US sports compact: Schröder wins crisis duel – bankruptcy for Theis

Basketball world champion Dennis Schröder and his Toronto Raptors won the crisis duel against the Charlotte Hornets in the NBA. At 123:117, the national team captain contributed at least 16 points after recently remaining pointless. The 30-year-old also received five assists. The outstanding player, however, was Miles Bridges with 45 points, although he couldn't prevent Charlotte from losing the game for the ninth time in a row.

For Toronto it was the first success after three defeats in a row, but the Raptors have only won two of the last ten games – Schröder and Co. are currently only in twelfth place in the Eastern Conference.

In the West, Daniel Theis' Los Angeles Clippers lost their top position with a 106:117 defeat against the New Orleans Pelicans – for the first time this season, the Californians were not in the lead once. After four wins in a row, it was the first defeat for the Clippers, who fell back to fourth place. Theis remained inconspicuous with two points and one rebound.

It seems unclear whether Schröder will end the season in Toronto. According to media reports in the USA, the playmaker is considered a trade candidate; the transfer period in the NBA closes on Thursday. Schröder has been linked to the Minnesota Timberwolves and once again the Los Angeles Lakers.