2023-12-20 09:50:03
Memphis Grizzlies leader Ja Morant, suspended 25 games for displaying a firearm in a video in the spring, made his return to the NBA on Tuesday evening by scoring the winning basket against the New Orleans Pelicans (115-113).
In San Francisco, the Golden State Warriors, moribund since the start of the season, delighted their audience, defeating the Boston Celtics in overtime (132-126). With Stephen Curry at the helm, obviously. Six months after his sanction, the Grizzlies leader not only made a winning comeback but himself scored the winning basket, with a lay-up, against the Pelicans, who were well ahead at the break (60-41) .
Despite a rather discreet start to the match, Morant, 24, scored 34 points, delivered 8 assists and grabbed 6 rebounds, silencing the boos from the Louisiana public. “I hadn’t played a match in eight months… I had a lot of time, a lot of difficult days to overcome. But basketball is my life, what I love, it’s therapy for me, and I’m just happy to be back», Commented the star, whose career is peppered with controversy.
«The ending was perfect“, he added. Author of the decisive basket, Ja Morant, who received the support of LeBron James on The Grizzlies, who are floundering in the shallows in the West (7 v., 19 l.), will really need their All Star to see higher.
The Warriors treat themselves to a “thriller”
A trigger for the Warriors? Stephen Curry’s franchise achieved a prestigious success against the Boston Celtics, leaders in the East. A thriller even since Golden State, which was up to 17 points behind, won after overtime, obviously thanks to its big star. Curry scored more than a third (13) of his 33 points in the final quarter, and 7 in overtime, ending the C’s five-game winning streak.
«We want to be in the race for the play-offs, and this kind of match shows us that we can do it“, he reacted. The road remains long for the 2022 champions, 11th in the West, with a still negative record (13 v., 14 l.).
Lillard, the roaring 40
Deprived of their young French prodigy Wembanyama, injured in an ankle, the Spurs did not really exist in Milwaukee, who took the lead thanks to a Giannis Antetokounmpo in triple-double mode (11 pts, 14 rbs and especially 16 passes, personal best), but also to Damian Lillard.
The former Blazers reached 40 units in this match, his best total of the season, and crossed 20,000 career points. “When I heard this, it took me back to my beginnings… It’s a blessing and an honor to reach such an accomplishment“, said Lillard, 33 years old including 12 in the NBA. Facing the formidable Bucks duo, the Spurs were up to 24 points behind before bringing the score back to more reasonable proportions (-13, 132-119). This 20th success (for 7 defeats) allows Milwaukee, 2nd in the East, to return to Boston’s wheel.
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