The Boston Celtics struck a big blow with a big victory against the Oklahoma City Thunder (135-100). The Massachusetts franchise, leading in the East, thus ensured the best record at the end of the season (60 victories – 16 defeats and 6 matches to play), and therefore to have the advantage of the field during all the play-offs to a possible NBA Finals. Above all, the C’s stepped on one of the outsiders to the title, the young Thunder, engaged in the race for first place in the Western conference.
The Celtics of Latvian pivot Kristaps Porzingis (27 points, 12 rebounds) and Jayson Tatum (24 points) took off in the 4th quarter, winning 42 to 17. “Win more than 60 games and ensure the best “It’s not nothing,” greeted Tatum. The blow is hard for OKC, now 3rd in the West (52-24), just behind the champion Denver (53-23) and the Minnesota Timberwolves (53-23), who corrected the Toronto Raptors (133-85) , now on a series of 15 defeats.
The Milwaukee Bucks, deprived of leader Damian Lillard, Khris Middleton and Patrick Beverley, lost for the second time in two days, at home against Memphis (111-101). The Bucks (47-29) remain second in the East but see their lead over Cleveland (46-30) melt away. Detroit guard Malachi Flynn blazed with 50 points coming off the bench, very close to the NBA record for a replacement held by Jamal Crawford (51 in 2019). But the Pistons, the worst team of the season, still lost to Atlanta (121-113), which was able to count on Jalen Johnson’s first triple double (28 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists).
The Orlando Magic scored a third success in a row against the New Orleans Pelicans (117-108), thanks to 32 points from their young leader Paolo Banchero. A victory which allows the Magic to move to 4th in the East just ahead of the New York Knicks, who did not play on Wednesday. Also in the hunt for a good place in the play-offs, the Pelicans lost for the 4th time in 5 matches. Sixth in the West, in last place which allows them to avoid the play-offs, they are under pressure from the Phoenix Suns and the Sacramento Kings.