By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Reigning MVP Nikola Jokic highlighted his latest triple-double with 49 points. He grabbed 14 rebounds and dished out his tenth assist setting up Aaron Gordon for the game-winning three-pointer with 1.9 seconds left in overtime as the Denver Nuggets edged the Los Angeles Clippers, 130-128. Third triple-double in a row and tenth in the 2021-22 NBA Regular Season for the Serbian superstar. He shot 16/25 from the field over 41 minutes. Slovenian teammate Vlatko Cancar coming off the recent surgery on his right foot is expected to remain sidelined for the remainder of the season.
Croatian Ivica Zubac made out a career-best 32 points to go along with ten rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block in the losing effort. Serge Ibaka had seven points, six rebounds, three assists, and one block, while German Isaiah Hartenstein ended up with four points, three rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block. French Nicolas Batum entered the league’s health and safety protocols prior to the first stop of the eight-game road trip stretching until the end of the month.
Doncic, Sabonis rocking too
Season-high 41 points for Luka Doncic as the Dallas Mavericks defeated the Toronto Raptors, 102-98. The Slovenian packed in 14 rebounds and seven assists as well. Latvian Kristaps Porzingis added 18 points but fellow starter German Maxi Kleber went scoreless in 25 minutes. French Frank Ntilikina was limited to a brief appearance and Serbian Boban Marjanovic did not play. On the opposite end, British OG Anunoby tallied 19 points, eight rebounds, three steals, and two assists, with Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk on the bench, German Isaac Bonga on a G League assignment, and Slovenian Goran Dragic not with the team.
Apart from Jokic, another European triple-double as Domantas Sabonis got his fourth of the season. The Lithuanian big man went for 20 points, 12 rebounds, and ten assists powering the Indiana Pacers to the win, 111-104, against the Los Angeles Lakers. Caris LeVert scored 22 out of his 30 points in the fourth quarter. Georgian Goga Bitadze added three points, two blocks, and one rebound in three minutes. French two-way player of the Lakers, Sekou Doumbouya was placed in the health and safety protocols.
Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 33 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and one block. The Greek Freak outdueled Ja Morant (33pts, 14ast, 8reb) leading the Milwaukee Bucks to the 126-114 victory versus the Memphis Grizzlies. His brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo and Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili both stayed on the bench. Spanish Santi Aldama produced six points and three rebounds in the loss with French teammates Yves Pons and Killian Tillie on the bench and on the COVID-19 list, respectively.
Bogdanovic and Gobert combine for 52 points in a loss
The Houston Rockets rallied past the Utah Jazz, 116-111. They overcame a game-high 29 points poured by Croatian Bojan Bogdanovic. French Rudy Gobert had 23 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block. As for the winning side, Turkish Alperen Sengun chipped in seven points. German Daniel Theis did not leave the bench and Spanish Usman Garuba remained on his G League assignment.
Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic posted a 24-point, 12-rebound double-double for the Chicago Bulls in the win, 117-104, against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Montenegrin compatriot Marko Simonovic did not suit up. Finnish Lauri Markkanen fired a team-high 28 points but was not enough to take down his former team. Turkish Cedi Osman was held to two points. Spanish Ricky Rubio is out since the season-ending knee injury.
German Dennis Schroder scoring a team-high 24 points alongside seven rebounds, five assists, and three steals did not prevent the Boston Celtics from falling at home, 111-102, to the Charlotte Hornets. Enes Kanter Freedom had five points and three rebounds off the bench. Lithuanian Arnoldas Kulboka was sent on a G League assignment by the Hornets.
Joel Embiid scores 50 points
The Philadelphia 76ers beat the Orlando Magic, 123-110, behind a dominating performance delivered by Joel Embiid. The Cameroonian center tied his career-high 50 points in just 27 minutes. Turkish teammate Furkan Korkmaz chipped in eight points, six rebounds, and five rebounds. For the losing team, German Franz Wagner was held to 3/11 field goals for nine points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while his brother Moritz scored six points and Lithuanian Ignas Brazdeikis registered four points.
Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic generated an 18-point, 14-rebound double-double to go along with two assists, one steal, and one block in 28 minutes for the Portland Trail Blazers in the loss, 104-92, to the Miami Heat. Turkish Omer Yurtseven was limited to a brief appearance after his hot streak, including three double-doubles in a row, was cut by a DNP a couple of days ago.
Despite missing both Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic due to right knee soreness and Swiss Clint Capela due to a left ankle sprain, the Atlanta Hawks prevailed, 134-122, opposite the Minnesota Timberwolves. Italian Danilo Gallinari contributed 15 points and six rebounds. French Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot did not play.
Poeltl, Avdija, more
Austrian Jakob Poeltl had 13 points, eight rebounds, four assists, four blocks, and one steal helping the San Antonio Spurs roll the Oklahoma City Thunder, 118-96. The Thunder ruled out Czech Vit Krejci due to a right ankle sprain, while Serbian Aleksej Pokusevski and French Theo Maledon both remained on a G League assignment.
Israeli Deni Avdija racked up 13 points, five rebounds, three assists, one block, and one steal, but the Brooklyn Nets held on for the 119-118 victory against the Washington Wizards on the road. Latvian Davis Bertans did not get on the board and French Joel Ayayi was on a G League assignment.
The Detroit Pistons beat the Sacramento Kings, 133-131, despite French Killian Hayes being sidelined with a right hip contusion. Both Ukrainian Alex Len and Portuguese Neemias Queta stayed on the bench for the Kings.
Wednesday results:
Philadelphia 76ers – Orlando Magic 123-110
Washington Wizards – Brooklyn Nets 118-119
Atlanta Hawks – Minnesota Timberwolves 134-122
Boston Celtics – Charlotte Hornets 102-111
Miami Heat – Portland Trail Blazers 104-92
Chicago Bulls – Cleveland Cavaliers 117-104
Milwaukee Bucks – Memphis Grizzlies 126-114
Dallas Mavericks – Toronto Raptors 102-98
San Antonio Spurs – Oklahoma City Thunder 118-96
Utah Jazz – Houston Rockets 111-116
Denver Nuggets – Los Angeles Clippers 130-128 OT (114-114)
Sacramento Kings – Detroit Pistons 131-133
Los Angeles Lakers – Indiana Pacers 104-111
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Chicago Bulls 28-15
2. Miami Heat 29-16
3. Brooklyn Nets 28-16
4. Milwaukee Bucks 28-19
5. Philadelphia 76ers 26-18
6. Cleveland Cavaliers 27-19
7. Charlotte Hornets 25-20
8. Washington Wizards 23-22
9. Boston Celtics 23-23
10. Toronto Raptors 21-21
11. New York Knicks 22-23
12. Atlanta Hawks 19-25
13. Indiana Pacers 16-29
14. Detroit Pistons 11-33
15. Orlando Magic 8-38
Western Conference
1. Phoenix Suns 34-9
2. Golden State Warriors 32-12
3. Memphis Grizzlies 31-16
4. Utah Jazz 29-16
5. Dallas Mavericks 26-19
6. Denver Nuggets 26-19
7. Minnesota Timberwolves 22-23
8. Los Angeles Lakers 22-23
9. Los Angeles Clippers 22-24
10. Portland Trail Blazers 18-26
11. Sacramento Kings 18-29
12. San Antonio Spurs 17-28
13. New Orleans Pelicans 16-28
14. Oklahoma City Thunder 14-30
15. Houston Rockets 14-32
Photo Credit: Getty Images