By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Opening the NBA Sundays schedule, limited to two early games on Super Bowl Sunday, the Boston Celtics defeated the Memphis Grizzlies, 119-109, at TD Garden.
With Jaylen Brown, Marcus Smart, and Malcolm Brogdon sidelined alongside Italian Danilo Gallinari (left knee), Derrick White combined his game-high 23 points with ten assists for his second straight double-double, third overall in the 2022-23 NBA Regular Season. Sam Hauser added six triples and a total of 20 points. Jayson Tatum and Al Horford chipped in 16 points apiece.
The lone European active player of the game, Spanish Santi Aldama came off the bench for nine points, seven rebounds, two blocks, one steal, and one assist over 28 minutes. Grizzlies star Ja Morant had 25 points, seven assists, and six rebounds in the losing effort.
Mishandling an early double-digit advantage and using a late surge to eventually bank in the fourth win in a row, the Celtics improved to 41-16. They currently enjoy a 1.5-game lead over the Milwaukee Bucks and Giannis Antetokounmpo, sitting second in the Eastern Conference table.
Jakob Poeltl starts
In Scotiabank Arena, the Toronto Raptors held off the Detroit Pistons and Bojan Bogdanovic to prevail, 119-118.
Austrian Jakob Poeltl had six points, five rebounds, three blocks, two steals, and one assist in his first start since returning to Toronto via trade from the San Antonio Spurs. Spanish Juancho Hernangomez did not leave the bench and British O.G. Anunoby (wrist) remained on the injury list.
Experienced Croatian forward, Bogdanovic logged 33 points with 10/18 field goals to go with five rebounds, three assists, and one block. French Killian Hayes also started but was held to 1/10 shots and two points while registering five assists, four rebounds, and one block.
2022-23 STANDINGS
EAST
| TEAM | W | L | LAST 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| BOSTON | 41 | 16 | |
| 39 | 17 | ||
| 36 | 19 | ||
| 37 | 22 | ||
| 33 | 23 | ||
| MIAMI | 32 | 25 | |
| NEW YORK | 31 | 27 | |
| ATLANTA | 29 | 28 | |
| 26 | 29 | ||
| 27 | 31 | ||
| 26 | 30 | ||
| 25 | 33 | ||
| ORLANDO | 23 | 34 | |
| CHARLOTTE | 15 | 42 | |
| DETROIT | 15 | 44 |
WEST
| TEAM | W | L | LAST 10 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DENVER | 39 | 18 | |
| MEMPHIS | 34 | 22 | |
| 3 SACRAMENTO | 32 | 24 | |
| 31 | 27 | ||
| 31 | 27 | ||
| 31 | 28 | ||
| 29 | 28 | ||
| 30 | 29 | 6-4 | |
| 9 GOLDEN STATE | 28 | 28 | 5-5 |
| 27 | 28 | ||
| 28 | 30 | ||
| 27 | 29 | ||
| 26 | 31 | ||
| 14 | 43 | ||
| 13 | 43 |
-Top six teams of each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seeded 7th to 10th will compete in Play-In tournament
Photo Credit: Getty Images