NBA: Edwards' sublime block on Gilgeous-Alexander seals Timberwolves' crazy comeback

To overthrow the best team of the moment and believe in a miracle, this kind of action is needed: Anthony Edwards flew 10 seconds before the siren for a spectacular counter on the best player in the league, the Canadian Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.

Enough to snatch an extension and then an unexpected victory on the Oklahoma City court (131-128), while the Wolves were led by 25 points, and still by 24 units with 11 minutes to go.

A victory all the more crazy since Minnesota had lost against the Thunder on Sunday, and was playing on Monday without three injured starters, Rudy Gobert, Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.

The shadow men Jaden McDaniels (27 points), Nickeil Alexander-Walker (21 points) and Terrence Shannon Jr. (17 points) allowed this reversal against the 39 points of Gilgeous-Alexander. The Thunder nevertheless remains largely in the lead in the West (46-11).

"Defensively, in the second period, we weren't as sharp as we were in the first. But credit goes to them, I don't think we played that badly," commented OKC coach Mark Daigneault.

The Philadelphia 76ers lost for the 8th time in a row, being humiliated at home by Chicago (142-110), enough to be booed several times by their fans.

The hopes born from the trio Joel Embiid - Tyrese Maxey - Paul George have fizzled out and the situation in the standings is serious (20-37, 12th in the East), without being hopeless yet, the last play-off place being for the moment owned by the Bulls (10th, 23-35).

Several American media outlets have indicated that the franchise is studying the option of a new and heavy operation to try to treat the left knee that still causes Embiid pain, left in the stands on Monday.

Asked about a possible end to the season for the MVP pivot in 2023, "we're not there at all," retorted coach Nick Nurse.

Frenchman Guerschon Yabusele played just 13 minutes (no points scored) before leaving due to eye contact.

French point guard Killian Hayes, released by Detroit in February 2024, is being offered a new chance in the NBA by the Brooklyn Nets, who signed him last week to a ten-day contract.

The Nets want to test the No. 7 of the 2020 draft who, starting for his 3rd game, is trying to make his mark in the big league after having kept up the pace in the G League (secondary championship) since the start of the season.

Very active during his 24 minutes, Hayes scored 7 points and distributed 8 assists.

He often defended (2 interceptions, 1 block) on his compatriot Bilal Coulibaly, author of a very good match for the Washington Wizards, winners 107 to 99.

Coulibaly was skillful (7 of 14, 3 of 4 from distance, 3 of 3 on free throws) to score 20 points, with 5 rebounds and 2 assists, and support Jordan Poole (26 points).

The Wizards' other Frenchman, Alexandre Sarr, is still injured in his left ankle.

Zaccharie Risacher was very discreet (2 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist) during Atlanta's success against Miami (98-86).

Moussa Diabaté scored 12 points and grabbed 8 rebounds (4 points for Tidjane Salaün) during Charlotte's rout in Sacramento, led by Zach LaVine's 42 points (8 of 9 from three-point range).

The Detroit Pistons are no longer the shame of the NBA, having won their 7th consecutive game against the Los Angeles Clippers (106-97), their best series in 10 years, with a new demonstration from their leader Cade Cunningham (32 points, 9 rebounds, 7 assists), 24 hours after scoring 38 points against Atlanta.

Sixth in the Eastern Conference (32-26), the Pistons already have more wins than in the last two seasons combined, and are in a good position to return to the play-offs six years after their last qualification.

Serbian triple MVP Nikola Jokic, the totem of the Denver Nuggets champions in 2023, once again led his team to victory on the Indiana Pacers court (125-116).

Jokic scored 18 points, grabbed nine rebounds and distributed 19 assists, his record in this statistical category.

With blind passes, some short ones for a teammate who cuts a trajectory around him, or even arrows sent with one hand from one end of the field to the other, the Serbian showed off his complete range.

The Nuggets have won ten of their last 11 games and move up one spot to second in the West (38-20).