Los Angeles (AFP)
Kyrie Irving put an end to a series of four defeats in a row for his Brooklyn Nets team by scoring 50 points, and led him to a victory over his host Charlotte Hornets 132-121 in the NBA.
Irving reached the 50-point threshold for the fifth time in his career, after an impressive performance that included 9 three-pointers.
The Nets strengthened their record with 33 wins, compared to the same number of defeats, which kept them within the competition for a place in the playoffs, to occupy the eighth place in the Eastern Province in front of the ninth Hornets.
The winner was Andre Drummond, who scored 20 points and 14 rebounds, while Kevin Durant and Bruce Brown scored 14 points each.
Irving said after the match, “It was amazing the whole game,” adding, “We started the game with great determination, put a great plan and played hard.”
The Nets will face rival Philadelphia 76ers, in a meeting that will bring them together again with former player James Harden, who left in January.
At Baycom Center, the Greek giant Yannis Antetokounmpo scored 39 points for the defending Milwaukee Bucks, and led them to victory over its host Oklahoma City Thunder 142-115.
And shine in the ranks of the winner also, Chris Middleton, with 25 points, while Bobby Portis added 18 to 14 rebounds.
The Bucks achieved their fifth victory in a row, consolidating their third position in the Eastern Province, with 41 wins against 25 defeats.
In Indianapolis, the Cleveland Cavaliers maintained their chances of qualifying for the playoffs by defeating the Indiana Pacers 127-124, in a match that saw Darius Garland score 41 points, the highest in his career.
Garland added to his scoring record 13 assists and 5 rebounds, while the main five succeeded in achieving a “double-double” in favor of the Cavaliers, and emerged in the ranks of the loser, Tyrese Halliburton, with 25 points.
In Orlando, the Phoenix Suns put their loss to the Bucks behind his back, to beat the Magic 102-99, and the Suns fought the match with incomplete ranks, in light of the continued absence of the injured Chris Paul and Devin Booker for reasons of the Corona virus protocols, which weighed on Deandre Eaton, who compensated for the absence of his two colleagues He scored 21 points to 19 rebounds, while Landry Schmidt added 21 points.
In San Francisco, the Golden State Warriors ended a series of 5 defeats in a row by defeating the Los Angeles Clippers 112-97.
For the winner, Clay Thompson scored 20 points, Stephen Curry added 15, and the 19-year-old Congolese substitute Jonathan Kominga added 21 to 6 rebounds and the same assists.
The Warriors are in third place in the Western Region with 44 wins and 22 defeats, while the Clippers retained eighth place (34-33), and in another match, the Memphis Grizzlies beat the New Orleans Pelicans 132-111.