By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Luka Dončic had another great game, but Dallas Mavericks fell short in New Orleans 111-113. The Slovenian star was three assists away from a triple-double with 37 points and 11 rebounds against Willie Green’s team and also missed the last shot which could have won the game.
The Pelicans entered the game missing two important players Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, as well as Herb Jones.
Led by Trey Murphy with 22 points, New Orleans now has a 4-1 record, while Mavs are 1-2. Lithuanian big man Jonas Valančiunas scored 13 points and grabbed seven rebounds for the winning team, while former Real Madrid guard Facundo Campazzo scored three points on his debut for Dallas.
In what was supposed to be the game of the night, Phoenix Suns crushed defending champions Golden State Warriors 134-105. They took a 19-point lead after the third period and finished off Steve Kerr’s team with 11 consecutive points within the second part of the final quarter, while Klay Thompson was already ejected.
Devin Booker shined with 34 points for the winning team, while former Partizan and Zalgiris player Jock Landale scored 17 points. On the other side, Stephen Curry had 21 points.
Washington was dominant against Detroit in their Capital One Arena 120-99. Kyle Kuzma led the Wizards with 25 points, while Latvian national team player Kristaps Porzingis added 20. The young star from Israel Deni Avdija finished the game with nine points and seven rebounds.
Croatian Bojan Bogdanović scored 25 points for the Pistons, while talented French player Killian Hayes only managed to add two rebounds for 16 minutes spent on the court.
Oklahoma surprised Los Angeles Clippers with a 108-94 win. Talented Serbian and ex-Olympiacos player Aleksej Pokuševski spent 16 minutes in play for the winning side, and scored six points, with four rebounds and two assists. Young French forward Ousmane Dieng added two points.
Croatian center Ivica Zubac was among the best among the Clippers with a double-double of 10 points and 14 boards. Experienced French player Nicolas Batum added eight points and four rebounds.
Washington Wizards – Detroit Pistons 120-99 (Bogdanović 25p, Porzingis 20p)
New Orleans Pelicans – Dallas Mavericks 113-111 (Dončić 37p)
Oklahoma City Thunder – LA Clippers 108-94 (Pokuševski 6p – Zubac 10p, Batum 8p)
Phoenix Suns – Golden State Warriors 134-105
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Milwaukee Bucks 2-0
2. Boston Celtics 3-1
3. Washington Wizards 3-1
4. Cleveland Cavaliers 2-1
5. New York Knicks 2-1
6. Charlotte Hornets 2-1
7. Atlanta Hawks 2-1
8. Toronto Raptors 2-2
9. Chicago Bulls 2-2
10. Brooklyn Nets 1-2
11. Detroit Pistons 1-3
12. Philadelphia 76ers 1-3
13. Indiana Pacers 1-3
14. Miami Heat 1-3
15. Orlando Magic 0-4
Western Conference
1. Portland Trail Blazers 4-0
2. Utah Jazz 3-1
3. San Antonio Spurs 3-1
4. Memphis Grizzlies 3-1
5. New Orleans Pelicans 3-1
6. Phoenix Suns 3-1
7. Golden State Warriors 2-2
8. Los Angeles Clippers 2-2
9. Minnesota Timberwolves 2-2
10. Denver Nuggets 2-2
11. Dallas Mavericks 1-2
12. Oklahoma City Thunder 1-3
13. Houston Rockets 1-3
14. Sacramento Kings 0-3
15. Los Angeles Lakers 0-3