Schröder, a win away before ASG

By Guillaume Mahot

Before the All-Star Game break of this weekend (Chicago, February 17), two NBA games were taking place in New Orleans and Boston last night. The Celtics won 141-133 over the Los Angeles Clippers and their new player Marcus Morris, who escaped from Big Apple to play in an ambitious team in 2020. Jayson Tatum had 39 points for the C’s but needed overtime twice to get rid of Kawhi Leonard’s band.

In the other game of last evening, the New Orleans Pelicans were defeated at home by Oklahoma City Thunder 118-123. The latter could rely on a Danilo Gallinari (29 points) who is finally still here while he was expected to leave and strengthen another team (The Heat was evoked). The Italian power forward was the best scorer of his team before German Gambian point guard Dennis Schröder, who played 29 minutes for 22 points, 3 assists and 3 rebounds. Mainly coming out of the bench this season, Schröder often ends up being one of the best providers of his squad in terms of points. 

It was quite appreciated in Louisiana to manage to beat a team that is coming back to life with the return of Zion Williamson, first choice of the 2019 Draft and available at last after several months of injury. The rookie put 32 points last night, his career high in NBA, and he will surely not stop here.

If the Pelicans dominated in number of assists, rebounds and blocks, they were overtaken in steals (3 vs 11) and mostly, they had 17 turnovers (7 only for The Thunder). OKC was globally a little more efficient than New Orleans in a tight game that smells good for Chris Paul (14 points, 12 assists) and his playoffs ambitions.

Last night’s victory enables Schröder, Paul and their teammates to take the sixth place of the Western Conference with the same victory rate (60%) of the Mavs. The Rockets, the Jazz and even the Clippers are not that far. Where will they stop?

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