By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
A couple of days after losing to the Dallas Mavericks at home, the New Orleans Pelicans bounced back with the 107-91 victory in Dallas Friday.
Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas posted a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double, and Spanish Willy Hernangomez had a 12-point, 14-rebound double-double, while Czech Tomas Satoransky chipped in three points for the visitors. Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic was not enough for the Mavs despite packing 21 points, ten rebounds, and seven assists. German Maxi Kleber paired 13 points with nine rebounds and Serbian Boban Marjanovic finished with four points, but French Frank Ntilikina was held to the bench after missing four games with a right calf strain and Latvian Kristaps Porzingis was sidelined with a left knee contusion.
Turkish Alperen Sengun went for 13 points, five assists, and three rebounds coming off the bench to power the fifth consecutive win for the Houston Rockets, 118-116, over the Orlando Magic. German Daniel Theis did not play and Spanish Usman Garuba was unavailable with a right thigh contusion. German Franz Wagner rocked 17 points, five rebounds, five assists, and two steals for the losing side. His brother Moritz finished with five points and Lithuanian Ignas Brazdeikis did not enter the 2021-22 NBA Regular Season game.
Italian Danilo Gallinari missed the potential game-winner ending up with 18 points, eight rebounds, and three assists for the Atlanta Hawks in the loss, 98-96, versus the Philadelphia 76ers. Swiss starter Clint Capela produced six points and 11 rebounds. With Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic still out due to a right ankle sprain, French Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot shifted to the starting unit but did not score through 18 minutes. On the winning end, Turkish Furkan Korkmaz logged nine points and three rebounds.
Israeli Deni Avdija hit a season-high 16 points but the Washington Wizards lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers, 116-101. Latvian teammate Davis Bertans registered eight points and two steals, but Joel Ayayi stayed on a G League assignment. For the Cavs, Finnish Lauri Markkanen contributed 15 points and Spanish Ricky Rubio had seven points, six assists, and four rebounds off the bench, but Turkish Cedi Osman remained sidelined with low back soreness.
Turkish Omer Yurtseven set his NBA personal-best at 12 points helping the shorthanded Miami Heat get back on the win column. He added five rebounds and two blocks in the 113-104 victory opposite the Indiana Pacers. Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis posted his 18th double-double of the season packing 14 points and 16 rebounds plus three assists and two steals in the losing effort. Georgian teammate Goga Bitadze did not play.
French Rudy Gobert posted an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double and Croatian Bojan Bogdanovic added 16 points as the Utah Jazz took down the Boston Celtics, 137-130. German Dennis Schroder made 26 points behind 10/21 field goals in the unsuccessful effort at Salt Lake City. Enes Kanter Freedom pulled down one rebound in three minutes and Spanish Juancho Hernangomez did not leave the bench.
Despite Nicolas Batum being restricted to the league’s health and safety protocols for the seventh game in a row, the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 119-115. Croatian Ivica Zubac put in 12 points and five rebounds, German reserve Isaiah Hartenstein threw in 11 more points, and Serge Ibaka tallied nine points, six rebounds, and three assists.
Serbian Nemanja Bjelica registered eight points, six rebounds, two assists, and two blocks for the Golden State Warriors securing the win, 118-96, to end the 18-game streak of the Phoenix Suns. Croatian Dario Saric is still out for the Suns after the torn ACL in his right knee that he suffered early in the 2021 NBA Finals.
In the lone game lacking Europeans, the Eastern Conference leaders Brooklyn Nets defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves, 110-105.
Friday results:
Indiana Pacers – Miami Heat 104-113
Washington Wizards – Cleveland Cavaliers 101-116
Atlanta Hawks – Philadelphia 76ers 96-98
Brooklyn Nets – Minnesota Timberwolves 110-105
Houston Rockets – Orlando Magic 118-116
Dallas Mavericks – New Orleans Pelicans 91-107
Utah Jazz – Boston Celtics 137-130
Golden State Warriors – Phoenix Suns 118-96
Los Angeles Lakers – Los Angeles Clippers 115-119
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Brooklyn Nets 16-6
2. Chicago Bulls 15-8
3. Miami Heat 14-9
4. Washington Wizards 14-9
5. Milwaukee Bucks 14-9
6. Cleveland Cavaliers 13-10
7. Charlotte Hornets 13-11
8. Philadelphia 76ers 12-11
9. Boston Celtics 12-11
10. Atlanta Hawks 12-11
11. New York Knicks 11-11
12. Toronto Raptors 10-13
13. Indiana Pacers 9-16
14. Orlando Magic 6-19
15. Detroit Pistons 4-18
Western Conference
1. Golden State Warriors 19-3
2. Phoenix Suns 19-4
3. Utah Jazz 15-7
4. Memphis Grizzlies 12-10
5. Dallas Mavericks 11-10
6. Los Angeles Clippers 12-11
7. Los Angeles Lakers 12-12
8. Portland Trail Blazers 11-12
9. Minnesota Timberwolves 11-12
10. Denver Nuggets 10-11
11. Sacramento Kings 9-14
12. San Antonio Spurs 7-13
13. New Orleans Pelicans 7-16
14. Houston Rockets 6-16
15. Oklahoma City Thunder 6-16
Photo Credit: Getty Images