the serbian Nikola Jokic, twice MVP, brushed a new triple double and with his 31 points overwhelmed some Lakers who are still unable to win after four games in the NBAon a day in which the Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo exhibited power against Kevin Durant’s Brooklyn Nets and in which Damian Lillard set off alarm bells in Portland by retiring with a calf problem.
The last time the Lakers started a season with four consecutive losses was in the 2015-2016 season, when they finished last in the West with a record of 17-65 and LeBron James hasn’t had such a bad start since his rookie season (2003-04).
Added to the crisis of the Lakers is that of the Philadelphia 76ers who fell for the fourth time in five games, this time in their visit to the Toronto Raptors.
NUGGETS 110 – LAKERS 99
For the first time in 19 years LeBron James starts a season with four losses from fourafter his Lakers crashed in his visit to the Denver Nuggets of MVP Nikola Jokic, dominant with 31 points, thirteen rebounds and nine assists.
Without Russell Westbrook, absent due to physical problems, LeBron contributed 19 points, with eight of 21 shots, seven rebounds and nine assists. Anthony Davis was the best of the Lakers with a double double of 22 points and fourteen rebounds, unable to avoid a new defeat for his team.
The Angelenos’ schedule is highly demanding in the coming days, with duels against the Timberwolves, again against the Nuggets and against the Pelicans.
BUCKS 110 – NETS 99
Giannis Antetokounmpo exhibited his power with a double double of 43 points and fourteen rebounds against Kevin Durant, who contributed 33 points, and the Bucks hit the table against one of their direct rivals for the lead in the East.
For the Nets, Kyrie Irving contributed 27 points and nine assists, while Ben Simmons continued to struggle and did not exceed four points, with five rebounds and nine assists in 34 minutes on the court. Steve Nash was ejected for the first time in his coaching career after receiving a double technical and walking off the court in a rage with the referees.
RAPTORS 119 – 76ERS 109
They still don’t work the 76ers, who suffered their fourth loss in five games this year in Toronto, with the only victory coming at home against the Indiana Pacers. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey each had 31 points and James Harden had 18 with seven rebounds and nine assists.
The Raptors continued their good start to the season with 27 points from Gary Trent Jr. and Pascal Siakam who contributed 20 with thirteen assists. The Canadians have three wins and two losses this year.
TRAIL BLAZERS 98 – HEAT 119
Damian Lillard set off the alarms after retiring in the third quarter with discomfort in his right calf after shooting a triple. He left the game when he had 22 points, after averaging 37.7 in his first three games of the year.
The Blazers frontman returned this year after missing most of last season with an abdominal problem.
The Heat took advantage of Lillard’s absence to inflict their first loss of the year and their second victory in five games. Bam Adebayo led Miami with 18 points and eight rebounds, while Jimmy Butler contributed 17 points, with five rebounds and five assists..
CAVALIERS 103 – ORLANDO 92
On a ‘human’ day for Donovan Mitchell (14 points, albeit with a spectacular one-handed dunk), the Cavaliers were led by Evan Mobley’s 22 points and a double-double of 18 points and 16 rebounds from Jarrett Allen to add his third consecutive victory, after starting the year with a loss to the Toronto Raptors.
The great performances of Paolo Banchero, first choice in the last Draft, are still not rewarded with victories for Orlando. The forward scored 29 points, grabbed eight rebounds and dished out four assists.
BULLS 124 – PACERS 109
DeMar DeRozan (17 points) fell seven short of breaking the 20,000-point barrier in his NBA career and the Chicago Bulls defeated the Pacers driven by 28 points from Zach LaVine.
the dominican Chris Duarte scored twelve points for a Pacers that suffered their fourth loss in five games.
KNICKS 134 – HORNETS 131
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks to an overtime victory against the Hornets, with 27 points, seven rebounds and thirteen assists to pace a 22-point RJ Barrett and a 17-point Julius Randle.
A great team performance was not enough for the Hornets, with seven players scoring over ten points led by Gordon Hayward’s 21 points and nine rebounds.
TIMBERWOLVES 134 – SPURS 122
The Timberwolves sealed their third victory of the course led by Anthony Edwards’ 34 points, with three rebounds and nine assistsin a game in which the Dominican Karl Anthony Towns contributed 21 points and in which the Frenchman Rudy Gobert was below his standards with ten points and nine rebounds.
Keldon Johnson led the Spurs with 27 points.
JAZZ 109 – ROCKETS 101
The Jazz imposed their law at home and celebrated his fourth victory in five games led by the 24 points of Finn Lauri Markkanen, with nine reboundsagainst some Rockets who were precisely the only team capable of beating them, albeit in Texas, this season.
The Spanish Usman Garuba scored two points and grabbed five rebounds in eight minutes on the court.
PISTONS 113 – ATLANTA 118
Trae Young sealed 35 points, with three rebounds and five assists, and guided Atlanta to its third victory of the yearsupported by a double double of 19 points and eleven rebounds from John Collins.
For the Pistons, who lost their fourth straight game, Bojan Bogdanovic led with 33 points.
After Wednesday’s session, this is how the NBA positions remained in the Eastern and Western Conferences.
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Jokic, without mercy from the Lakers; Giannis beats Durant and Lillard is injured