By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Giannis Antetokounmpo taking over down the stretch confirmed the win, 123-108, for the Milwaukee Bucks versus the New York Knicks Friday. The Greek Freak finished with 38 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists. Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili tucked in a three-pointer in a limited appearance along with Thanasis Antetokounmpo. French Evan Fournier logged a team-high 25 points behind 10/19 field goals and grabbed seven rebounds but was held to the wrong end of the result.
Back in triple-double mode, Nikola Jokic had 29 points, 13 rebounds, and ten assists for the Denver Nuggets in the win, 116-105, over the New Orleans Pelicans. The Serbian reigning MVP scored 22 points after the break. Slovenian teammate Vlatko Cancar (foot) stayed on the injury list. On the losing end, Spanish Willy Hernangomez starting instead of Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas (non-COVID illness) posted an 18-point, 16-rebound double-double. Czech Tomas Satoransky did not play.
Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis put up yet another European triple-double generating 24 points, 18 rebounds, and ten assists in 44 minutes pushing the Indiana Pacers to the overtime win, 113-110, against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Georgian Goga Bitadze registered one rebound and one block. French Theo Maledon went for three points, two assists, and two rebounds for the hosts with Serbian Aleksej Pokusevski on assignment and Czech Vit Krejci (ankle) sidelined.
Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic contributed 19 points and Italian Danilo Gallinari added 14 points, both coming off the bench as the Atlanta Hawks beat the Boston Celtics, 108-92. Swiss starter Clint Capela tallied six points alongside seven rebounds and two blocks. French Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot connected a three-pointer in a brief appearance. For the visitors, German Dennis Schroder was held to two points with Enes Kanter Freedom staying on the bench.
Hitting his seventh double-double in the last eight games of the 2021-22 Regular Season, Jusuf Nurkic powered the Portland Trail Blazers over the Houston Rockets, 125-110. The Bosnian center finished with 25 points and 13 rebounds. Turkish Alperen Sengun scored four points in the losing effort with German Daniel Theis on the bench and Spanish Usman Garuba (wrist) on the injury list.
Austrian Jakob Poeltl posted a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double to go along with four assists for the San Antonio Spurs in the win, 131-122, versus the Chicago Bulls. Spanish Juancho Hernangomez did not get in the action. As for the starting center of the losing side, Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic ended up with 18 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and two steals.
German rookie Franz Wagner banked in a game-high 24 points sending the Orlando Magic past the Detroit Pistons, 119-103. His brother Moritz Wagner added two points, but Lithuanian Ignas Brazdeikis did not get on the board in three minutes. French Killian Hayes racked up 11 points, six assists, and six rebounds, but was not enough for the Pistons.
Ja Morant made out a triple-double (30pts, 10reb, 10ast) leading the Memphis Grizzlies past the Utah Jazz, 119-109. French Killian Tillie added five points but Spanish Santi Aldama and French Yves Pons did not play. On the opposite end, Croatian Bojan Bogdanovic got 13 points and French Rudy Gobert (calf) was sidelined.
Turkish Omer Yurtseven was left out of the rotation in the Miami Heat’s 121-114 victory versus the Los Angeles Clippers. French Nicolas Batum had 12 points, German Isaiah Hartenstein eight points, and Croatian Ivica Zubac six points for the Clips.
In games lacking active Europeans, the Charlotte Hornets defeated the Los Angeles Lakers, 117-114, and the NBA-leading Phoenix Suns rolled the Minnesota Timberwolves, 134-124.
Friday results:
Orlando Magic – Detroit Pistons 119-103
Atlanta Hawks – Boston Celtics 108-92
Charlotte Hornets – Los Angeles Lakers 117-114
Houston Rockets – Portland Trail Blazers 110-125
Memphis Grizzlies – Utah Jazz 119-109
Miami Heat – Los Angeles Clippers 121-114
New Orleans Pelicans – Denver Nuggets 105-116
Oklahoma City Thunder – Indiana Pacers 110-113 OT (100-100)
San Antonio Spurs – Chicago Bulls 131-122
Phoenix Suns – Minnesota Timberwolves 134-124
Milwaukee Bucks – New York Knicks 123-108
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Miami Heat 32-17
2. Chicago Bulls 30-18
3. Cleveland Cavaliers 30-19
4. Milwaukee Bucks 31-21
5. Philadelphia 76ers 29-19
6. Brooklyn Nets 29-19
7. Charlotte Hornets 28-22
8. Boston Celtics 25-25
9. Toronto Raptors 23-23
10. Atlanta Hawks 23-25
11. Washington Wizards 23-25
12. New York Knicks 23-27
13. Indiana Pacers 18-32
14. Detroit Pistons 11-37
15. Orlando Magic 10-40
Western Conference
1. Phoenix Suns 39-9
2. Golden State Warriors 36-13
3. Memphis Grizzlies 34-17
4. Utah Jazz 30-20
5. Dallas Mavericks 28-21
6. Denver Nuggets 27-21
7. Minnesota Timberwolves 24-25
8. Los Angeles Clippers 25-26
9. Los Angeles Lakers 24-26
10. Portland Trail Blazers 21-28
11. San Antonio Spurs 19-31
12. New Orleans Pelicans 18-30
13. Sacramento Kings 18-32
14. Oklahoma City Thunder 14-34
15. Houston Rockets 14-35
Photo Credit: Getty Images