While Kevin Durant He came to Phoenix Sans it was automatically assumed that no one could stop them anymore. They had the perfect mix of up-and-coming talent, veteran talent, and the star you need to win. However, few would have expected what would happen weeks after KD’s release: an injury in the middle of a pre-match warm-up. The blow to those from Arizona in this sense is huge because not only have they lost their big signing indefinitely, but they are going to reach the playoffs “in the blind”, with only 3 meetings with Durant.
Misfortune once again crossed the path of the Suns and KD, preventing both of them from using the rest of the regular season to smooth out the rough edges and find the best way to get to their best selves.
The worst thing about Phoenix is that they have no margin for error. After a regular season full of ups and downs, intermittent absences and changes, they face the end of the season in an uncomfortable position. Yes, they are still quarter-finalists in the West, but the distance to their pursuers is closing by the day. More so now than without Durant they are more vulnerable. Something that Sacramento Kings made it clear on Saturday, prevailing by 128 to 119 despite the great choral effort made by those led by Monty Williams.
1Q
2Q
3Q
4Q
Final
Phoenix Sans
32
27
36
24
119
Sacramento Kings
31
36
29
32
128
subscribe to NBA League Pass to see all games: United States | The rest of the world
Inconsistency was the hallmark of the Suns in this loss, their first since early March. They started well, lost in the second quarter, came back on top and small details ended up leading them to the inevitable defeat. With 15 out of 35 in triples (42.9%) and seven players in double figures from Mysterythey were of no use 28 points from Booker or 16 assists from Paul.
And it is that without Durant everything will be complicated for Phoenix.
Missing a KD-caliber piece always has an impact, but the void left hurts more when you consider everything that has been delivered to make it work. The Suns dismantled their second unit, one of the most reliable and correct in the league, as a price for the star. Three games played with it later a crisis looms.
Fans in the United Statesyou can watch the best games of the 2022-2023 NBA season at Sling TV. Register by clicking here.
So the big question is, Can the Phoenix Suns survive from here until Kevin Durant returns?
The answer to that question is not easy to argue, especially considering that Arizona has the second most demanding schedule in the entire NBA. With visits to the Warriors, Kings and Lakers and hosting the Bucks, 76ers, Nuggets and Clippers, Phoenix should end a very complicated final stretch of the campaign on a good note.
The squad at their disposal will have to deal with the situation as best they can, which means high shots for Paul, who clocked almost 39 minutes today, as well as relying on hard-working but inconsistent subs such as Craig, Okogie or Wainright.
The Suns’ championship window may be closing right now as Kevin Durant continues to recover from a sprained left ankle.
The views expressed here do not necessarily represent those of the NBA or its organizations.
I am a sports journalist who has been writing for a news website since 2015. My work primarily focuses on sports news, but I have also written about other topics such as technology and the arts. I have an extensive background in journalism, having worked as a reporter for a local newspaper before moving to a news website.
Denver Nuggets announced Nikola Jokic He will miss at least four weeks due to a left knee injury.
Star center was diagnosed with left knee hyperextension. At the same time, tests confirmed that the three-time NBA MVP’s knee ligaments remained intact.
Jokic was injured in the final seconds of the first half of the 123-147 loss to the Miami Heat and limped heavily on his way to the locker room. He did not return to the site after a long time.
Before his injury, Nikola managed to produce 21 points, 8 assists and 5 rebounds in just 19 minutes on the field.
Losing Jokic could be a big blow for Denver, as starters Christian Braun (ankle injury), Aaron Gordon (hip issue) and Cam Johnson (knee injury) remain sidelined.
Jokic averaged 29.9 points, 12.4 rebounds and 11.1 assists per game this season.
Injury Update: Nikola Jokić suffered a Hyperextension injury in his Left Knee in last night’s match against Miami Heat. Nikola will be re-evaluated in four weeks. pic.twitter.com/NIDmlKAN81
I am a sports journalist who has written for various websites and magazines. I currently work as an author at Sportish, a news website that covers sports news. My main focus is writing about soccer, rugby and other sports in the world.
11 games were played in the NBA regular season on the night of December 29-30.
Miami hosted Denver and earned a landslide victory.
The home team was ahead by 12 points with 41:29 to play in the first quarter, but the Nuggets were able to slowly win back in the second quarter. The teams entered a long break with the score tied at 63:63. The decisive factor in the match was the third quarter, when the Heat made an 11:0 move and led by 15 points at 84:69. After that the home team completely controlled the course of the game and only increased their advantage, achieving a crushing victory – 147:123.
The most productive player of the match was Powell, who brought 25 points to Miami, while Jaques (20 points + 11 assists) and Adebayo had double-doubles with 13 points + 10 rebounds.
San Antonio hosted Cleveland and suffered a sensational defeat.
Three-quarters of the meeting was fought evenly, with the teams responding to each other’s pushes with their own pushes and often staying within a shot or two of each other. That changed in the fourth quarter, as the Cavaliers went on a 15-2 run to take a 10-point lead, 94-84. They then maintained their advantage and won with a score of 113:101.
Cleveland’s main hero in this game was Allen, who had a double-double with 27 points and 10 rebounds. Garland can achieve the same success with 15 points and 11 assists.
Toronto beat Orlando at home.
Magic started the match better and made a 14:2 move at the start. Afterwards, they took control of the course of the game and increased the advantage completely to +21 – 51:30 in the second 12 minutes. After that, the home team slowly started to close the gap and entered the long break with a score of 11-11 at 54:65. The third quarter was tied, so Orlando still had a double-digit advantage ahead of the final: 94:84. At the beginning of the match the play followed the same scenario but in the middle Toronto made a move with 15:0 and not only won it back but also took the lead with 105:102. The fate of the game was decided by Barnes’ free throws, which set the score at 107:106 with 1 minute and 27 seconds left in the quarter.
Barnes could not make a triple-double this time, but he did a double-double and got 13 points and 11 rebounds, while the most productive name in the victory was Shead with 19 points.
I am a sports journalist who has written for various websites and magazines. I currently work as an author at Sportish, a news website that covers sports news. My main focus is writing about soccer, rugby and other sports in the world.
Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo He gave a harsh response to the question about a possible trade to another NBA club:
“I’m here. Don’t ask me that question. It’s disrespectful to me and my teammates. I wear this jersey every day.
To say I don’t want to be here is disrespectful to the organization, the coaching staff, myself and everyone who worked hard to get me on the field. Don’t ask me this question. I am her. I’m going out in this uniform. And as long as I’m here, I’ll give it my all until the last second of the match.”
On the night of December 27-28, Antetokounmpo returned to the field after his calf muscle injury and became the most productive player of the game with the Chicago Bulls – 112:103.
I am a sports journalist who has written for various websites and magazines. I currently work as an author at Sportish, a news website that covers sports news. My main focus is writing about soccer, rugby and other sports in the world.
