Vasilije Micic played a brilliant game and achieved a career-high in a loss for the Charlotte Hornets against the Orlando Magic by 89:101.
The string of poor results continues for the Hornets. This marks their fifth consecutive NBA game without a win, but what may bring them some encouragement are the increasingly impressive performances of the Serbian point guard. Micic has solidified his place in the starting lineup, and this time, he was the top scorer for his team. Spending 28 minutes on the court, he scored 21 points, grabbed five rebounds, and dished out four assists.
As for the game itself, Charlotte played very well in the first half, preventing the visitors from pulling away. However, in the second half, there was a lack of aggression on both ends of the court, especially defensively. Orlando capitalized on this, building a double-digit lead midway through the second quarter and securing their 36th victory of the season.
The winning team was led by Paolo Banchero, who scored 22 points alongside nine rebounds, while Cole Anthony added 14 points.
In the evening’s marquee matchup, the Phoenix Suns defeated the Denver Nuggets by 107:117.
It was an excellent game and a crucial win for the Suns. The visitors started the game superbly, establishing a 15-point lead in the second quarter and completely controlling the match. However, the Denver Nuggets didn’t give up. They came out much more aggressively in the second half, managing to reduce the deficit to single digits in the third quarter, and in the final quarter, Nikola Jokić emerged.
The Serbian basketball star managed to rally the entire team, showcasing immense defensive potential. They allowed the Suns only 12 points in the entire quarter, forcing the game into overtime. However, they couldn’t capitalize in overtime, as Kevin Durant was in top form, ultimately leading the Suns to a well-deserved victory.
Durant was the top scorer for the winning team with 35 points, and another standout performance came from Jusuf Nurkic, who contributed seven points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. Grayson Allen also had an impressive game, scoring 28 points. For the Denver Nuggets, Jamal Murray led the scoring with 28 points, while Jokic finished the game with 25 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists.