By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas posted a 26-point, 12-rebound double-double, including ten points in the fourth quarter, leading the New Orleans Pelicans to the road win, 117-112, against the Atlanta Hawks on Sunday. Spanish Willy Hernangomez added a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double coming off the bench. Italian Danilo Gallinari produced a game-high 27 points, while Serbian teammate Bogdan Bogdanovic finished with 21 points in the losing effort. Swiss Clint Capela combined 14 points with ten rebounds starting for the hosts, but French Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot stayed on the bench.
Domantas Sabonis had 18 points, 12 rebounds, six assists, and two steals until an early exit due to a knee injury with five minutes left in regulation and will have an MRI. More bad news for the Sacramento Kings with the overtime loss to the Phoenix Suns, 127-124. Ukrainian Alex Len did not enter the court and Portuguese Neemias Queta was held to assignment at the G League affiliate Stockton Kings. For the Suns, Croatian Dario Saric (right knee) remained sidelined.
Jakob Poeltl knotted the 2021-22 NBA Regular Season contest at 108-108 by making a free throw and Keldon Johnson scored off him missing the second attempt to send the San Antonio Spurs to the 110-108 victory versus the Golden State Warriors in San Francisco. The Austrian big man had seven points, 14 rebounds, two assists, and one block. For the hosts, Serbian Nemanja Bjelica recorded nine points, nine rebounds, and six assists.
Deeper in the NBA Sunday’s schedule, the Boston Celtics routed the Denver Nuggets, 124-104, limiting Nikola Jokic to 8/23 from the field. The Serbian reigning MVP ended up with 23 points, eight rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. German Daniel Theis chipped in seven points, one assist, and one block for the streaking Celtics. Slovenian Vlatko Cancar (right foot surgery) is still on the Nuggets injury list.
Croatian Bojan Bogdanovic (left calf strain) missing his fourth straight game did not prevent the Utah Jazz from topping the New York Knicks, 108-93, in the Madison Square Garden. French Rudy Gobert banked in 14 points, nine rebounds, and four blocks, while fellow starter Spanish Juancho Hernangomez logged seven points, four rebounds, and three steals. For the hosts, French Evan Fournier scored 17 points.
German Franz Wagner generated 11 points alongside seven rebounds and four assists, and his brother Moritz Wagner added ten points as the Orlando Magic edged the Oklahoma City Thunder, 90-85. Lithuanian Ignas Brazdeikis had one assist in six minutes. The slumping Thunder featured French Theo Maledon, Czech Vit Krejci, Serbian Aleksej Pokusevski, and French Olivier Sarr with ten, eight, seven, and four points, respectively.
British OG Anunoby (fractured right ring finger) missed his 14th straight game but the Toronto Raptors took down the Philadelphia 76ers, 93-88. Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk did not leave the bench and German Isaac Bonga was on assignment with the Raptors 905 in the G League. As for the Sixers, Turkish Furkan Korkmaz did not play.
Opening the NBA Sundays schedule, the Memphis Grizzlies and Indiana Pacers recorded blowout wins against the Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers, respectively.
Sunday results:
Houston Rockets – Memphis Grizzlies 98-122
Indiana Pacers – Portland Trail Blazers 129-98
Atlanta Hawks – New Orleans Pelicans 112-117
Orlando Magic – Oklahoma City Thunder 90-85
Sacramento Kings – Phoenix Suns 124-127 OT (110-110)
New York Knicks – Utah Jazz 93-108
Denver Nuggets – Boston Celtics 104-124
Golden State Warriors – San Antonio Spurs 108-110
Philadelphia 76ers – Toronto Raptors 88-93
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. y-Miami Heat 47-24
2. Milwaukee Bucks 44-24
3. Philadelphia 76ers 43-27
4. Boston Celtics 44-28
5. Chicago Bulls 41-29
6. Cleveland Cavaliers 41-30
7. Toronto Raptors 40-31
8. Brooklyn Nets 37-34
9. Charlotte Hornets 36-35
10. Atlanta Hawks 35-36
11. Washington Wizards 30-40
12. New York Knicks 30-41
13. x-Indiana Pacers 25-47
14. x-Detroit Pistons 19-52
15. x-Orlando Magic 19-53
Western Conference
1. y-Phoenix Suns 58-14
2. Memphis Grizzlies 49-23
3. Golden State Warriors 47-24
4. Utah Jazz 45-26
5. Dallas Mavericks 43-28
6. Minnesota Timberwolves 42-30
7. Denver Nuggets 42-30
8. Los Angeles Clippers 36-37
9. New Orleans Pelicans 30-41
10. Los Angeles Lakers 30-41
11. San Antonio Spurs 28-44
12. Portland Trail Blazers 26-44
13. Sacramento Kings 25-48
14. Oklahoma City Thunder 20-51
15. x-Houston Rockets 17-54
y-clinched Playoff berth
x-eliminated
Photo Credit: Getty Images