Nba results, Chicago dominates Portland, Clippers winning in Charlotte

Chicago scores a lot and has fun at the United Center, with the “Big Three” DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Nikola Vucevic crushing Portland. An important away victory also for the Los Angeles Clippers, who wiped out Charlotte in the 4th period proving that they are not only a team capable of great comebacks.

Chicago Bulls- Portland Trail Blazers 130-116
Chicago (31-18) overtakes Portland (21-29) at the United Center and regains ground on the Miami Heat, defeated yesterday by the Raptors, towards the top of the Eastern Conference. A “Bulls” game, modulated on their rhythm and strongly characterized by attacks. Chicago in the offensive half lets itself be watched and much of the credit goes to its All Star. DeMar DeRozan lives a season as an MVP and is playing if not the best basketball of his career, certainly the most complete and mature. On the pitch he is a superfine facilitator, balanced in his offensive readings but at the same time sensitive to the spectacular play, the one that tends to ignite a match or propitiate a partial. For him 23 points (9/13), 10 assists, 4 rebounds and 2 steals in 34 ‘. Following him as game creator Ayo Dosunmu (career maximum with 11 assists), who knows how to play really well in basketball and in Chicago have been aware of it for some time. The Bulls move the ball splendidly in attack (36 team assists) and on evenings like these the defensive troubles, present and to be resolved in a postseason perspective, are also overshadowed. Also writing the important numbers were Zach LaVine (20 points) and Nikola Vucevic (24 points and 14 rebounds) but Chicago played well as a team and this aspect counts more in the analysis of this victory. Portland was the usual Portland and the 102 points conceded with 2 ‘still scarce on the clock of the 3rd quarter tell the story. By defending in this way, they win a few games in the NBA. The Blazers had their good times during the game, even in the 3rd quarter when they seemed lost in the blizzard at -19, but they are terribly lacking consistency in their performances. A chronic defect that they show off in a negative key since the beginning of the season. In attack the people who make the basket are not lacking, from McCollum (29 points) to Simons (21 points), passing through Norman Powell (22 points), hot in the percentages in this match. But basketball, unfortunately for them, is played on two halves.
Chicago: Vucevic 24 (11/15, 1/2 of three, 1/1 tl), DeRozan 23, LaVine 20. Rebounds: Vucevic 14. Assist: Dosunmu 11.
Portland: McCollum 29 (13/23, 2/7 of three, 1/1 tl), Powell 22, Simons 21. Rebounds: Covington 7. Assists: Simons 6.

Charlotte Hornets- Los Angeles Clippers 90-115
Without superstars, without pressures or expectations. What a heart these Clippers (26-26), defensively organized, altruistic and collaborative with each other. Charlotte’s victory confirms all that has been said and written about them in recent weeks, especially in those following the injury of Paul George who seemed to have almost canceled them from the Western Conference hierarchies. Instead, we were all wrong. Tyronn Lue’s Clippers did not collapse, on the contrary they settled in full Play-In area, in balance with 26 wins and 26 defeats. At the Spectrum Center they controlled the pace of the match, despite the exhilarating impact of LaMelo Ball (23 points, 10 assists, 6 rebounds and 0 turnovers), a spectacle in itself in this match, and in the 4th period they put a cap to the basket, as well as 31 points (64 overall in the 2nd half) produced by a lucid and effective attack. Brandon Boston Jr. (19 points), Reggie Jackson (19 points) and Marcus Morris (16 points) with most of the offensive turnover, Justise Winslow with blocks (3 in total, plus 13 points and 8 rebounds) and Luke Kennard with the double double of 14 points and 10 rebounds. All involved, all protagonists. The Hornets (28-23) too discontinuous and less enveloping than usual in the offensive half (32.7% from the field, 23.5% from three). Only LaMelo really on the ball among the interpreters available to coach James Borrego, who emptied the bench in the last 3 ‘of the game.
Charlotte: Ball 23 (8/19, 1/6 of three, 6/6 tl), Bridges 18, Washington 10, Bouknight 10, Rozier 10, Plumlee 10. Rebounds: Plumlee 10. Assists: Ball 10.
LA Clippers: Jackson 19 (8/13, 3/4 of three), Boston Jr. 19 (7/11, 1/3, 2/2 tl), Morris 16. Rebounds: Kennard 10, Zubac 10. Assists: Jackson 5.