Daniel Theis celebrated a clear success in his first game after returning to the Boston Celtics. Maxi Kleber was also among the winners.
The Celtics beat the Philadelphia 76ers 135-87 (69-42) to record their ninth win in a row. Thanks to the longest winning run of all teams, the Celtics have climbed to sixth place in the Eastern Conference.
Last week, the Houston Rockets traded Dennis Schröder to the Celtics in a player swap between the two teams. The former Bamberg player had already played for the Celtics in his first three and a half years in the NBA. Against the Sixers, the 29-year-old scored five points and grabbed nine rebounds.
Kleber steps in for Doncic – Suns marching
Maxi Kleber was also successful with the Dallas Mavericks. The Texans scored a 107:99 (51:59) away win against the Miami Heat, currently the best team in the Eastern Conference. Kleber scored a season-best 19 points (three threes), collected six rebounds and blocked five shots of the opponent. Because Luka Doncic (21 points) was often doubled by the Heat, he remained below his average in terms of scoring and looked for his teammates more often. Newcomer David Bertans (12 points) also had strong scenes.
Isaiah Hartenstein and the Los Angeles Clippers were defeated by the Phoenix Suns 96-103 (47-53). Hartenstein scored four points against the best team in the league. For the Suns, Devin Booker (26) and “mastermind” Chris Paul (17/14) were convincing as usual.
Meanwhile, superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo led his Milwaukee Bucks to a 128-119 (69-63) home win over the Indiana Pacers. The Most Valuable Player of last year’s Finals scored 50 points to set a personal record for the season.
Ex-All-Star Johnson plays for USA
Away from league action, the US Basketball Association has named its line-up for the upcoming World Cup qualifying games – including a former NBA All-Star. John Johnson, who recently received a short-term contract with the Boston Celtics and also played a game, returns to the court for his home country at the age of 40.
Also on board: Jordan Bell, Tarik Black, Brian Bowen II, Langston Galloway, Jared Harper, Juwan Morgan, Matt Ryan, former Bayreuth player David Stockton, Rayjon Tucker, Paul Watson and Justin Wright-Foreman – mostly players from the G League without much NBA experience. That’s what Johnson brings, who has been to the NBA All-Star game seven times and converted 1978 threes in the best league in the world.
