The Milwaukee Bucks, deprived of their injured star Giannis Antetokounmpo, won Saturday against the Oklahoma City Thunder (108-94), bringing to nine their number of victories this season in the NBA, where they still remain undefeated.
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The Wisconsin franchise thus continues to improve on the best start to the championship in its history.
Double MVP, Antetokounmpo had to give up the meeting against the Thunder after feeling pain in his left knee during the Bucks' victory on Friday against Minnesota (115-102) during which he had nevertheless achieved his first triple-double of the season.
In the absence of the "Greek Freak", it was center Brook Lopez who reigned in the racket, scoring 25 points and allowing his team's shooters to make 17 three-point shots.
Bobby Portis and Jrue Holiday each had a double-double.
Milwaukee will try to chain a tenth consecutive victory and thus further improve their thunderous start to the season next Tuesday in Atlanta against the Hawks who, in their hall last night, overcame the New Orleans Pelicans after overtime ( 124-121).
Zion Williamson's 29 points and eight rebounds weren't enough for the Pelicans.
The Nets continue without Irving
By beating the Charlotte Hornets (98-94), the Brooklyn Nets won their second consecutive victory since the suspension of their star point guard, Kyrie Irving, for promoting an anti-Semitic film.
With 27 points, Kevin Durant largely contributed to filling a bad start to the Nets game.
It's the first time this season that Brooklyn has won back-to-back wins, despite a tumultuous week in which the franchise parted ways with coach Steve Nash and suspended Irving for at least five games.
"That's probably the hardest thing to face as a team," Durant said.
"Knowing that we can get through this and continue to stick together, I think is important."
In other games of the night, the Phoenix Suns got their revenge on the Portland Trail Blazers (102-82) in their second meeting in two days.
Beaten on the wire by a buzzer shot from Jerami Grant the day before, the 2021 finalists left Portland no chance to take the lead in the Western Conference on their own.
Kings point guard De'Aaron Fox (37 points) was the hero in Orlando, shooting a three-pointer from half the field and at the buzzer to give Sacramento a 126-123 overtime win. on Magic.
"I just tried to get in front of the basket as much as possible," Fox said of his shot, "I felt good, and it went in."
Despite the defeat, Orlando was once again able to count on its rookie Paolo Banchero, 19, author of 33 points and 15 rebounds.
Only Lebron James at his age had achieved such a record of stats, during an NBA meeting.
The Boston Celtics set a franchise record with 27 three-pointers in their 133-118 win over the Knicks.
In New York, Jaylen Brown scored 30 points and Jayson Tatum added 26 for the Celtics, who buried the Knicks with a long-range fest.
Brown and Tatum had six three-pointers apiece.
Off the bench, Sam Hauser had five, and the nine Celtics who played all had at least one shot from behind the arc.