By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Nikola Jokic scored 32 points, got 12 rebounds and dished out six assists as the Denver Nuggets beat the New York Knicks 113 – 97 to bounce back to wins.
Jokic scored double the points of his opponents in the first quarter. The Serbian center had 24 points, ten minutes into the game to help the Nuggets get a 34 – 12 early lead and set the foundations for their victory.
Facu Campazzo had one of his top games of the season with 16 points, nine rebounds, five steals and four assists. Vlatko Cankar scored two points off the bench.
Giannis Antetokounmpo posted 23 points, nine rebounds and eight assists before fouling out with two minutes to play as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Washington Wizards 135 – 134 at home.
Antetokounmpo had to exit the game with the Bucks up 127 – 124. His team retained its lead to capture its fourth straight victory.
Davis Bertans had 13 points and Alex Len two points for the Wizards. Thanasis Antetokounmpo finished with three points for the Bucks.
The trio of Clint Capela (18 points, 10 rebounds), Bogdan Bogdanovic (16 points, six rebounds) and Danilo Gallinari (16 points, five boards) delivered as the Atlanta Hawks crushed the previously top-placed Phoenix Suns 135 – 103 at home.
Atlanta dominated the Suns 38 – 15 in the fourth period to turn a competitive battle to a rout and get its third win in a row. “We definitely needed to bring the energy and intensity for 48 minutes playing against the best team in the league,” Gallinari said. “It was a great challenge and I thought we did a great job.”
Bojan Bogdanovic scored 24 points on 10-13 shots as the Utah Jazz defeated the San Antonio Spurs 126 – 94 and once again climb at the first place of the Western Conference.
Rudy Gobert contributed 10 points plus eight rebounds to the Jazz‘s win.
Luka Samanic dropped career-high 15 points but couldn’t combine his new NBA scoring record with a win.
The rest of Wednesday’s NBA results and Euro scorers:
Orlando Magic – Boston Celtics 96 – 132 (Evan Fournier 18 points/five rebounds)
Cleveland Cavaliers – Portland Trail Blazers 105 – 141 (Enes Kanter 18 points/13 rebounds, Jusuf Nurkic 15 points/11 rebounds, Cedi Osman 14 points)
Indiana Pacers – Sacramento Kings 93 – 104 (Domantas Sabonis 17 points/13 rebounds/eight assists)
Houston Rockets – Philadelphia 76ers 115 – 135 (Furkan Korkmaz two points)
Minnesota Timberwolves – Memphis Grizzlies 135 – 139 (Juancho Hernangomez 11 points, Jonas Valanciunas nine points/five rebounds, Ricky Rubio two points)