By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Austrian Jakob Poeltl poured a team-high 20 points, grabbed nine rebounds, and blocked three shots guiding the San Antonio Spurs to the 120-104 home victory against the Chicago Bulls on Saturday. Croatian Luka Samanic had one rebound in nine minutes. The Bulls recently adding Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic saw him put up a game-high 21 points plus nine rebounds and three assists in the loss. Two more European starters, Finnish Lauri Markkanen scored ten points and Czech Tomas Satoransky eight points.
The Milwaukee Bucks, missing several key players including Giannis Antetokounmpo, lost to the New York Knicks, 102-96. Thanasis Antetokounmpo earned the start and spread out multiple career-highs ending up with a game-high 23 points to go along with ten rebounds and five assists in 37 minutes. French Axel Toupane, also part of the first unit, had two points. The Regular Season game also included an apparently serious right foot injury for Knicks starting center Mitchell Robinson.
French Theo Maledon with 22 points fell slightly shy of his NBA-high and also logged eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the home defeat, 111-94, to the Boston Celtics. Another young European starter in Aleksej Pokusevski chipped in eight points and five assists, and Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk added six points coming off the bench. German Moritz Wagner put in two points for the winners.
French Rudy Gobert in his latest double-double, 16 points, and 14 rebounds, helped the Utah Jazz blow out the Memphis Grizzlies, 126-110. Also starting, Croatian Bojan Bogdanovic was limited to three points in a bad shooting evening. Turkish Ersan Ilyasova missed his only shot in a four-minute outing. For the losing side, Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas paired 13 points with 11 rebounds and French Killian Tillie scored three points in seven minutes.
Russell Westbrook posted yet another triple-double leading the Washington Wizards to the 106-92 victory versus the Detroit Pistons despite Bradley Beal’s early exit. Ukrainian Alex Len put up 12 points and fellow European starter Deni Avdija added five points and five rebounds. German Isaac Bonga registered one assist in limited action. On the opposite end, Lithuanian Deividas Sirvydis logged three points and French Sekou Doumbouya one point.
The Dallas Mavericks without Luka Doncic and Kristaps Porzingis lost to the New Orleans Pelicans, 112-103. Serbian Boban Marjanovic posted a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double as a starter. German Maxi Kleber also starting had 13 points, seven boards, and a couple of rejections. On to the winning team, Spanish Willy Hernangomez finished with five points and six rebounds coming off the bench.
Croatian Ivica Zubac generated seven points, 11 rebounds, and a couple of blocks, while French Nicolas Batum threw in seven points, six rebounds, and five assists for the Los Angeles Clippers in the win, 122-112, over the Philadelphia 76ers. Turkish Furkan Korkmaz did not score through 12 minutes for the guests.
Ricky Rubio rolled in four points, ten assists, four rebounds, three steals, and one block as the Minnesota Timberwolves fell to the Houston Rockets, 129-107. Fellow Spanish Juan Hernangomez produced nine points and five rebounds.
A crazy game-winning three nailed by Harrison Barnes lifted the Sacramento Kings over the Cleveland Cavaliers, 100-98. Turkish Cedi Osman moved to the bench and ultimately did not enter the game for the losing side.
Saturday results:
Milwaukee Bucks – New York Knicks 96-102
Minnesota Timberwolves – Houston Rockets 107-129
Washington Wizards – Detroit Pistons 106-92
San Antonio Spurs – Chicago Bulls 120-104
New Orleans Pelicans – Dallas Mavericks 112-103
Oklahoma City Thunder – Boston Celtics 94-111
Utah Jazz – Memphis Grizzlies 126-110
Los Angeles Clippers – Philadelphia 76ers 122-112
Sacramento Kings – Cleveland Cavaliers 100-98
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Philadelphia 76ers 32-14
2. Brooklyn Nets 31-15
3. Milwaukee Bucks 29-16
4. Charlotte Hornets 23-21
5. New York Knicks 24-22
6. Atlanta Hawks 23-22
7. Boston Celtics 23-23
8. Miami Heat 22-24
9. Indiana Pacers 21-23
10. Chicago Bulls 19-25
11. Toronto Raptors 18-27
12. Cleveland Cavaliers 17-29
13. Washington Wizards 16-28
14. Orlando Magic 15-30
15. Detroit Pistons 12-33
Western Conference
1. Utah Jazz 34-11
2. Phoenix Suns 30-14
3. Los Angeles Clippers 31-16
4. Los Angeles Lakers 29-17
5. Denver Nuggets 27-18
6. Portland Trail Blazers 27-18
7. San Antonio Spurs 23-20
8. Dallas Mavericks 23-21
9. Memphis Grizzlies 21-22
10. Golden State Warriors 22-24
11. Sacramento Kings 21-25
12. New Orleans Pelicans 20-25
13. Oklahoma City Thunder 19-26
14. Houston Rockets 13-32
15. Minnesota Timberwolves 11-35
Photo Credit: Getty Images