Houston (USA), Jan 7 (EFE) .- The claim returned to the NBA after the historic day of the assault on the Capitol, with the unanimous support of the world of professional basketball for democracy in the United States.
The day, with eleven games at stake, left the Philadelphia Sixers as the unstoppable team by achieving the fifth consecutive victory.
Guard Bradley Beal starred in his best offensive encounter as a professional with 60 points, but his team, the Washington Wizards, could not cut the winning streak of the Sixers who prevailed 141-136.
Cameroonian center Joel Embiid scored 38 points as the leader of the balanced attack of the Sixers that overcame Beal’s brilliant individual performance and remain the best record in the league (7-1) since being with their new coach Doc Rivers.
Beal made 11 of 16 shots from the field, including four triples. He finished the first half with 32 points and joined the legendary Michael Jordan (34 points in 2001) and Arenas (33 points in 2006 and 30 in 2007) as the only Wizards players to have scored 30 halftime points in the last 20 years.
Rookie point guard Payton Pritchard did not play the last playoffs with the Boston Celtics, when they were eliminated by the Miami Heat in the Eastern Conference finals, but in their first game between the two teams since the Orlando bubble, he was the executioner for the NBA finalists by scoring the winning basket (105-107) in the closing seconds of the clash.
Power forward Jayson Tatum was once again the Celtics’ leading scorer with 27 points, topping a list of just three players who had double-digit numbers, and gave the Boston team (6-3) the third consecutive victory.
The guard-forward Malcolm Brogdon was once again the leader of the Indiana Pacers’ attack, scoring 35 points, including four triples, which led to the victory (114-107) against the Houston Rockets, who once again felt the lack of scoring inspiration from star guard James Harden (15 points).
Brogdon, who scored 17 goals in the first half, set the difference in favor of the Pacers (6-2), who also had the support of Lithuanian power forward Domantas Sabonis by getting a double-double of 22 points, 12 rebounds and deal four assists.
Guard Terrence Ross came off the bench and contributed 20 points as the leader of the Orlando Magic who beat the Cleveland Cavaliers 105-94 and went 6-2, the best start in eight games since the 2017 season. -18.
But the win came at a high price as point guard Markelle Fultz, a former top pick in the college draft, suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee.
Power forward Julius Randle added a double-double of 30 points and 16 rebounds that helped the New York Knicks to star in another comeback in the game they beat the Utah Jazz 112-100.
The Knicks (5-3) achieved their third consecutive win and the fifth in the last six they have played of the season under new coach Tom Thibodeau.
Hispanic guard Devin Booker had 24 points, including three triples, as the leading scorer for the Phoenix Suns, who got back on the winning track after beating the undervalued Toronto Raptors 123-115.
Forward Kawhi Leonard scored the tying basket with 6:40 left to play and, on the next possession, gave his team the lead with a jump shot. The Los Angeles Clippers beat the Golden State Warriors 101-108 away from home, in the first of the games in a row that they will play.
Teammate Paul George returned after missing a game due to a sore right ankle and added a double-double (21 points, 12 rebounds) that helped lead to the Clippers’ fourth straight win over the Warriors.
Forward Gordon Hayward contributed 44 points, the best mark as a professional, and led the attack of the Charlotte Hornets who defeated the Atlanta Hawks at home (94-102).
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