By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Giannis Antetokounmpo poured a season-high 47 points powered by 18/23 field goals, including 3/4 from beyond the arc. The Greek Freak also put up nine rebounds, three assists, one block, and one steal leading the Milwaukee Bucks to the win, 109-102, versus the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday. With Khris Middleton becoming the latest key player back in action, both Greeks Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Giorgos Kalaitzakis stayed on the bench.
Without Slovenian superstar, Luka Doncic for the first time in the 2021-22 NBA Regular Season, the Dallas Mavericks fell to the Phoenix Suns, 105-98. German Maxi Kleber remained sidelined with the strained left oblique. Latvian Kristaps Porzingis had 21 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, two blocks, and one steal. French reserve Frank Ntilikina added 13 points in the loss. Serbian Boban Marjanovic did not play.
Fellow Serbian international Bogdan Bogdanovic playing through right ankle discomfort combined 12 points with six assists for the Atlanta Hawks in the win, 110-99, opposite the Boston Celtics. Swiss Clint Capela contributed nine points plus 12 rebounds and Italian Danilo Gallinari had eight points and four rebounds, but French Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot did not score in a limited stint on the floor.
For Boston, German Dennis Schroder put up 15 points, three assists, and three steals over 32 minutes in his latest start with Jaylen Brown still out due to the right hamstring strain. Reserves Enes Kanter and Juancho Hernangomez failed to enter the scoring list through 14 and two minutes of action at the State Farm Arena, respectively.
German Franz Wagner registered 16 points powering the Orlando Magic to the win, 104-98, against the New York Knicks. His brother, Moritz added six points, but Lithuanian Ignas Brazdeikis remained benched. Facing his former team, French Evan Fournier failed to break out of his scoring slump being limited to five points.
Another European recently struggling, Serbian Aleksej Pokusevski was held to two points as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Houston Rockets, 101-89. German Daniel Theis got to ten points after sliding out of the Rockets‘ starting lineup, while Turkish Alperen Sengun was limited to five minutes and merely two rebounds.
Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic posted an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double for the Portland Trail Blazers coming back from a 20-point deficit to take down the Chicago Bulls, 112-107. Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic is still in the league’s health and safety protocols, while NBA rookie compatriot Marko Simonovic was available but did not play.
French Killian Hayes registered four points, four assists, four rebounds, and three steals helping the Detroit Pistons earn the win, 97-89, over the Indiana Pacers. Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis finished with 15 points and 11 rebounds in the losing effort, while Georgian Goga Bitadze had one rebound in four minutes.
Spanish Ricky Rubio recording a team-high 25 points, along with five assists and four rebounds, fell short for the Cleveland Cavaliers in the loss, 109-99, to the Brooklyn Nets. Turkish Cedi Osman went for 11 points with Finnish Lauri Markkanen still working towards getting cleared to return to action.
Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas with 13 points and Czech Tomas Satoransky with three points failed to prevent the New Orleans Pelicans from the defeat, 113-98, at the Miami Heat. Spanish teammate Willy Hernangomez did not play. Turkish Omer Yurtseven dished out one assist in three minutes for the winning side.
Israeli Deni Avdija went 2/9 from the field for nine points to go along with 11 rebounds as the Washington Wizards lost, 97-87, at the Charlotte Hornets. French Joel Ayayi did not get on the board over one minute and Latvian Davis Bertans remained out.
Ukrainian Alex Len did not check in as the Sacramento Kings were defeated, 107-97, by the Minnesota Timberwolves.
Wednesday results:
Charlotte Hornets – Washington Wizards 97-87
Detroit Pistons – Indiana Pacers 97-89
Atlanta Hawks – Boston Celtics 110-99
Brooklyn Nets – Cleveland Cavaliers 109-99
Miami Heat – New Orleans Pelicans 113-98
Milwaukee Bucks – Los Angeles Lakers 109-102
New York Knicks – Orlando Magic 98-104
Minnesota Timberwolves – Sacramento Kings 107-97
Oklahoma City Thunder – Houston Rockets 101-89
Phoenix Suns – Dallas Mavericks 105-98
Portland Trail Blazers – Chicago Bulls 112-107
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Washington Wizards 10-4
2. Brooklyn Nets 11-5
3. Chicago Bulls 10-5
4. Miami Heat 10-5
5. Charlotte Hornets 9-7
6. Cleveland Cavaliers 9-7
7. New York Knicks 8-7
8. Philadelphia 76ers 8-7
9. Boston Celtics 7-8
10. Toronto Raptors 7-8
11. Milwaukee Bucks 7-8
12. Atlanta Hawks 7-9
13. Indiana Pacers 6-10
14. Detroit Pistons 4-10
15. Orlando Magic 4-11
Western Conference
1. Golden State Warriors 12-2
2. Phoenix Suns 11-3
3. Utah Jazz 9-5
4. Dallas Mavericks 9-5
5. Denver Nuggets 9-5
6. Los Angeles Clippers 9-5
7. Portland Trail Blazers 8-8
8. Los Angeles Lakers 8-8
9. Memphis Grizzlies 7-7
10. Oklahoma City Thunder 6-8
11. Sacramento Kings 6-9
12. Minnesota Timberwolves 5-9
13. San Antonio Spurs 4-10
14. New Orleans Pelicans 2-14
15. Houston Rockets 1-14
Photo Credit: Getty Images