By Antigoni Zachari / info@eurohoops.net
Rookie Alperen Sengun scored a new NBA career-high while coming from the bench to lead the Houston Rockets over the Portland Trail Blazers 115-98 on the road. Sengun scored 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting to go along with seven rebounds and three assists, leading the already-eliminated Rockets to their first two-game streak since January. Jalen Green added 25 points for Houston and Kevin Porter Jr. exited the game with 10 points and 11 assists. Brandon Williams and Trendon Watford each scored 15 points for the Trail Blazers and Drew Eubanks had 14 points and a game-high 16 rebounds.
Nikola Jokic helped the Denver Nuggets take a step forward towards avoiding the play-in tournament with a key 113-107 victory over the Oklahoma City Thunder Saturday. Jokic was two assists shy of a triple-double, dropping 35 points, 12 rebounds to go along with two steals and two blocks and the Nuggets were able to bounce back and improve to 44-31 in the Western Conference. Aaron Gordon added 20 points and 9 rebounds to the efforts of the winners and Will Burton picked up 18 points.
On the other end of the court, Theo Maledon posted a team-high for the Thunder with 20 points, four rebounds, and three assists and Aleksej Pokusevski poured 17 points, five rebounds, and five assists.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 30 points along with 11 rebounds though he and the Bucks couldn’t fend off the Memphis Grizzlies that grabbed a 127-102 victory at home to extend their winning streak to four games. DeAnthony Melton posted 24 points from the bench to lead the way for the Grizzlies, Desmond Bane had 20 points and Dillon Brooks added 19 points.
The Brooklyn Nets outlasted the Miami Heat 110-95, in Goran Dragic’s return to Miami for the first time after being traded to Brooklyn in February. Dragic had 6 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists in 21 minutes against his former team, while it was Kevin Durant who led the way with 23 points and Seth Curry added 17. Bam Adebayo scored a team-high 14 points for the Heat, Tyler Herro and Max Strus tapped 13 points apiece and Kyle Lowry followed with 12 points.
Shortstaffed Chicago Bulls got the job done against the Cleveland Cavaliers, grabbing a 98-94 victory on the road. Zach LaVine posted 25 points for the Bulls, followed by DeMar DeRozan’s 20-point performance, while Nikola Vucevic completed the scoring trifecta with 16 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists. Darius Garland scored a game-high 28 points for the Cavs, Lauri Markkanen picked up 14 points and 9 rebounds and Lamar Stevens added 13.
The Toronto Raptors blew out the already-eliminated Indiana Pacers at home 131-91 to make a strong push towards avoiding the play-in tournament. Pascal Siakam led five more players in double figures with 23 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds and 3 steals, Scottie Barnes had 19 points and Precious Achiuwa tapped 18 points from the bench. Oshae Brissett led the Pacers‘ eight-man rotation with 21 points, Justin Anderson added 18 points and Jalen Smith followed with 15 points.
It took an extra-five minute period though the Sacramento Kings escaped with a 114-110 win against the Orlando Magic on the road. Davion Mitchell led all scorers of the game with 22 points, Harrison Barnes posted 19 points, while Alex Len and Damian Jones added 15 points apiece to help the Kings win their second straight game. Franz Wagner had 19 points and 9 rebounds for the Magic, Mo Bamba picked up a double-double with 18 points, 13 rebounds and Moritz Wagner added 15 points while coming from the bench.
Keldon Johnson scored 21 points, Dejounte Murray had a triple-double with 15 points, 13 assists and 11 rebounds and Jakob Poeltl drooped 12 points and 11 rebounds as the San Antonio Spurs beat the New Orleans Pelicans 107-103 to win their third game in a row. CJ McCollum came close to his season-high, leading the Pelicans with 32 points, 6 rebounds, Jose Alvardo added 23 points and Jonas Valanciunas tapped 18 points and 11 rebounds.
