Santiago Leon and Hal Phillips recap NBA weekend and Liverpool winning the Caraboa Cup.
Contributors
Santiago Leon – @sleon
Hal Phillips – @mandarinhal
Jokic drops 32 in 3rd straight triple-double as Nuggets stymie Warriors
Nikola Jokic insists he’s not changing anything during his latest run of triple-double dominance, just finding the flow of the game as it comes.
Doing it all for Denver on both ends yet again, Jokic has the defending champions off to a 3-0 start after the All-Star break following a three-game skid right before it.
Jokic had 32 points, 16 rebounds and 16 assists for his third straight triple-double and 18th of the season after his long buzzer-beater against Golden State sealed the last meeting, leading the Nuggets past the Warriors again in a 119-103 victory Sunday night.
Suns beat lakers 123-113
Grayson Allen scored 24 points, Kevin Durant added 22 and the Suns pulled away late in the fourth quarter to beat the Los Angeles Lakers 123-113.
Allen and O’Neale hit crucial 3-pointers on back-to-back possessions to put the Suns up 116-104 with three minutes left. Nurkic added one of the best all-around games of his career with 18 points, 22 rebounds and seven assists.
“Those three guys were the stars of the game tonight,” Suns coach Frank Vogel said.
The Suns have built their roster around the so-called Big Three of Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal — a group that’s made a combined 21 All-Star teams. As expected, they’ve done a lot of the heavy lifting this season, but the emergence of role players such as Allen, O’Neale and Nurkic has made the Suns a much deeper team.
Los Angeles Lakers head coach Darvin Ham decried what he felt were officiating discrepancies after his team shot just eight free throws but allowed 19 in Sunday’s 123-113 loss to the Phoenix Suns.
“That’s something we focus on, trying to win the free-throw line every game,” Ham told reporters postgame, including ESPN’s Dave McMenamin. “And so that’s tough. I’m telling my guys to drive downhill; we’re trying to love and live in the paint. And you’re not getting calls.
“I see guys with their hands in our guys’ ribs or swinging, swiping at their heads, trying to block the shot but not getting the ball, but getting a piece of the body. And it’s not being called, as simple as that. So, we have to figure out ways to not let that be a problem, but it’s tough. Again, it’s frustrating when there’s so much inconsistency.”
NBA-leading Celtics cruise to 8th straight win with 116-102 victory over Knicks
Jaylen Brown scored 30 points, Kristaps Porzingis had 22 and the NBA-leading Boston Celtics easily handled the New York Knicks 116-102 on Saturday night for their eighth consecutive victory.
Brown shot 13-for-24 from the field and had eight rebounds for the Celtics, who improved to 45-12 and sit atop the Eastern Conference with an eight-game lead over Cleveland.
The All-Star forward downplayed the big advantage in the standings with less than two months left before the start of the postseason.
Butler among 5 suspended after Heat-Pelicans brawl
Miami Heat star Jimmy Butler and New Orleans Pelicans wing Naji Marshall were each suspended one game for their role in instigating a fight between the teams on Friday night, the league announced.
Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado and Heat center Thomas Bryant were each banned three games for taking part in the brawl while leaving the bench, and Heat forward Nikola Jovic was suspended one game for departing the bench but not taking part in the incident.
The fracas began when Kevin Love committed a hard foul during Zion Williamson’s layup attempt, holding him in mid-air and pulling him to the ground.
Liverpool wins Carabao Cup
Liverpool ensured that Jurgen Klopp’s final season will end with silverware after Virgil Van Dijk’s extra-time goal gave them a 1-0 win over Chelsea in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday.
A frenetic final, which saw both teams denied goals by VAR, was scoreless after 90 minutes, before eventually being decided in the 28th minute of extra time by the Liverpool captain’s glancing header off a corner.
Liverpool entered the final with 10 first-team players, including Mohamed Salah and Darwin Núñez, missing through injury. But roared on by their raucous supporters, they competed bravely to see off Chelsea.
Inter 1 Atletico 0
Marko Arnautovic’s second-half strike fired Inter to a victory which they just-about deserved, while over in Eindhoven, Luuk de Jong’s penalty earned PSV a 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund to take into the return leg on March 13.
PSV Eindhoven 1 Borussa Dortmund 1
Dortmund took the lead against PSV but Luuk de Jonh’s penalty earned a draw
Porto 1 Arsenal 0
Solo goal by Galeno in the 94th minute
The game was a stop-start encounter with Porto scoring with the last kick of the game.
Napoli 1 Barcelona 1
Napoli and Barcelona played a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League round of 16 tie. The game took place in Italy, and was Napoli’s first game since Francesco Calzona replaced Walter Mazzarri as manager
Galaxy 1 Miami 1
The LA Galaxy faced Inter Miami CF in their season opener at Dignity Health Park, with the highlight being Lionel Messi’s late equalizer for Miami. Despite the Galaxy’s efforts to contain Messi, the Argentine star managed to score in stoppage time, canceling out Dejan Joveljic’s goal. Ricard Puig impressed for the Galaxy in the first half, while Miami’s goalkeeper, Drake Callender, made crucial saves. Miami’s best chance came from a Messi free kick, but Galaxy’s goalkeeper John McCarthy denied them. The game ended in a 1-1 draw, with Galaxy’s Mark Delgado sent off before Messi’s goal. Galaxy’s coach criticized the decision, considering it soft. The match drew significant attention, reflecting MLS’s growth since Beckham’s move to the Galaxy in 2007. The excitement surrounding the game pleased MLS Commissioner Don Garber, who sees it as a testament to the league’s progress. Both teams look ahead to their next matches, with the Galaxy facing the Earthquakes and Miami hosting Orlando City.
Santiago Leon is the Founder and CEO of the Sports Cast. He covers NFL, NBA, and world soccer. He’s also founder of sleon productions, which he specializes in technology and serves clients with solutions to make their business grow.
