Returning after four games of absence with a wrist injury, Nikola Jokic allowed the Denver Nuggets to end a six-game losing streak with a 120-111 victory in Miami on Monday night. in the NBA.
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"
It's behind us now,
" commented the reigning MVP, who has compiled 24 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists in the streak of setbacks.
“
We have to look to the future, we won this match and that's the most important
”.
With this victory, the Nuggets return to a balanced record (10 wins-10 losses), in 9th place in the Western Conference.
The meeting was the first between the two teams since the collision between the Serbian pivot and the Heat inside Markieff Morris on November 8, in a 113-96 victory for the Nuggets, and which had earned the two players to be excluded.
The memory of this incident earned Jokic, supported in particular by Aaron Gordon (20 points) in a very skilful team (58.2% on shots, 51.5% on three points), to be booed throughout. the meeting by the 19,600 spectators of the FTX Arena.
Inside Bam Adebayo (24 points, 13 rebounds) and point guard Kyle Lowry (17 points, 14 assists) were not enough for the Miami team, now 3rd in the Eastern Conference (13 wins-8 losses) ) and also deprived Monday night of its two top scorers Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro.
In the other meetings of the evening, the Chicago Bulls took advantage of the misstep of Miami and that of the Washington Wizards, defeated 116-99 in San Antonio, to move up to 2nd place in the East behind Brooklyn, in the winning 133-119 against the Hornets, behind the 30 points and 14 rebounds of another Nikola, the Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic, and the 28 points of DeMar DeRozan.
Gobert shone
In Minnesota, the Timberwolves recorded their 7th victory in eight games with a 100-98 success against the Pacers, thanks in particular to 32 points from Karl-Anthony Towns.
Now 6th in the West with 11 wins and 10 losses, Wolves even have the luxury of getting ahead of the Lakers.
The Clippers, they recorded a new defeat and have the same record as the Wolves (11-10), after a 123-104 loss at home against the mediocre Pelicans of New Orleans (6 wins-17 losses), led by Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas, author of his best career game (39 points to 7 of 8 to three points, 15 rebounds).
Another European pivot who shone Monday night on the floors of the NBA, the French Rudy Gobert scored 21 points and captured 16 rebounds. Best rebounder in the league, “
Gobzilla
” was able to count at his side on a good Donovan Mitchell (30 points at 60% success) to allow the Utah Jazz to garner a 14th victory (for 7 losses) against Portland 129- 107. Utah is 3rd in the Western Conference, behind the untouchable Warriors (18 wins-2 losses) and Suns (17-3).
In the other meetings of the evening, Philadelphia beat Orlando 101-96, Cleveland went on to win 114-96 in Dallas despite a triple double from Luka Doncic (25 points, 10 rebounds, 10 assists), and Houston won the duel of (very) poorly classified 102-89 against the Thunder 102-89.
This is the fourth victory only this season for the Rockets (for 16 losses), good last of the Western Conference.
