Basketball world champion Dennis Schröder achieved an important success in the NBA playoff race with the Brooklyn Nets.
The team from New York won 120:101 (52:51) over the Cleveland Cavaliers, who were in second place in the Eastern Conference before the game day, but also had to compete with a weakened substitute. With their 26th win of the season in the North American Basketball League, the Nets have reduced their gap to tenth place, which qualifies for the playoff pre-qualification, to three wins.
Schröder scored 17 points, hitting seven of his eleven throw attempts from the field and dishing out eight assists, the most of any player. The Nets dominated the third quarter with a 44:29 lead and opened up a 16-point difference before the final period. “It started in defense. We stopped our opponents again and again, played quickly and hit our shots,” said Schröder about the third round.
Home bankruptcy for the Wagner brothers
The brothers Franz and Moritz Wagner suffered a bitter 97:111 (50:47) home defeat against the Indiana Pacers with the Orlando Magic. Although the Magic remain fifth and are aiming for secure playoff qualification, the Pacers in seventh place are breathing down their necks with one less win to their name. Franz Wagner remained below his season average with 13 points, Moritz Wagner had nine points.
Daniel Theis also suffered a home defeat with the Los Angeles Clippers, losing 117:124 (52:59) to the Milwaukee Bucks. The hosts did not have their two star players Paul George and Kawhi Leonard available; on the other hand, Damian Lillard led the Bucks to victory with 16 of his 35 points in the final quarter. Theis didn’t get past two points.
Relatively few points were also scored in the duel between the New York Knicks around German basketball player Isaiah Hartenstein and the Philadelphia 76ers. Both teams scored a total of 152 points, the last time fewer points were scored in an NBA game was in January 2016. The Knicks were defeated 73:79 (31:37). Hartenstein only scored three points, but grabbed ten rebounds.
