By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Luka Doncic ensured the Dallas Mavericks comfortably secure the home win, 105-89, against the Los Angeles Clippers on Wednesday. He poured a game-high 42 points behind 16/28 field goals, including 6/11 from beyond the arc. The Slovenian sensation added nine assists, six rebounds, three steals, and two blocks in his latest masterpiece. German Maxi Kleber had 12 points and Latvian Kristaps Porzingis an 11-point, 13-rebound double-double. On the losing end, Croatian Ivica Zubac finished with 14 points and French Nicolas Batum with three points.
The latest triple-double produced by Nikola Jokic largely shaped the Denver Nuggets win, 129-104, against the Charlotte Hornets at home. The Serbian big with 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists banked his tenth triple-double of the 2020-21 NBA Regular Season and 51st overall in his career. Slovenian Vlatko Cancar had two points and one assist, and German Isaiah Hartenstein four rebounds and one assist in limited action, while Facundo Campazzo chipped in six points, ten assists, and four steals.
Giannis Antetokounmpo dominated overtime leading the Milwaukee Bucks past the Philadelphia 76ers, 109-105. The Greek Freak ended up with 32 points to go along with 15 rebounds and five assists in a 43-minute effort. His brother, Thanasis was held off the board in four minutes. On the opposite end, Turkish Furkan Korkmaz drained three triples, including one forcing five extra minutes, for a total of 11 points, and also registered two rebounds, two assists, and one block.
Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis registering a triple-double of 18 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists did not prevent the Indiana Pacers from losing at home to the Brooklyn Nets, 124-115. James Harden packing a 40-point, 15-assist, 10-rebound triple-double got the job done for the visitors. French Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot contributed three rebounds, two steals and one assist to the W. Georgian Goga Bitadze had one point, two rebounds, and one assist in the losing effort.
Austrian Jakob Poeltl matched his personal-best 20 points and pulled down 16 rebounds leading the San Antonio Spurs to the comeback win on the road, 106-99, over the Chicago Bulls. He made 9/11 two-pointers and added one assist in 34 minutes. Finnish Lauri Markkanen went for ten points and seven rebounds, and Czech Tomas Satoransky finished with seven points and seven assists as the hosts dropped their 23-point lead.
The Sacramento Kings defeated the Washington Wizards, 121-119, via De’Aaron Fox’s game-winning jumper with 0.7 seconds left. Serbian Nemanja Bjelica lasted 15 minutes off the bench but missed all of his five shots putting in six rebounds and a couple of assists. For the hosts, Ukrainian Alex Len posted a 13-point, 12-rebound double-double, while Latvian Davis Bertans and Israeli Deni Avdija had six points each as reserves.
Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas threw in seven points and 12 rebounds for the Memphis Grizzlies in the 89-85 victory versus the Miami Heat. Slovenian Goran Dragic was held to 2/11 from the field and six points also put up three rebounds and one assist for the visiting team.
Turkish Cedi Osman registered ten points, three assists, and two steals coming off the bench helping the Cleveland Cavaliers take down the Boston Celtics, 117-110. German Daniel Theis did not score but had five assists and four assists as the Celtics starting center.
French upstart Sekou Doumbouya produced two points and five rebounds as the Detroit Pistons beat the undermanned Toronto Raptors, 116-112. Also, the Golden State Warriors prevailed, 108-94, forcing the Houston Rockets to their franchise-record 18th loss in a row.
Wednesday results:
Detroit Pistons – Toronto Raptors 116-112
Indiana Pacers – Brooklyn Nets 115-124
Philadelphia 76ers – Milwaukee Bucks 105-109 OT (93-93)
Washington Wizards – Sacramento Kings 119-121
Chicago Bulls – San Antonio Spurs 99-106
Cleveland Cavaliers – Boston Celtics 117-110
Houston Rockets – Golden State Warriors 94-108
Denver Nuggets – Charlotte Hornets 129-124
Memphis Grizzlies – Miami Heat 89-85
Dallas Mavericks – Los Angeles Clippers 105-89
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Philadelphia 76ers 28-13
2. Brooklyn Nets 28-13
3. Milwaukee Bucks 26-14
4. Miami Heat 22-19
5. Charlotte Hornets 20-19
6. Atlanta Hawks 20-20
7. Boston Celtics 20-20
8. New York Knicks 20-21
9. Chicago Bulls 18-21
10. Indiana Pacers 17-22
11. Toronto Raptors 17-23
12. Cleveland Cavaliers 15-25
13. Washington Wizards 14-25
14. Orlando Magic 13-26
15. Detroit Pistons 11-29
Western Conference
1. Utah Jazz 29-10
2. Phoenix Suns 26-12
3. Los Angeles Lakers 27-13
4. Los Angeles Clippers 26-16
5. Denver Nuggets 24-16
6. Portland Trail Blazers 23-16
7. San Antonio Spurs 21-16
8. Dallas Mavericks 21-18
9. Golden State Warriors 21-20
10. Memphis Grizzlies 18-19
11. New Orleans Pelicans 17-23
12. Oklahoma City Thunder 17-23
13. Sacramento Kings 16-24
14. Houston Rockets 11-28
15. Minnesota Timberwolves 9-21