By winning in New Orleans, the Riders won their ninth match in as many outings since the start of the season. The Ohio franchise is therefore the last undefeated team in the league, the Thunder having fallen, and thus signs the best start in its 55-year history in the NBA!
“We need to (celebrate these kinds of successes)” assures Kenny Atkinson. “The season is so long. And it's so hard to win in this league. So when you experience things like that, you have to enjoy it a little. »
Kenny Atkinson can celebrate even more as he became the first head coach in history to win his first nine matches with his new team. The faster style of JB Bickerstaff's replacement, which relies more on 3-pointers and substitutes, is gaining support within the group.
A “very good group”, already “connected”
“We play good basketball” summarizes Donovan Mitchell. “And we won in different ways. We had big victories, but also close matches and comebacks. It’s just the habits we build that excite me. The most important thing is consistency. May we continue to be this team. »
The former assistant with the Blues says he is especially happy to have recovered a “very good group” Already “connected”within which there already existed a “camaraderie” and one “alchemy”. Nevertheless, he intends to take advantage of these moments of euphoria, because they also build “the link between the coach and his team”.
“The vibes are good, the energy is good, he’s done a phenomenal job with us, and we’ve fully bought in as well.”concludes Donovan Mitchell. “He gave us direction, but he also allowed us to give direction ourselves, and I think that’s what’s really special.” »
It deserved a little shower in the locker room afterwards!
| Shots | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Players | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Bp | Int | Ct | Party | Pts |
| Donovan Mitchell | 8 | 29.8 | 48.3 | 40.3 | 76.9 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 2.9 | 4.3 | 2.6 | 1.5 | 0.1 | 2.3 | 23.1 |
| Darius Garland | 8 | 28.9 | 52.5 | 44.8 | 100.0 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 2.0 | 6.5 | 2.4 | 1.0 | 0.4 | 3.0 | 20.5 |
| Evan Mobley | 8 | 29.8 | 53.8 | 40.0 | 84.0 | 1.3 | 6.9 | 8.1 | 2.8 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 1.8 | 2.8 | 17.6 |
| Jarrett Allen | 8 | 30.0 | 68.6 | 0.0 | 70.6 | 2.0 | 9.6 | 11.6 | 1.8 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.4 | 1.0 | 15.0 |
| Caris Levert | 6 | 21.6 | 61.4 | 52.4 | 58.3 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 4.3 | 0.8 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 12.0 |
| Ty Jerome | 8 | 15.2 | 58.7 | 46.2 | 83.3 | 0.4 | 1.6 | 2.0 | 2.9 | 0.6 | 1.4 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 9.4 |
| Sam Merrill | 8 | 20.5 | 43.8 | 39.0 | 100.0 | 0.1 | 1.5 | 1.6 | 1.6 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.1 | 2.0 | 7.8 |
| Dean Wade | 7 | 23.9 | 41.5 | 33.3 | 37.5 | 0.6 | 3.9 | 4.4 | 1.9 | 0.3 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 2.1 | 6.9 |
| Georges Niang | 8 | 19.3 | 41.5 | 35.5 | 50.0 | 0.6 | 3.0 | 3.6 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 0.5 | 0.1 | 2.4 | 5.8 |
| Isaac Okoro | 8 | 19.9 | 43.3 | 46.7 | 63.6 | 1.1 | 1.5 | 2.6 | 1.3 | 0.4 | 0.9 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 5.0 |
| Tristan Thompson | 4 | 5.8 | 83.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 1.3 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.3 | 2.5 |
| Luke Travers | 2 | 3.7 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 100.0 | 0.5 | 1.0 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 2.0 |
| Jaylon Tyson | 4 | 5.3 | 50.0 | 100.0 | 50.0 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.8 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 1.8 |
| Craig Porter, Jr. | 5 | 4.8 | 40.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.6 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 0.8 |
