By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Dennis Schroder led Toronto with 24 point, but the Orlando Magic won their fourth straight, 126-107. Paolo Banchero scored 25 points, while the German duo of Franz Wagner (17 p.) and Mo Wagner (10 p.) outscored their teammate in the German national team and fellow FIBA World Champion Schroder.
Georgian big man Goga Bitadze added five points, seven rebounds and six assists for the winners, while for Toronto Austrian center Jakob Poelt had a double-double (10 p. 10 r.) and Brit O.G.Anunoby scored 11 points.
It was the Magic’s second win in three tournament games. They will conclude their group play with a home game Friday against Boston, the current East Group C leader at 2-0. The Raptors dropped to 0-2 in the tournament.
In Atlanta, Tyrese Haliburton scored 37 points, Buddy Hield hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer in the final minute and the Indiana Pacers beat the Atlanta Hawks 157-152 to clinch a spot in the NBA In-Season Tournament quarterfinals.
Serbian sharshooter Bogdan Bogdanovic had 26 points on 10-for-15 shooting for the losing side and Swiss big man Clint Capela added 14 points and five rebounds.
Atlanta secured the spot due to the Cleveland’s 122-119 overtime win in Philadelphia, despite still missing Donovan Mitchell, Caris LeVert and Isaac Okoro due to injury.Darius Garland scored 32 points and Jarrett Allen added 26
Darius Garland scored 32 points and Jarrett Allen added 26 made the difference, while French Nicolas Batum scored five points for the Sixers.
The Suns beat the Blazers 120-107 with Kevin Durant scoring 31 points and Bosnian Beast Jusuf Nurkic adding a double-double (18 p. 12 r.).
Belgian rookie Tumani Camara had seven points for Portland and French rookie Rayan Rupert added one assist and one steal.
Last but not least, the Lakers destroyed the Jazz 131-99 and also qualified for the in-season tournament quarterfinals. Seven players scored in double digits for the winning side, with LeBron James having 17 points, becoming the first NBA player in history to score more than 39.000 points in his career and also getting the seventh spot in the All-Time list of made threes.
Turkish center Omer Yurtseven with 18 points and six rebounds was the top scorer of Utah, but his numbers were registered when the game was already decided. Finland’s pride Lauri Markkanen had 10 points, Italian Simone Fontecchio added 11 and Croatian Luka Samanic had three rebounds and one assist.
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Boston Celtics 11-3
2. Milwaukee Bucks 10-4
3. Philadelphia 76ers 10-4
4. Miami Heat 9-5
5. Orlando Magic 9-5
6. Indiana Pacers 8-5
7. New York Knicks 8-6
8. Cleveland Cavaliers 8-6
9. Atlanta Hawks 6-7
10. Brooklyn Nets 6-7
11. Toronto Raptors 6-8
12. Chicago Bulls 5-10
13. Charlotte Hornets 4-9
14. Washington Wizards 2-11
15. Detroit Pistons 2-13
Western Conference
1. Minnesota Timberwolves 10-3
2. Denver Nuggets 10-4
3. Oklahoma City Thunder 10-4
4. Dallas Mavericks 9-5
5. Sacramento Kings 8-5
6. Los Angeles Lakers 9-6
7. Phoenix Suns 8-6
8. Houston Rockets 6-6
9. New Orleans Pelicans 7-7
10. Golden State Warriors 7-8
11. Los Angeles Clippers 5-7
12. Utah Jazz 4-10
13. Memphis Grizzlies 3-10
14. Portland Trail Blazers 3-11
15. San Antonio Spurs 3-11