By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Denver Nuggets crushed Memphis Grizzlies 105-91 after another unique game from Nikola Jokic.
The Serbian center posted his sixth triple-double with 13 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists and tied Luka Doncic for the most triple-doubles this season.
This kind of performance was seen just twice in the last 40 years, as only Magic Johnson and Larry Bird recorded exactly 13/13/13 games.
The Joker led the team from Colorado to their 19th victory this season (19-11), and after 30 games, he leads the league with the highest plus-minus, at an impressive +218.
Vlatko Cancar scored three points, with seven rebounds for the Nuggets, while Santi Aldama got six and three rebounds for the losing side.
Lauri Markkanen had another dominant performance, scoring 38 points in Utah Jazz’s 126-111 win over Detroit Pistons.
He was unstoppable, as he shot 9 for 13 from beyond the arc, which was his career high, with just seven misses from the field overall (13/20).
Bojan Bogdanovic was amongst the top scorers of the Pistons with 15 points, while talented Killian Hayes added four points, four rebounds, and five assists.
Chicago Bulls returned to winning after four straight losses with a 113-103 win against Miami Heat.
Nikola Vucevic led the Bulls with 29 points and 12 rebounds, while Goran Dragic scored eight points for the winning team. Nikola Jovic barely played for the Heat and stayed without any points.
Washington Wizards surprised the Phoenix Suns at Arizona with a 113-110 win.
Kristaps Porzingis was out for the winning side, but Deni Avdija had a great game with 16 points, ten rebounds, and four assists.
Results:
Detroit Pistons – Utah Jazz 111-126 (Bogdanovic 15p, Hayes 4p – Markkanen 38p)
Miami Heat – Chicago Bulls 103-113 (Vucevic 29p, 12r, Dragic 8p)
New York Knicks – Golden State Warriors 132-94 (Mykhailiuk 5, Hartenstein 2)
Phoenix Suns – Washington Wizards 110-113 (Avdija 16p, 10r)
Denver Nuggets – Memphis Grizzlies 105-91 (Jokic 13p, 13r, 13as, Cancar 3p, 7r – Aldama 6p, 3r)
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Milwaukee Bucks 22-8
2. Boston Celtics 22-9
3. Cleveland Cavs 21-11
4. Brooklyn Nets 19-12
5. Philadelphia 76ers 17-12
6. NY Knicks 18-13
7. Miami Heat 16-16
8. Atlanta Hawks 16-15
9. Indiana Pacers 15-16
10. Toronto Raptors 13-18
11. Chicago Bulls 12-18
12. Washington Wizards 12-20
13. Orlando Magic 11-21
14. Charlotte Hornets 8-23
15. Detroit Pistons 8-25
Western Conference
1. Denver Nuggets 19-11
2. Memphis Grizzlies 19-11
3. Phoenix Suns 19-13
4. New Orleans Pelicans 18-12
5. LA Clippers 18-14
6. Sacramento 16-13
7. Portland Trailblazers 17-14
8. Minnesota Timberwolves 16-15
9. Utah Jazz 18-16
10. Dallas Mavs 15-16
11. Golden State 15-17
12. LA Lakers 13-17
13. Oklahoma City Thunder 13-18
14. San Antonio Spurs 10-20
15. Houston Rockets 9-21