Josh Giddey’s huge double-double couldn’t stop his Oklahoma Metropolis Thunder dropping an NBA thriller to the Los Angeles Lakers in a key NBA western convention match-up.
Each groups went into the match in LA with 36-37 season information and eight additional common season matches remaining as they battle to make the playoffs.
Middle Anthony Davis in the end carried the Lakers to their 116-111 victory, posting 37 factors and grabbing 14 rebounds as he led the best way at each ends of the court docket.
The Thunder dropped right into a tie with the Dallas Mavericks for 10th spot within the western convention, with the 4 groups positioned seventh to 10th after the common season to contest the play-in match.
Younger Australian guard Giddey flirted with a fifth triple-double of the season as he scored 27 factors on 50 % capturing to go along with his 17 rebounds and 7 assists whereas All-Star teammate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander additionally had 27 factors.
The Thunder misplaced for under the fourth time of their previous 12 video games.
The Lakers moved even with Minnesota in seventh place within the west regardless of the damage absences of LeBron James and D’Angelo Russell.
They improved to 8-5 throughout James’ newest damage absence, staying within the race with out the NBA’s profession scoring chief.
In Dallas, the Mavericks had All-Stars Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving of their lineup however fell to a deflating 117-109 residence loss to the undermanned Charlotte Hornets.
Doncic had 34 factors and 10 rebounds whereas Irving scored 18 factors and the Mavericks at the moment are 3-7 with each within the line-up.
The Memphis Grizzlies, sitting second within the west, clinched a playoff spot as they coasted to a 151-114 residence win over the hapless Houston Rockets.
Mid-season arrival Luke Kennard hit a franchise-record 10 3-pointers – from 11 makes an attempt – to match his profession excessive rating with 30 factors for the Grizzlies, whereas Ja Morant scored 18 factors and had eight assists in his second sport since his eight -game league-imposed suspension.
The Milwaukee Bucks prolonged their NBA-best report to 53-20 with a 144-116 away win over the Utah Jazz.
Australian veteran Joe Ingles had six factors and 6 assists for the japanese convention leaders in his 22 minutes on court docket.
In Boston, Jayson Tatum scored 34 factors, setting a franchise report along with his 40th 30-point sport this season because the Celtics (51-23) rolled the Indiana Pacers 120-95.
Tatum handed Corridor of Famer Larry Fowl, who had 39 30-point video games in the course of the 1987-88 season.
In San Francisco, defending champions Golden State (39-36) claimed a 120-112 win over the Philadelphia 76ers (49-24) as they sit in sixth place within the western convention, one spot above the play-in match.
with The AP
