers to the Clippers a month before the game and has only lost three games in that time. The 31-year-old scored four points, grabbed nine rebounds and made two blocks in 22 minutes against his former colleagues. James Harden scored 21 of his 35 points for the Clippers in the final quarter.
Meanwhile, Theis’ buddy Dennis Schröder and the Toronto Raptors recorded a 114:99 win against the Charlotte Hornets, who gave up an eleven-point lead without Miles Bridges and three other regular players. The Raptors won the final quarter 35:18. Bridges was not allowed to enter Canada because of his criminal record. He is currently on probation for domestic violence.
The next outstanding performance by Luka Doncic was once again not enough for the Dallas Mavericks to win. The Mavericks lost 104:130 against the defending champion Denver Nuggets, although the Slovenian scored 38 points and 11 rebounds and Nikola Jokic had a weak evening for the Nuggets with just eight points.
Pistons lose again
The Detroit Pistons continue to plummet towards a negative record. The 124:130 loss at the Atlanta Hawks was their 24th defeat in a row, with only two more to go before they reach the inglorious record. “We’re desperately trying to get a win,” said coach Monty Williams. This time it was close in many respects. Friday’s game is at home against the Utah Jazz. If Detroit also loses this game, the team could set the negative record on Christmas Eve at the Brooklyn Nets.
Hartenstein’s 17, James’ 109
The New York Knicks underlined their play-off ambitions with Isaiah Hartenstein: in the 114:109 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, the 25-year-old narrowly missed out on a double-double with nine points and 17 rebounds, but set a new career best. He had previously managed 16 rebounds twice in the NBA. Hartenstein made the most of his chance after big man Jericho Sims sprained his ankle early in the game and played 39 minutes.
The Knicks’ best scorers were Jalen Brunson (29) and Julius Randle (27). The Lakers’ top scorer was Anthony Davis (32), while LeBron James notched up his 109th triple-double with 25 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds.
Hartenstein would love to play for the national team
Hartenstein had recently made his interest in the German national basketball team clear, but does not expect to be nominated for the Olympic squad. “I definitely want to play in the future. If I’m invited and I’m fit, then I’ll definitely play. But they’re doing a good job now, so you can’t complain. They’ve now won gold and probably want to play with the same team again,” said the 25-year-old center. “I don’t think I’ll be invited to the Olympics under any circumstances.” He last had contact with national coach Gordon Herbert before the World Championships. Hartenstein, who plays the same position as Theis, said that he harbored no resentment about not being selected
