Regular season: Utah, Golden State keep pace, LA Lakers are doing well

Mathieu WARNIER, Media365, published on Wednesday, October 27, 2021 at 07:57 a.m.

Thanks to an overtime success in San Antonio, the Los Angeles Lakers balance their record after four games. Utah, carried by Rudy Gobert, and Golden State continue their clear course.

Game of the night: Lakers back to balance

Despite the absence of LeBron James, suffering from his right ankle, the Lakers confirmed to have raised his head. Beaten in their first two meetings, the Californians balanced their record on the floor of the San Antonio Spurs after their reaction to the Grizzlies. A meeting which was initially a great crossover between the two formations. If the Lakers, led by the duo of Anthony Davis (35 points, 17 rebounds) and Russell Westbrook (33 points, 10 rebounds, 8 assists) have widened a timid gap in the first quarter, the Spurs have reversed the tendency before the conclusion of the first twelve minutes then retained the hand at the start of the second quarter. In front of a point at the break, the teammates of Jakob Poeltl (27 points, 14 rebounds) and Dejounte Murray (21 points, 12 rebounds, 15 assists) were more clearly detached at the end of the third quarter, with an advantage of twelve lengths with twelve minutes still to play. However, thanks to a 12-0 early in the last quarter, the Lakers fully recovered in the game. The tension was high at the AT&T Center and, as Keita Bates-Diop (6 points, 7 rebounds) brought San Antonio up with 32 seconds left, Dejounte Murray missed the winning shot in the dying moments. . Led by six points at the start of extra time, the Spurs immediately recovered but Anthony Davis and Russell Westbrook made the difference in the last minute (121-125 AD). While the Spurs fall for the third time in a row, the Lakers are very clearly finding colors.

MVP of the night: Curry takes over Gilgeous-Alexander

The Warriors have long believed their invincibility would fall. Traveling on the floor of the Thunder, Golden State players have long been led to the score. The teammates of a discreet Théo Maledon (3 points) led in the score for almost three-quarters of the meeting. An ascendant taken from the start and which allowed the Thunder to count up to fifteen points in the middle of the second quarter. Led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (30 points), OKC thought that their victory of the season was practically acquired but a completely missed end of the third quarter was a game-changer. In just over four minutes, Stephen Curry (23 points, 6 rebounds) and his teammates turned the tide. With a nearly impervious defense and only two points conceded in this period, the Warriors displayed their offensive power to hand a 17-2 to a disoriented Thunder team. Led by five points twelve minutes from the end of the game, the Oklahoma City players were unable to regain control despite great resistance and a return to just four lengths. But the damage was already done and the Warriors went for their fourth victory in as many games played this season (98-106) at the end of a match that was not promised to them. For OKC, doubts continue as they stubbornly deny victory this season.

The flop of the night: the Rockets fall again

If the Thunder is at its worst, the Rockets hoped to revive in a Texan derby on the floor of the Mavericks. But, after their setback to the Celtics, the Houston franchise has confirmed they have some issues. However, if we hide the first moments during which Dallas took the advantage in the score, it is the teammates of Eric Gordon (22 points), Christian Wood (16 points, 17 rebounds) and Daniel Theis (15 points, 10 rebounds ) who took the lead in the race but never took cover. The maximum difference of eight points was erased at the very end of the second quarter even if Houston found its locker room with three points in advance. But the second half of the meeting was a whole different story. Luka Doncic (26 points, 14 rebounds) gained momentum as did Tim Hardaway Jr (16 points) and Reggie Bullock (16 points). The result was two quarters totally won for the Mavericks who drove the point home as soon as they returned to the floor with a 13-0. Not knocked out the Rockets resisted, coming back to three points before the last quarter. However, the Mavericks still had the resources to accelerate and go for a second success in a row with a margin of ten points (116-106). As Dallas recovers in the Western Conference standings, Houston continues to dive with three losses in four games.

The Frenchman of the night: Gobert leader of an unbeaten Jazz

It’s not just the Warriors who have been untouchable since the start of the season in the West. This is also the case of Jazz, which has managed to get out of the trap set by the Denver Nuggets. And Rudy Gobert (23 points, 16 rebounds) was no stranger to this third success in as many meetings of the franchise based in Salt Lake City. If the start of the game saw the two teams surrender blow for blow during the first twelve minutes, Will Barton (21 points) and the Nuggets were able to force the pace to turn in the lead. But a 14-0 signed Utah at the start of the second quarter changed the tone of the game. The Nuggets, despite the exit on a knee injury of a Nikola Jokic of the great evenings (24 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists) at the start of the second half, were able to recover to again doubt the Jazz in a intense third quarter. However, Utah broke their opponent in the last twelve minutes. A 19-4 at the start of the final quarter was enough to allow Donovan Mitchell’s teammates (22 points, 6 assists) to maintain their unbeaten position this season with a victory of twelve points (122-110) while Denver falls for the second time in a row. Rudy Gobert was not the only Frenchman at the party during this NBA night with Evan Fournier (18 points and 4/6 three points) who again enjoyed the victory of the Knicks against the Sixers (112-99) .

BASKET – NBA / REGULAR SEASON
Tuesday, October 26, 2021
New York Knicks – Philadelphia 76ers: 112-99
> Evan Fournier (NYK): 18 points 6/10 on shots (including 4/6 three points) and 2/2 on free throws, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 against and 2 fouls in 32 minutes

Oklahoma City Thunder – Golden State Warriors : 98-106
> Théo Maledon (OKC): 3 points at 1/5 on shots (including 1/5 at three points), 1 rebound, 2 assists, 1 against, 1 loss of ball and 2 fouls in 24 minutes

Dallas mavericks – Houston Rockets: 116-106
> Frank Ntilikina (DAL): 2 1/1 points on shots, 1 assist, 1 loss of ball and 2 fouls in 3 minutes

San Antonio Spurs – Los Angeles Lakers : 121-125 (ap)
> Sekou Doumbouya (LAL) did not play

Utah Jazz – Denver Nuggets: 122-110
> Rudy Gobert (UTAH): 23 points at 7/8 on shots and 9/16 on free throws, 16 rebounds, 1 against, 4 ball losses and 4 fouls in 33 minutes
> Petr Cornelie (DEN) did not play