By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Overcoming Kevin Durant’s 55 points, the Atlanta Hawks secured the win, 122-115, versus the Brooklyn Nets in a key fixture of the latest NBA Saturdays edition. Bench players providing 46 players included Italian Danilo Gallinari with 15 points and Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic registering eight points. Starting for the Hawks, French Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot added 11 points and Swiss Clint Capela paired nine points with 12 rebounds. The visitors wasting Durant’s career-high previously placed Slovenian Goran Dragic in the league’s health and safety protocols.
Rallying behind a 24-4 finishing run, the Golden State Warriors edged the Utah Jazz, 111-107, and clinched a playoff berth Saturday. Serbian Nemanja Bjelica chipped in three points, three rebounds, and one assist. At the opposite end, French Rudy Gobert posted a 14-point, 20-rebound double-double, while Croatian Bojan Bogdanovic scored 17 points and Spanish Juancho Hernangomez ended up with five points.
The Eastern Conference leaders Miami Heat prevailed, 127-109, versus the Chicago Bulls. In a brief showing, Turkish Omer Yurtseven squeezed in two points and one rebound. Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic logged a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double in the losing effort with fellow Montenegrin Marko Simonovic staying on a G League assignment.
Saturday results:
Philadelphia 76ers – Charlotte Hornets 144-114
New York Knicks – Cleveland Cavaliers 101-119
Atlanta Hawks – Brooklyn Nets 122-115
Chicago Bulls – Miami Heat 109-127
Golden State Warriors – Utah Jazz 111-107
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. y-Miami Heat 50-28
2. y-Milwaukee Bucks 48-29
3. y-Boston Celtics 48-30
4. Philadelphia 76ers 47-30
5. Toronto Raptors 45-32
6. Chicago Bulls 45-33
7. Cleveland Cavaliers 43-35
8. Atlanta Hawks 41-37
9. p-Charlotte Hornets 40-38
10. p-Brooklyn Nets 40-38
11. x-Washington Wizards 34-43
12. x-New York Knicks 34-44
13. x-Indiana Pacers 25-53
14. x-Detroit Pistons 22-56
15. x-Orlando Magic 20-58
Western Conference
1. y-Phoenix Suns 62-15
2. y-Memphis Grizzlies 55-23
3. y-Golden State Warriors 49-29
4. y-Dallas Mavericks 48-30
5. Utah Jazz 46-32
6. Denver Nuggets 46-32
7. Minnesota Timberwolves 44-34
8. p-Los Angeles Clippers 38-40
9. New Orleans Pelicans 34-43
10. San Antonio Spurs 32-45
11. Los Angeles Lakers 31-46
12. Sacramento Kings 29-49
13. x-Portland Trail Blazers 27-50
14. x-Oklahoma City Thunder 22-55
15. x-Houston Rockets 20-58
y-clinched Playoff berth
p-clinched Play-In berth
x-eliminated
Photo Credit: Getty Images