With no chance of a playoff ticket, the Brooklyn Nets are turning up the heat in the NBA – also thanks to world champion Dennis Schröder.
Thanks to a well-muscled Schröder, the Brooklyn Nets have secured a 113-103 win against the Detroit Pistons. The fifth win from the last seven games, with no chance of making the playoffs in the East, the Nets suddenly turn on the heat.
Also thanks to Schröder, who once again delivered a strong performance against the Pistons. He scored 24 points in his almost 36 minutes of playing time, only Cam Thomas was on the court longer (39 minutes) and scored more points (32). However, Schröder contributed six assists to the win against the NBA’s weakest team, more than any other Nets player.
The Pistons got into the game better, leading 35:23 after the first period and 57:46 at the break. Brooklyn conceded 13 turnovers in this period, which Detroit exploited to score a total of 19 points. The Nets then got stronger in the second period, but it was not until the final quarter that they secured victory. It was not until 2:54 before the final buzzer that Schröder gave Brooklyn a 104:103 lead with a jumper. The Nets then extended their lead and were not to be denied the victory again.
Lakers hope to qualify directly – Nuggets victorious
In the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers can still hope to qualify directly for the playoffs after beating the Cleveland Cavaliers 116:97. The Lakers, whose best scorers were D’Angelo Russell (28 points) and superstar LeBron James (24), are in eighth place in the West and are just one win behind the sixth place needed for the knockout round. The teams in seventh to tenth place will play for two more tickets in the play-in tournament.
The Denver Nuggets are still the best team in the West. The reigning champions dispatched the Atlanta Hawks 142:110. With 54 wins and 24 defeats, the Nuggets remain top of the Western Conference, although the Minnesota Timberwolves have already won 53 games. The top team in the league, however, are the Boston Celtics, who sit at the top of the East with 61 wins and just 16 defeats.
