By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Dennis Schroder matched his season-high 31 points powering the Oklahoma City Thunder to the 120-114 victory over the Orlando Magic at the Amway Center. Made 13/18 from the field including three out of his four three-point attempts. The German international combined his game-high scoring effort on Wednesday with nine assists and three rebounds in 33 minutes from the bench. Starter Danilo Gallinari finished with 12 points, six boards, one dime and one steal in 32 minutes of work. Nikola Vucevic posted a 24-point, 11-rebound double, tallied five dimes, three interceptions and one block as well, but did not make the cut for the home side. Evan Fournier’s 12 points, six assists, one board and one steal also went to waste.
Nikola Jokic pitched in his eighth triple-double of the 2019-20 NBA Regular Season, but the Denver Nuggets lost, 121-105, to the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center. Clint Capela posted a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double, five blocks and a couple of dimes as well. Isaiah Hartenstein made two points and Thabo Sefolosha paired three rebounds with one dime, both in limited action from the bench. William Howard was recalled from his G League assignment after the game. As for Jokic, his 19 points, 12 boards, ten dimes, one steal and one rejection were not enough. Juan Hernangomez had four points, four rebounds and one assist, and Vlatko Cancar three points, one rebound, one dime and one interception off the bench.
Goran Dragic posted a 22-point, 10-assist double-double, also tallied six rebounds and one steal in 30 minutes from the bench pushing the Miami Heat to the 134-129 overtime victory versus the Washington Wizards at the AmericanAirlines Arena. Also off the bench but for the losing side, Davis Bertans scored 24 points, had four dimes, one rebound, one interception and one block as well. Ian Mahinmi counted ten points, ten rebounds, four dimes, a couple of rejections and one steal, and Isaac Bonga five points, two boards and a couple of steals, both starters. Anzejs Pasecniks (left ankle) and Moritz Wagner (left ankle) were out.
Domantas Sabonis contributed with a 24-point, 13-rebound double-double for the Indiana Pacers in the 112-87 victory over the Phoenix Suns at the Talking Stick Resort Arena. The Lithuanian big dished out four assists and rejected one shot as well. Goga Bitadze pulled down three rebounds, also tallied one block and one assist, but Naz Mitrou-Long remained inactive. Elie Okobo went for 11 points, five boards, three dimes, one steal and one rejection off the bench for the hosts. Starters Ricky Rubio and Dario Saric got seven points, three assists, two rebounds and one steal, and four points, five boards and one assist, respectively.
Daniel Theis started for 14 points, four boards, three blocks, a pair of dimes and a couple of steals as the Boston Celtics overpowered the Memphis Grizzlies, 119-95, at the TD Garden. Enes Kanter had 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists and one rejection. Javonte Green added nine points, a pair of dimes, one board, one steal and one block, and Vincent Poirier two points and three rebounds. For the visitors, Jonas Valanciunas posted a 16-point, 13-rebound double-double, also notched a couple of steals, a pair of rejections and one assist. Marko Guduric made two points, two boards and one block.
Marc Gasol was 4/4 inside the rainbow and 3/3 beyond the arc making his way to 17 points. Added five boards, three assists and one interception for the Toronto Raptors in the 107-95 win against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Scotiabank Arena. Serge Ibaka helped with 16 points, seven rebounds, a pair of dimes and a couple of steals from the bench. Starter OG Anunoby was held to a pair of boards, a couple of assists, one interception and one block in 21 minutes. Also, Furkan Korkmaz went for 17 points, two rebounds, two blocks and one dime in losing effort.
Starting Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk banked 13 points, three boards, one steal and one rejection for the Detroit Pistons in the 127-106 victory opposite to the Sacramento Kings at the Little Caesars Arena. Teammate Sekou Doumbouya added four points, seven rebounds and one block from the bench. Another reserve in the form of Bogdan Bogdanovic went for 19 points, three assists and a couple of rebounds in losing effort. Nemanja Bjelica had 14 points, nine boards, five dimes and one steal.
Rudy Gobert had 22 points with 10/13 two-pointers, 15 rebounds, three blocks, a pair of dimes and one steal for the Utah Jazz in the 129-96 win against the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center. Another European starter Bojan Bogdanovic added 18 points, four boards, three assists and one interception. The hosts’ Alen Smailagic remained on his G League assignment.
Shooting 6/14 from the field, Lauri Markkanen poured 21 points alongside his six rebounds, one dime and one steal helping the Chicago Bulls beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 117-110, at the United Center. Tomas Satoransky started as well, but was held to two points, five assists, four boards and one steal in 22 minutes. Adam Mokoka did not leave the bench.
Marco Belinelli got eight points plus one rebound and fellow reserve Jakob Poeltl six points, five boards, three dimes, a pair of rejections and one steal as the San Antonio Spurs defeated the New Orleans Pelicans, 121-117, at the Smoothie King Center. Luka Samanic spent his night with the Austin Spurs. Nicolo Melli grabbed one rebound for the losing side.
Seven points, seven boards and one steal was Alex Len’s contribution to the Atlanta Hawks in the 102-95 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at the State Farm Arena. Ivica Zubac was in action for the visitors retaining a spot in the starting unit and went for 11 points, six rebounds and a couple of assists in 15 minutes.
The Los Angeles Lakers took down the New York Knicks, 100-92, at the Madison Square Garden keeping Kostas Antetokounmpo on his G League assignment. As for the hosts, Frank Ntilikina went 0/8 without a single point in 12 minutes, grabbed a couple of rebounds and made one assist though. Ignas Brazdeikis was inactive.
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Milwaukee Bucks 39-6
2. Miami Heat 31-13
3. Toronto Raptors 30-14
4. Boston Celtics 29-14
5. Indiana Pacers 29-16
6. Philadelphia 76ers 29-17
7. Orlando Magic 21-24
8. Brooklyn Nets 18-24
9. Detroit Pistons 17-28
10. Chicago Bulls 17-29
11. Charlotte Hornets 15-30
12. Washington Wizards 14-29
13. Cleveland Cavaliers 12-32
14. New York Knicks 12-33
15. Atlanta Hawks 11-34
Western Conference
1. Los Angeles Lakers 35-9
2. Utah Jazz 31-13
3. Los Angeles Clippers 31-14
4. Denver Nuggets 30-14
5. Dallas Mavericks 27-16
6. Houston Rockets 27-16
7. Oklahoma City Thunder 26-19
8. San Antonio Spurs 20-23
9. Memphis Grizzlies 20-24
10. Portland Trail Blazers 19-26
11. Phoenix Suns 18-26
12. New Orleans Pelicans 17-28
13. Minnesota Timberwolves 15-29
14. Sacramento Kings 15-29
15. Golden State Warriors 10-36
Photo Credit: Getty Images