basketball
NBA: Lakers fulfill duty against Suns
Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (l) moves to the basket against Phoenix guard Damion Lee. photo
© Mark J. Terrill/AP/dpa
The main round in the NBA is still going on for two days and the playoff picture is becoming clearer and clearer. In the east, the places are taken, in the west, on the other hand, the tension remains until the last day.
Despite a home win against the Phoenix Suns, the Los Angeles Lakers only have minimal chances of directly qualifying for the playoffs.
The NBA record champion did his duty against the Suns, who did without their regular players around Kevin Durant and Chris Paul, with a score of 121:107. Defending champions Golden State Warriors beat the Sacramento Kings 119:97 and thus defended sixth place in the Western Conference. National team captain Dennis Schröder missed the Lakers in the game against the Suns for a short time due to neck problems. Best pitcher was D’Angelo Russell with 24 points, Anthony Davis had 21 rebounds.
Both the Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans with their 113:105 against the New York Knicks can still overtake the Warriors on Sunday and grab a direct ticket for the playoffs. Both teams have 42 wins and 39 losses, the Warriors have one loss less. If that doesn’t work, the two teams will meet in the play-in on Tuesday. The loser then has one more chance.
The decision about the last safe playoff spot in the west was postponed – but two days before the end of the main round, the picture in the best basketball league is becoming clearer.
Dallas Mavericks miss playoffs
Without numerous regular players – including Kyrie Irving and national player Maxi Kleber – the Dallas Mavericks finally gambled away all playoff chances and lost to the Chicago Bulls 112:115. This is a disaster for Dirk Nowitzki’s ex-team. The Mavericks were still in the finals of the Western Conference last season, were still fourth at the end of the February transfer window and have now lost a 15-point lead. The Bulls turned the game around in the last six minutes. The Mavericks’ loss put the Oklahoma City Thunder in the play-in for the last two playoff spots in the West.
Nets take last direct playoff spot
When the Nets said goodbye to Kyrie Irving (to the Dallas Mavericks) and Kevin Durant (to the Phoenix Suns) two months ago, fans feared the worst. But the team continued to win games, finished sixth in the East and qualified directly for the playoffs with a 101-84 win against the Orlando Magic. The first round of the playoffs is now against the Philadelphia 76ers. The Florida team, on the other hand, hadn’t had a chance to play-in since the beginning of the week. In the penultimate game of the season, national player Franz Wagner recorded twelve points for the Magic. His brother Moritz Wagner did not play.
Play-in duels in the east are certain
The Miami Heat in seventh place, the Atlanta Hawks in eighth place, the Toronto Raptors in ninth place and the Chicago Bulls in tenth place – in the east of the NBA the positions for the play-in participants are assigned. The Heat lost 108-114 to the Washington Wizards and will now face the Hawks on Tuesday (local time). The loser of this duel meets the winner of Wednesday’s Raptors vs. Bulls game.
Grizzlies certainly number two in the West
Behind the Denver Nuggets, the Memphis Grizzlies are now secure in second place in the west. The team clinched a 137-114 against the Milwaukee Bucks, in which all starters were rested. The Bucks had already secured first place in the east before the game. For the Sacramento Kings, the 97:119 against the Warriors made no difference, the team goes into the playoffs from third place. The Phoenix Suns had already secured fourth place before the duel with the Lakers.