By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Nikola Jokic scored 11 points in overtime sending the Denver Nuggets to the win, 120-114, versus the New Orleans Pelicans Wednesday. The Serbian superstar despite facing a minor arm injury, poured a season-high 39 points enhancing the triple-double consisting of 11 assists and 11 rebounds. Slovenian Vlatko Cancar and French Petr Cornelie stayed on the bench. Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas led the hosts with 27 points plus 11 rebounds, three assists, and three blocks, while Spanish Willy Hernangomez logged six points and Czech Tomas Satoransky had two points.
Slovenian Luka Doncic went for 26 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists as the Dallas Mavericks rallied to the win, 104-96, versus the Memphis Grizzlies. Latvian Kristaps Porzingis added 19 points. Coming off the bench, German Maxi Kleber chipped in two points, but Serbian Boban Marjanovic and French Frank Ntilikina did not play. On the losing end, French Killian Tillie produced six points and Spanish Santi Aldama put in two points, but French Yves Pons did not earn playing action.
Croatian Ivica Zubac posted a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double helping the Los Angeles Clippers past the Boston Celtics, 114-111. German Isaiah Hartenstein contributed six points, three rebounds, two steals, and two blocks, while French Nicolas Batum had one rebound, one assist, one steal, and one block. On the opposite end, German Dennis Schroder ended up with 19 points, eight assists, and four rebounds, while Enes Kanter Freedom got four points and Spanish Juancho Hernangomez did not play.
The Miami Heat overcame the Milwaukee Bucks, 113-104. Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo was limited to 4/13 field goals for 15 points, six rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block over 33 minutes. His brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili both stayed on the bench. Turkish Omer Yurtseven made two points in four minutes for the winning side.
Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis dropped a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double to go along with five assists pushing the Indiana Pacers to the win, 122-102, over the New York Knicks. Georgian Goga Bitadze added two points and three rebounds. For the Knicks, French Evan Fournier registered seven points with Croatian G League Player of the Week Luka Samanic still on assignment.
Against his former team, Finnish Lauri Markkanen recorded 14 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Chicago Bulls, 115-92. Spanish Ricky Rubio paired 11 points with nine rebounds, and Turkish Cedi Osman put in six points. Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic posted an 18-point, 12-rebound double-double in the losing effort with compatriot Marko Simonovic remaining off the court.
Deni Avdija banked in ten points and six rebounds as a piece of the Washington Wizards overtime win, 119-116, versus the Detroit Pistons. Latvian Davis Bertans finished with six points, but French Joel Ayayi remained on a G League assignment. French starter Killian Hayes was held to 1/4 field goals and four points for the hosts.
Serbian Aleksej Pokusevski got three points as the Oklahoma City Thunder edged the Toronto Raptors, 110-109. Theo Maledon stayed on the bench and Vit Krejci on assignment. The hosts featured Isaac Bonga at five points and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk missing all of his three shots, but British OG Anunoby remained sidelined due to a left hip injury.
Serbian Nemanja Bjelica was all over the board with eight points, six rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block as the Golden State Warriors defeated the Portland Trail Blazers, 104-94. Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic logged a 12-point, 13-rebound double-double plus six assists for the losing side.
Alex Len tapped six points for the Sacramento Kings in the win, 142-130, against the Orlando Magic. Neemias Queta stayed on assignment. For the visitors, Franz Wagner got 19 points, but his brother Moritz was limited to a brief appearance and Ignas Brazdeikis off the court.
Donovan Mitchell packing 36 points and the usual European pairing powered the streaking Utah Jazz over the Minnesota Timberwolves, 136-104. Croatian Bojan Bogdanovic generated 21 points and French Rudy Gobert posted a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double.
Also on a winning streak, the Houston Rockets took down the Brooklyn Nets, 114-104. Alperen Sengun contributed six points, but Daniel Theis did not play and Usman Garuba remained out with a thigh injury.
Turkish Furkan Korkmaz did not score but grabbed three rebounds in 12 minutes as the Philadelphia 76ers earned the win, 110-106, versus the Charlotte Hornets. Lithuanian Arnoldas Kulboka did not play for the hosts.
Wednesday results:
Charlotte Hornets – Philadelphia 76ers 106-110
Cleveland Cavaliers – Chicago Bulls 115-92
Detroit Pistons – Washington Wizards 116-119 OT (106-106)
Indiana Pacers – New York Knicks 122-102
Miami Heat – Milwaukee Bucks 113-104
Toronto Raptors – Oklahoma City Thunder 109-110
Houston Rockets – Brooklyn Nets 114-104
Memphis Grizzlies – Dallas Mavericks 96-104
Minnesota Timberwolves – Utah Jazz 104-136
New Orleans Pelicans – Denver Nuggets 114-120 OT (105-105)
Golden State Warriors – Portland Trail Blazers 104-94
Sacramento Kings – Orlando Magic 142-130
Los Angeles Clippers – Boston Celtics 114-111
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Brooklyn Nets 17-8
2. Chicago Bulls 17-9
3. Milwaukee Bucks 16-10
4. Miami Heat 15-11
5. Washington Wizards 15-11
6. Philadelphia 76ers 14-11
7. Cleveland Cavaliers 14-12
8. Atlanta Hawks 13-12
9. Charlotte Hornets 14-13
10. Boston Celtics 13-13
11. New York Knicks 12-13
12. Toronto Raptors 11-14
13. Indiana Pacers 11-16
14. Orlando Magic 5-21
15. Detroit Pistons 4-20
Western Conference
1. Golden State Warriors 21-4
2. Phoenix Suns 20-4
3. Utah Jazz 17-7
4. Memphis Grizzlies 14-11
5. Los Angeles Clippers 14-12
6. Los Angeles Lakers 13-12
7. Dallas Mavericks 12-12
8. Denver Nuggets 12-12
9. Minnesota Timberwolves 11-14
10. Sacramento Kings 11-14
11. Portland Trail Blazers 11-15
12. San Antonio Spurs 8-15
13. Houston Rockets 8-16
14. Oklahoma City Thunder 8-16
15. New Orleans Pelicans 7-20
Photo Credit: Getty Images