By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Second triple-double in as many nights for Nikola Jokic. The Serbian superstar, reigning NBA MVP, went for 32 points, 15 rebounds and 13 assists, powering the Denver Nuggets to the home win, 131-124, versus the Golden State Warriors on Monday evening. That made 18 triple-doubles in the 2021-22 Regular Season and 75 overall in his career. Slovenian teammate Vlatko Cancar (right foot) did not budge from the injury list. For the visitors, Serbian Nemanja Bjelica was 1/6 from the field for two points to go along with five rebounds and five assists.
Slovenian Luka Doncic stuffed the stat sheet with 35 points, 16 rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and one block, as the Dallas Mavericks prevailed, 111-103, over the Utah Jazz. German Maxi Kleber had eight points and Davis Bertans two points in rough shooting nights, while Serbian Boban Marjanovic stayed on the bench and French Frank Ntilikina (illness) was sidelined. Croatian Bojan Bogdanovic scoring a team-high 21 points was not enough for the Jazz. French Rudy Gobert posted a 12-point, 13-rebound double-double plus three blocks. Spanish Juancho Hernangomez did not play.
Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic got 22 points, six assists, five rebounds, and two blocks until fouling out, and the Atlanta Hawks fell in overtime, 113-110, to the Detroit Pistons. Italian Danilo Gallinari had 14 points in the losing effort. Swiss Clint Capela ended up with nine points, 12 rebounds, and two blocks. French Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot did not get on the board in a brief appearance. As for the winning side, French Killian Hayes came off the bench to tally 13 points, six assists, four rebounds, and one steal.
Julius Randle scored a career-high 46 points as the New York Knicks came back from a 20-point deficit to defeat the Sacramento Kings, 131-115. French Evan Fournier chipped in 15 points, but Croatian Luka Samanic extending his G League assignment was inactive. Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis posted a 19-point, 13-rebound double-double before receiving double technicals and being ejected in the fourth quarter. Ukrainian Alex Len did not play and Portuguese Neemias Queta remained on a G League assignment.
Victor Oladipo returned to action going for 11 points in 15 minutes and the Miami Heat beat the Houston Rockets, 123-106. Turkish teammate Omer Yurtseven pulled down one rebound in three minutes. Starting for the visitors, fellow Turkish upstart Alperen Sengun had 13 points, eight rebounds, three assists, and one block. However, Spanish Usman Garuba (left wrist) and German Dennis Schroder (right ankle) remained on the injury list.
Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic (hamstring) was among the players sidelined by the Chicago Bulls in the loss, 121-106, to the Philadelphia 76ers. Fellow Montenegrin Marko Simonovic was on a G League assignment. Turkish Furkan Korkmaz did not log playing time for the Sixers dominating behind Joel Embiid’s 43 points and 14 rebounds.
Gregg Popovich tied Don Nelson for the most NBA wins as a head coach thanks to the San Antonio Spurs taking down the Los Angeles Lakers, 117-110. Austrian Jakob Poeltl contributed 18 points, eight rebounds, and four assists to the historic achievement.
Elsewhere, the Minnesota Timberwolves routed the Portland Trail Blazers, 124-81. Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic (left foot) remained out in the fifth loss in a row for his side.
Monday results:
Detroit Pistons – Atlanta Hawks 113-110 OT (101-101)
Philadelphia 76ers – Chicago Bulls 121-106
Miami Heat – Houston Rockets 123-106
Minnesota Timberwolves – Portland Trail Blazers 124-81
Dallas Mavericks – Utah Jazz 111-103
San Antonio Spurs – Los Angeles Lakers 117-110
Denver Nuggets – Golden State Warriors 131-124
Sacramento Kings – New York Knicks 115-131
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Miami Heat 44-22
2. Philadelphia 76ers 40-24
3. Milwaukee Bucks 40-25
4. Chicago Bulls 39-26
5. Boston Celtics 39-27
6. Cleveland Cavaliers 37-27
7. Toronto Raptors 34-30
8. Charlotte Hornets 32-33
9. Brooklyn Nets 32-33
10. Atlanta Hawks 31-33
11. Washington Wizards 29-34
12. New York Knicks 27-38
13. Indiana Pacers 22-44
14. Detroit Pistons 18-47
15. Orlando Magic 16-49
Western Conference
1. Phoenix Suns 51-13
2. Memphis Grizzlies 44-22
3. Golden State Warriors 43-22
4. Utah Jazz 40-24
5. Dallas Mavericks 40-25
6. Denver Nuggets 39-26
7. Minnesota Timberwolves 37-29
8. Los Angeles Clippers 34-32
9. Los Angeles Lakers 28-36
10. New Orleans Pelicans 27-37
11. Portland Trail Blazers 25-39
12. San Antonio Spurs 25-40
13. Sacramento Kings 24-43
14. Oklahoma City Thunder 20-44
15. Houston Rockets 16-49
Photo Credit: Getty Images