To make a big contribution to the Bulls' sixth straight victory, DeRozan scored 28 points, including 13 in the final quarter, which added to six assists, three rebounds and three steals. Enough to join the Brooklyn Nets at the top of the Eastern Conference with, like them, a record of 23 wins and 10 losses. “
I looked at the clock and thought I had to do something. I tried to create some space for myself and as soon as the ball left my hand, I felt it well
, ”said DeRozan, very happy to be able to add this last second basket to his personal pantheon. "
I put it all up there.
It was one of those matches where nothing goes the way you want.
I was sure we were going to get beaten up.
But we hung on and we won it with a huge basket.
It's a hell of a victory,
”added the player, deprived like his teammates of the advice of coach Billy Donovan, positive for Covid-19.
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The last NBA game in 2021 was also the first since LeBron James turned 37th birthday on Thursday. And the star of the Lakers celebrated: 43 points, 16 baskets scored out of 26 attempted, including 5 out of 10 with three points, enough to spoil the Blazers' New Year's Eve. It was the 67th game with 40 or more points in the career of the quadruple NBA champion, who had already scored 27 points and picked up 10 rebounds midway through. He finished with 14 rebounds, 4 assists, two steals and two blocks, in 29 minutes spent on the floor.
The Lakers move up to 7th place in the Western Conference, with a record of 18-19, also thanks to the stats sheet of Russell Westbrook, author of his 9th triple-double this season, and the 4th in a row: 15 points , 13 rebounds, 12 assists.
In Boston, Jaylen Brown and Marcus Smart spent 24 points each for the Celtics, added to a triple-double from Robert Williams (10, 11, 10) to sink their evening visitors, the Phoenix Suns (123-108).
In Miami, Jimmy Butler, apparently well recovered from his sprained ankle, put in 37 points for the Heat against the beaten 120-110 Houston, and Turkish debutant Omer Yurtseven added 10 points and 13 rebounds to the scoresheet. .
The game between Toronto and the Los Angeles Clippers was played behind closed doors, due to new health constraints decided by the province of Ontario, but the absence of their fans did not prevent the Raptors from winning 116-108, thanks in particular to 31 points from Fred VanVleet, back from quarantine. Each of the two teams had four isolated players, due to Covid-19, out of the 120 recorded this week by the NBA.
On the Utah side, Donovan Mitchell (39 points), the Croatian Bojan Bogdanovic (24 points, 12 rebounds) and the French Rudy Gobert (14 p., 16 r.) Allowed the Jazz to defeat Minnesota (120-108 ).
As for the Atlanta Hawks, helped by Trae Young (35 points), they went to win 121-118 at the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Three other matches were able to take place, which allowed Memphis, in his room, to beat San Antonio (118-105), a more generous score than that of Oklahoma City against New York (95-80).
Finally, Dallas went to win 112-96 at Sacramento.
