The San Antonio Spurs and the Phoenix Suns closed this Monday with victories against the New Orleans Pelicans and the Minnesota Timberwolves their last rehearsals before facing, in just 48 hours, the quarterfinals of the NBA Cup.
The Suns got rid of the Timberwolves 105-108 despite 40 points from Anthony Edwards. Phoenix (14-10) will play its Cup quarterfinal match against the Oklahoma City Thundercurrent NBA champions and intractable this season, on a streak of 15 consecutive wins and a balance of 23-1.
In Minneapolis, the Suns – still without Devin Booker – dominated much of the game, although the Timberwolves (15-9) never let them escape on the scoreboard. Mark Williams scored 22 points, Collin Gillespie 19 and Dillon Brooks 18. For the Timberwolves, Edwards had 40 points and 9 rebounds, while Julius Randle had 21 points and 8 assists.
Spurs get Castle back
New Orleans was a roller coaster for the San Antonio Spurs (16-7), who defeated the New Orleans Pelicans (3-22) 132-135 with much more drama than expected.
The Spurs arrived to lead by 25 points in the second quarter, but they saw the Pelicans pulverize that lead until they took the lead at the end of the third period.
San Antonio took the lead again in the fourth quarter with an 8-point lead, but again The Pelicans came back to go one up (132-131) with 30 seconds left.
The rookie Dylan Harper scored a basket for the Spurs with 9 seconds and also the 'rookie' Derick Queen He missed the shot that could have restored the lead to New Orleans.
Queen, however, signed the first triple-double of his career with 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, plus 4 plugs. Trey Murphy scored another 32.
For the Spurs, Stephon Castle, Returning after nine games out due to injury, he scored 18 points. Harrison Barnes scored 24 and Harper 22.
The Spurs face their Cup quarter-final tie against the Lakers at home possibly sin Victor Wembanyama, who is close to receiving medical discharge.
One more for Indiana
The Pacers beat the Sacramento Kings 116-105it was the sixth victory of the season for the Pacers (6-18) in this very complicated start by Tyrese Haliburton.
Andrew Nembhard had a double-double (28 points and 12 assists) and was key to the victory of the Pacers, who saw the Kings ahead after squandering a 19-point lead. Bennedict Mathurin Aportó Otros 25 Posting y Pascal I'm
For the Kings (6-18), Russell Westbrook, NBA's all-time leader in triple-doubles added one more to his tally (206) with 24 points, 12 rebounds and 14 assists.
This Tuesday the NBA Cup quarterfinal playoffs will be played in the East with the Orlando Magic-Miami Heat and the Toronto Raptors-New York Knickswhile on Wednesday the duels will be played Thunder-Suns y Lakers-Spurs.