NBA March 26 results:
New Orleans Pelicans – San Antonio Spurs 103-107
Orlando Magic – Sacramento Kings 110-114 (OT)
Toronto Raptors – Indiana Pacers 131-91
Cleveland Cavaliers – Chicago Bulls 94-98
Miami Heat – Brooklyn Nets 95-110
Memphis Grizzlies – Milwaukee Bucks 127-102
Denver Nuggets – Oklahoma City Thunder 113-107
Portland Trail Blazers – Houston Rockets 98-115
NBA standings (via nba.com)
Eastern Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST 10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 46 | 27 | .630 | — | 27-17 | 6-9 | 21-16 | 25-11 | 3-1 | 7-3 | W 3 | |
|
2 Miami Heat |
47 | 28 | .627 | — | 30-16 | 11-2 | 26-12 | 21-16 | 1-3 | 4-6 | L 4 |
| 46 | 28 | .622 | 0.5 | 30-16 | 9-6 | 25-12 | 21-16 | 4-2 | 9-1 | W 5 | |
|
4 Milwaukee Bucks |
46 | 28 | .622 | 0.5 | 28-18 | 10-3 | 26-12 | 20-16 | 0-2 | 7-3 | L 1 |
|
5 Chicago Bulls |
43 | 31 | .581 | 3.5 | 28-18 | 10-5 | 26-10 | 17-21 | 0-1 | 4-6 | W 1 |
|
6 Toronto Raptors |
42 | 32 | .568 | 4.5 | 26-20 | 8-5 | 19-16 | 23-16 | 2-2 | 8-2 | W 2 |
|
7 Cleveland Cavaliers |
41 | 33 | .554 | 5.5 | 24-21 | 9-6 | 23-14 | 18-19 | 2-0 | 4-6 | L 3 |
|
8 Brooklyn Nets |
39 | 35 | .527 | 7.5 | 27-18 | 9-6 | 16-19 | 23-16 | 2-0 | 7-3 | W 1 |
| 38 | 36 | .514 | 8.5 | 22-23 | 6-7 | 20-18 | 18-18 | 0-7 | 7-3 | W 1 | |
| 37 | 37 | .500 | 9.5 | 22-24 | 8-6 | 24-14 | 13-23 | 0-1 | 6-4 | W 1 | |
| 32 | 42 | .432 | 14.5 | 17-27 | 4-10 | 15-21 | 17-21 | 1-2 | 6-4 | W 2 | |
| 31 | 42 | .425 | 15 | 23-23 | 6-7 | 18-18 | 13-24 | 3-1 | 2-8 | W 1 | |
|
13 Indiana Pacers – o |
25 | 50 | .333 | 22 | 11-35 | 2-13 | 16-21 | 9-29 | 4-4 | 3-7 | L 3 |
|
14 Detroit Pistons – o |
20 | 54 | .270 | 26.5 | 16-30 | 5-9 | 12-25 | 8-29 | 3-1 | 3-7 | L 1 |
|
15 Orlando Magic – o |
20 | 55 | .267 | 27 | 10-35 | 2-11 | 10-27 | 10-28 | 0-4 | 4-6 | L 2 |
Western Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST 10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 Phoenix Suns – w |
60 | 14 | .811 | — | 36-9 | 8-4 | 30-8 | 30-6 | 2-0 | 9-1 | W 7 |
|
2 Memphis Grizzlies – x |
52 | 23 | .693 | 8.5 | 32-14 | 9-5 | 27-10 | 25-13 | 2-1 | 8-2 | W 4 |
| 48 | 26 | .649 | 12 | 28-17 | 10-3 | 29-9 | 19-17 | 0-2 | 5-5 | L 1 | |
| 45 | 29 | .608 | 15 | 29-15 | 13-1 | 26-11 | 19-18 | 1-0 | 5-5 | L 3 | |
| 45 | 29 | .608 | 15 | 32-16 | 13-2 | 25-12 | 20-17 | 1-2 | 6-4 | L 1 | |
|
6 Denver Nuggets |
44 | 31 | .587 | 16.5 | 27-20 | 6-9 | 22-15 | 22-16 | 3-1 | 5-5 | W 1 |
| 43 | 32 | .573 | 17.5 | 29-20 | 11-4 | 25-13 | 18-19 | 2-1 | 7-3 | W 1 | |
|
8 LA Clippers |
36 | 39 | .480 | 24.5 | 21-26 | 7-7 | 20-16 | 16-23 | 0-3 | 2-8 | L 5 |
| 31 | 42 | .425 | 28.5 | 16-27 | 3-11 | 20-18 | 11-24 | 7-2 | 3-7 | L 1 | |
|
10 New Orleans Pelicans |
31 | 43 | .419 | 29 | 20-24 | 6-9 | 17-21 | 14-22 | 1-2 | 4-6 | L 1 |
|
11 San Antonio Spurs |
30 | 44 | .405 | 30 | 20-24 | 5-8 | 14-23 | 16-21 | 1-3 | 6-4 | W 3 |
|
12 Portland Trail Blazers |
27 | 47 | .365 | 33 | 11-33 | 1-12 | 17-21 | 10-26 | 0-1 | 2-8 | L 3 |
|
13 Sacramento Kings |
27 | 48 | .360 | 33.5 | 17-29 | 5-8 | 16-23 | 11-25 | 2-1 | 3-7 | W 2 |
|
14 Oklahoma City Thunder – o |
21 | 53 | .284 | 39 | 14-32 | 4-9 | 10-27 | 11-26 | 3-1 | 1-9 | L 1 |
|
15 Houston Rockets – o |
20 | 55 | .267 | 40.5 | 11-37 | 3-12 | 11-25 | 9-30 | 2-1 | 4-6 | W 2 |
*w – clinched Western Conference
*x – clinched playoffs berth
*o – eliminated from playoffs contention
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