By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The Milwaukee Bucks won the duel of the night against the Brooklyn Nets with 121-109 on the road and improved to a 26-15 record in the East, behind the Nets themselves (24-13).
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way with 31 points, nine assists, seven rebounds but he wasn’t alone. Bobby Portis added 25 points, 12 boards and Khris Middleton scored 20 points.
On the opposing side, Kevin Durant had 29 points, nine boards, seven assists while James Harden logged 16 points, nine boards, seven assists. Kyrie Irving was unable to play due to his vaccination status.
Meanwhile, Nikola Jokic put on a big game as well with 33 points, ten rebounds, seven assists as he led the Denver Nuggets to a 121-111 home win against the Sacramento Kings.
Facundo Campazzo had six points, seven assists, three rebounds. For Sacramento, De’Aaron Fox scored 30 while Alex Len had 18 points and ten boards.
Among the 30-point performances of the night was also Joel Embiid who scored 31 in win over the Spurs for which Jakob Poeltl had 17 points.
LeBron James carried the Lakers once again (against the Hawks) with 32 points, nine assists, eight boards. Trae Young dished out 14 assists (25 points) for Atlanta with Bogdan Bogdanovic adding 15 and Danilo Gallinari 14 points.
Nikola Vucevic logged 16 points, 14 rebounds in the Bulls’ ninth straight win, this time against Washington.
The performance of the night, by the numbers, went to the Raptors as Fred VanVleet went for a 37-10-10 triple-double in win over the Utah Jazz who were missing their complete starting five, and more.
Standings
| Eastern Conference | W | L | W/L% | GB | PS/G | PA/G | SRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia 76ers | 49 | 23 | .681 | — | 113.6 | 108.1 | 5.28 |
| Brooklyn Nets | 48 | 24 | .667 | 1.0 | 118.6 | 114.1 | 4.24 |
| Milwaukee Bucks | 46 | 26 | .639 | 3.0 | 120.1 | 114.2 | 5.57 |
| New York Knicks | 41 | 31 | .569 | 8.0 | 107.0 | 104.7 | 2.13 |
| Atlanta Hawks | 41 | 31 | .569 | 8.0 | 113.7 | 111.4 | 2.14 |
| Miami Heat | 40 | 32 | .556 | 9.0 | 108.1 | 108.0 | -0.06 |
| Boston Celtics | 36 | 36 | .500 | 13.0 | 112.6 | 111.2 | 1.32 |
| Washington Wizards | 34 | 38 | .472 | 15.0 | 116.6 | 118.5 | -1.85 |
| Indiana Pacers | 34 | 38 | .472 | 15.0 | 115.3 | 115.3 | -0.13 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 33 | 39 | .458 | 16.0 | 109.5 | 111.4 | -1.94 |
| Chicago Bulls | 31 | 41 | .431 | 18.0 | 110.7 | 111.6 | -0.94 |
| Toronto Raptors | 27 | 45 | .375 | 22.0 | 111.3 | 111.7 | -0.54 |
| Cleveland Cavaliers | 22 | 50 | .306 | 27.0 | 103.8 | 112.3 | -8.19 |
| Orlando Magic | 21 | 51 | .292 | 28.0 | 104.0 | 113.3 | -9.02 |
| Detroit Pistons | 20 | 52 | .278 | 29.0 | 106.6 | 111.1 | -4.38 |
| Western Conference | W | L | W/L% | GB | PS/G | PA/G | SRS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Utah Jazz | 52 | 20 | .722 | — | 116.4 | 107.2 | 8.97 |
| Phoenix Suns | 51 | 21 | .708 | 1.0 | 115.3 | 109.5 | 5.67 |
| Denver Nuggets | 47 | 25 | .653 | 5.0 | 115.1 | 110.1 | 4.82 |
| Los Angeles Clippers | 47 | 25 | .653 | 5.0 | 114.0 | 107.8 | 6.02 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 42 | 30 | .583 | 10.0 | 112.4 | 110.2 | 2.26 |
| Portland Trail Blazers | 42 | 30 | .583 | 10.0 | 116.1 | 114.3 | 1.81 |
| Los Angeles Lakers | 42 | 30 | .583 | 10.0 | 109.5 | 106.8 | 2.77 |
| Golden State Warriors | 39 | 33 | .542 | 13.0 | 113.7 | 112.7 | 1.10 |
| Memphis Grizzlies | 38 | 34 | .528 | 14.0 | 113.3 | 112.3 | 1.07 |
| San Antonio Spurs | 33 | 39 | .458 | 19.0 | 111.1 | 112.8 | -1.58 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 31 | 41 | .431 | 21.0 | 114.6 | 114.9 | -0.20 |
| Sacramento Kings | 31 | 41 | .431 | 21.0 | 113.7 | 117.4 | -3.45 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 23 | 49 | .319 | 29.0 | 112.1 | 117.7 | -5.25 |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | 22 | 50 | .306 | 30.0 | 105.0 | 115.6 | -10.13 |
| Houston Rockets | 17 | 55 | .236 | 35.0 | 108.8 | 116.7 | -7.50 |