By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Giannis Antetokounmpo fell five points short of his career-high dropping 47 points as the Milwaukee Bucks defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 127-109, at Moda Center Friday. He made 18/18 two-pointers and also managed to pull down 12 rebounds. His brother, Thanasis, added a couple of rebounds in eight minutes. On the losing end, Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic, in a challenging matchup, tapped nine points, 11 rebounds, and three assists, while Enes Kanter finished with two points.
The Oklahoma City Thunder, on the receiving end of a brutal loss, 140-103, to the Phoenix Suns, enjoyed French upstart Theo Maledon pouring a career-high 33 points in 31 minutes. Serbian Aleksej Pokusevski added 20 points in 33 minutes. The European rookies combined for nine three-pointers in the losing effort. Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, also starting, registered six points. Croatian Dario Saric punched in 11 points, three rebounds, and two assists for the prevailing side.
Third 20-point showing in a row for Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic with a game-high 26 points plus seven rebounds and seven assists propelling the Atlanta Hawks to the 126-103 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on the road. Swiss Clint Capela registered 14 points, 10 rebounds, six rejections, and two steals. Italian Danilo Gallinari was among players sidelined. The hosts, also missing several players, featured Spanish Willy Hernangomez at nine points and nine rebounds.
Slovenian Luka Doncic packing a game-high 26 points alongside eight rebounds and seven assists powered the Dallas Mavericks to the away win, 99-86, versus the New York Knicks. Latvian Kristaps Porzingis added 14 points and eight rebounds, German Maxi Kleber finished with seven points and seven rebounds, and Italian Nicolo Melli missed his one single shot through 12 minutes.
French Evan Fournier connected a personal-best seven triples after struggling in his first two appearances with the Boston Celtics. He made 8/13 field goals pumping up 23 points to provide a massive boost in the 118-102 victory against the Houston Rockets. German Moritz Wagner also came off the bench but did not score in four minutes.
French Rudy Gobert with a 19-point, 13-rebound double-double and Croatian Bojan Bogdanovic with 18 points ranked among the main contributors in the Utah Jazz win, 113-106, against the Chicago Bulls. Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic scored 16 points and Czech Tomas Satoransky ten points, while Finnish Lauri Markkanen, coming off the bench, added five points for the guests.
Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas posted a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double leading the Memphis Grizzlies past the Minnesota Timberwolves, 120-108. French teammate Killian Tillie failed to convert his two shots in four minutes. Spanish Juan Hernangomez finished with four points, four rebounds, and two assists for the losing side with Ricky Rubio out due to back spasms.
British OG Anunoby produced 21 points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block in the one-sided affair resulting in the Toronto Raptors routing the Golden State Warriors, 130-77. Italian Nico Mannion had ten points and Serbian Alen Smailagic got six points in the largest defeat of the 2020-21 NBA Regular Season.
German Dennis Schroder banked 17 points plus eight assists, four rebounds, and four steals for the Los Angeles Lakers in the win, 115-94, versus the Sacramento Kings. Spanish Marc Gasol added five points, nine rebounds, and six assists, while Greek Kostas Antetokounmpo grabbed one rebound in three minutes.
Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis exiting with a left ankle sprain concerns the slumping Indiana Pacers following the 114-97 defeat at home to the Charlotte Hornets. He lasted 27 minutes for eight points, ten rebounds, and four assists. Georgian Goga Bitadze logged ten points and seven rebounds.
Friday results:
Toronto Raptors – Golden State Warriors 130-77
Boston Celtics – Houston Rockets 118-102
New York Knicks – Dallas Mavericks 86-99
Indiana Pacers – Charlotte Hornets 97-114
Memphis Grizzlies – Minnesota Timberwolves 120-108
New Orleans Pelicans – Atlanta Hawks 103-126
Utah Jazz – Chicago Bulls 113-106
Phoenix Suns – Oklahoma City Thunder 140-103
Portland Trail Blazers – Milwaukee Bucks 109-127
Sacramento Kings – Los Angeles Lakers 94-115
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Brooklyn Nets 34-15
2. Philadelphia 76ers 33-15
3. Milwaukee Bucks 31-17
4. Charlotte Hornets 25-23
5. Atlanta Hawks 25-24
6. Miami Heat 25-24
7. New York Knicks 24-25
8. Boston Celtics 24-25
9. Indiana Pacers 21-26
10. Chicago Bulls 19-28
11. Toronto Raptors 19-30
12. Washington Wizards 17-30
13. Orlando Magic 17-31
14. Cleveland Cavaliers 17-31
15. Detroit Pistons 14-34
Western Conference
1. Utah Jazz 37-11
2. Phoenix Suns 34-14
3. Los Angeles Clippers 32-18
4. Los Angeles Lakers 31-18
5. Denver Nuggets 30-18
6. Portland Trail Blazers 29-19
7. Dallas Mavericks 26-21
8. San Antonio Spurs 24-22
9. Memphis Grizzlies 23-23
10. Golden State Warriors 23-26
11. Sacramento Kings 22-27
12. New Orleans Pelicans 21-27
13. Oklahoma City Thunder 20-28
14. Houston Rockets 13-35
15. Minnesota Timberwolves 12-37
Photo Credit: Getty Images