By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Serbian Nikola Jokic had his 77th career triple-double with 26 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists playing with a sore right wrist he had taped, and Denver edged Golden State 128-123 in a rematch of the team’s first-round playoff series won by the Warriors in five games on their way to the title.
“My biggest challenge for Nikola is always finding a way to use his voice and be a leader,” Malone said. “This is his team. He’s a great player, and what makes him great is he makes every one of those guys better. And that chemistry is only going to continue to get better and better as the season goes along. But tonight was a great example of what it has the potential to be.”
Jordan Poole made a backcourt steal from Bones Hyland and scored with 14.7 seconds left to get Golden State to 124-123 then Bruce Brown dunked immediately off a long pass by the Serb center. The Warriors had another chance and Klay Thompson missed a potential tying 3 from the top with 9.3 seconds to go.
Jokic secured the rebound and then converted two free throws.
“He’s everybody’s kryptonite,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “He’s a two-time MVP for a reason.”
Stephen Curry scored 34 points with five 3-pointers after a second straight slow start shooting and has 30-point performances in his first two games.
Another European big man, Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas had 30 points and 17 rebounds, and the New Orleans Pelicans spoiled the Charlotte Hornets’ home opener with a wire-to-wire 124-112 victory.
Brandon Ingram was solid all around with 28 points, nine rebounds and seven assists for the Pelicans and C.J. McCollum had 21 points. Zion Williamson had a quiet night in his first game at the Spectrum Center since leading Duke to the 2019 ACC Championship, finishing with 16 points on 7-of-19 shooting.
On a European bigs duel, the Jazz outlasted Rudy Gobert and the Timberwolves 132-126 on Friday night.
Lauri Markkanen had 24 points and 13 rebounds and got a leaner in the lane to fall with 12 seconds left in the extra period to put the Jazz up by four.
Gobert finished with nine points and 23 rebounds and missed two crucial free throws to leave the Jazz lead at 128-126.
Austrian Jacob Poelt also did his duty with 21 points, eight rebounds and five assists as the Spurs beat Indiana 137-134.
The rest of the games were the following:
Washington – Chicago 102-100 (Porzingis 14 p. 3 r., Avdjia 6 p. 10 r. 4 as – Vucevic 24 p. 8 r., Dragic 7 p. 5 as.)
Atlanta – Orlando 108-98 (Capela 8 p. 7 r. – Banchero 20 p. 12 r., F.Wagner 14 p. 8 r.)
Houston – Memphis 122-129 (Sengun 23 p. 12 r. – Aldama 8 p. 9 r.)
New York – Detroit 130-106 (Fournier 8, Hartenstein 6 p. 11 r., Mykhailiuk 3 – Bogdanovic 18 p.)
Portland – Phoenix 113-111 (Nurkic 20 p. 17 r.)
Brooklyn – Toronto 109-105
Miami – Boston 104-111
2022-23 STANDINGS
EAST
WEST
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