Dennis Schröder scores more points than ever before in this NBA season. But it’s still not enough for the Brooklyn Nets to beat the Detroit Pistons. A possible Finals preview in Denver goes to the Nuggets.
31 points from Dennis Schröder were not enough for the Brooklyn Nets to win in the NBA. Despite the world champion captain’s season-best performance, the Nets lost 112:118 to the Detroit Pistons on Thursday evening (local time). Schröder sank a strong twelve of his 17 shot attempts (5/7 threes) and also handed out eight assists. Everything was open at 98:98, but then the Pistons pulled away with nine points in a row.
The Nets had previously won three out of four games, but now suffered a bitter setback against the second-worst team in the league. Brooklyn (25-38) still has three fewer wins than the Atlanta Hawks (28-34), who currently occupy the last play-in spot in the East. Pistons pro Jaden Ivey scored the most points in the game in Detroit with 34 points.
Maxi Kleber meanwhile recorded another win with the Dallas Mavericks after three recent defeats. He scored three points and grabbed four rebounds in the 114:108 win against the Miami Heat. Luka Doncic recorded another triple double with 35 points and eleven assists and rebounds each. It was Doncic’s fifth triple-double in a row with at least 30 points each. Only Russell Westbrook had achieved this before him during his time with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Jokic turns up the heat – Edwards excels
In Denver, a possible preview of the NBA Finals in June, the reigning champions, the Nuggets, welcomed the best team in the league at the moment, the Boston Celtics. And Nikola Jokic was once again in excellent form. The Serbian scored 32 points (11/19 FG), twelve rebounds and eleven assists to lead Denver to a 115:109 victory. Jayson Tatum, on the other hand, did not have his best evening (15 points, 5/13 FG).
Nevertheless, the duel remained exciting right up to the end, as Jaylen Brown stepped into the breach for the Celtics with 41 points (and 14 rebounds) and Jrue Holiday hit a number of threes in the final phase of the game to bring Boston back within striking distance. However, a missed shot by Tatum, an alley-oop dunk by Aaron Gordon set up by Jokic and Denver’s sure touch from the free throw line ultimately decided the game
Tension was also the key word in Indiana: Anthony Edwards inspired the Minnesota Timberwolves in the absence of the injured Karl-Anthony Towns with 44 points and was also the decisive man in the final seconds on the way to the Wolves’ 113:111 victory over the Indiana Pacers. The outstanding Edwards not only scored 16 points in the fourth quarter alone, he also secured victory with a spectacular block just seconds before the final buzzer. The Wolves (44-19) thus remain in first place in the West.
All-Star Weekend 2027 awarded to Phoenix
After Indianapolis two weeks ago, San Francisco is the next host for the NBA All-Star Game. The Los Angeles Clippers’ new arena will follow in 2026, followed by Phoenix in 2027. The league made the announcement on Thursday (local time). Although the show match of the best professionals loses its sporting value every year, hosting the game and the surrounding area is a great honor and the demand among US cities is high. Two weeks ago in Indianapolis, the Eastern Conference team outscored the Western Conference 211-186, the most points ever scored in an All-Star Game.
