By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With the group stage of the In-Season Tournament concluding, Luka Doncic was determined to eliminate the Houston Rockets from the Quarterfinals. The Dallas Mavericks were already out of contention.
The Slovenian star ended up with 41 points behind 15/29 field goals in American Airlines Center on Tuesday. His nine rebounds and nine assists fell narrowly short of a triple-double. He also registered two steals. German teammate Maxi Kleber (right small toe dislocation) remained sidelined.
Turkish Alperen Sengun setting his season-high at 31 points was not enough for the visitors. Besides 10/19 field goals, he tallied nine rebounds, six assists, and one block. Serbian Boban Marjanovic did not play.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and Rudy Gobert dominate
At Kaseya Center, Giannis Antetokounmpo poured in 33 points as the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Miami Heat, 131-124. He made 11/16 from the field, drew up a double-double with ten rebounds, and added five assists, three steals, and one block to his tally. His brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo did not check in for action, nor did Serbian Nikola Jovic for the losing side.
Elsewhere in the NBA Regular Season, the Western Conference leaders Minnesota Timberwolves topped the Oklahoma City Thunder, 106-103. French Rudy Gobert posted a 17-point, 16-rebound double-double adding four blocks and one steal in Target Center. Bosnian Luka Garza did not suit up.
For the Thunder, French Ousmane Dieng grabbed one rebound in two minutes. Latvian Davis Bertans, French Olivier Sarr, and Serbian Vasilije Micic did not leave the bench, while Serbian Aleksej Pokusevski was on assignment with the Oklahoma City Blue.
More action and European showings
Boston Celtics – Chicago Bulls 124-97 (Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk 0pts, Neemias Queta DNP, Kristaps Porzingis INJ – Nikola Vucevic 8pts, 8reb, 2ast, 2stl, 1blk, Onuralp Bitim INA)
Brooklyn Nets – Toronto Raptors 115-103 (Dennis Schroder 14pts, 9ast, 5reb, 1stl, O.G. Anunoby 10pts, 3reb, 2ast, Jakob Poeltl 6pts, 9reb, 4ast, 2blk, 1stl)
Cleveland Cavaliers – Atlanta Hawks 128-105 (Ricky Rubio INA – Bogdan Bogdanovic 18pts, 6reb, 2stl, 1ast, Clint Capela 14pts, 9reb, 2stl, 2blk)
New York Knicks – Charlotte Hornets 115-91 (Isaiah Hartenstein 4pts, 6reb, 2ast, Evan Fournier DNP – Theo Maledon 2ast, Frank Ntilikina INJ)
Sacramento Kings – Golden State Warriors 124-123 (Domantas Sabonis 9pts, 10ast, 8reb, 1stl, Sasha Vezenkov 8pts, 4reb, 2blk, 1ast, Alex Len INJ – Dario Saric 10pts, 3ast, 2reb, Usman Garuba INJ)
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Boston Celtics 14-4
2. Milwaukee Bucks 13-5
3. Orlando Magic 12-5
4. Philadelphia 76ers 12-5
5. New York Knicks 10-7
6. Indiana Pacers 9-7
7. Miami Heat 10-8
8. Cleveland Cavaliers 10-8
9. Brooklyn Nets 9-8
10. Atlanta Hawks 8-9
11. Toronto Raptors 8-10
12. Charlotte Hornets 5-11
13. Chicago Bulls 5-14
14. Washington Wizards 3-14
15. Detroit Pistons 2-15
Western Conference
1. Minnesota Timberwolves 13-4
2. Denver Nuggets 12-6
3. Dallas Mavericks 11-6
4. Phoenix Suns 11-6
5. Oklahoma City Thunder 11-6
6. Sacramento Kings 10-6
7. Los Angeles Lakers 10-8
8. Houston Rockets 8-7
9. New Orleans Pelicans 9-9
10. Golden State Warriors 8-10
11. Los Angeles Clippers 7-9
12. Utah Jazz 6-11
13. Portland Trail Blazers 5-12
14. Memphis Grizzlies 3-13
15. San Antonio Spurs 3-14
-Teams ranking first through sixth advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams ranking seventh through tenth compete in the Play-Ins
In-Season Tournament
Eastern Conference
Group A
1. y-Indiana Pacers 4-0
2. Cleveland Cavaliers 3-1
3. Philadelphia 76ers 2-2
4. Atlanta Hawks 1-3
5. Detroit Pistons 0-4
Group B
1. y-Milwaukee Bucks 4-0
2. y-New York Knicks 3-1
3. Miami Heat 2-2
4. Charlotte Hornets 1-3
5. Washington Wizards 0-4
Group C
1. y-Boston Celtics 3-1
2. Orlando Magic 3-1
3. Brooklyn Nets 3-1
4. Toronto Raptors 1-3
5. Chicago Bulls 0-4
Western Conference
Group A
1. y-Los Angeles Lakers 4-0
2. y-Phoenix Suns 3-1
3. Utah Jazz 2-2
4. Portland Trail Blazers 1-3
5. Memphis Grizzlies 0-4
Group B
1. y-New Orleans Pelicans 3-1
2. Houston Rockets 2-2
3. Dallas Mavericks 2-2
4. Denver Nuggets 2-2
5. Los Angeles Clippers 1-3
Group C
1. y-Sacramento Kings 4-0
2. Minnesota Timberwolves 3-1
3. Golden State Warriors 2-2
4. Oklahoma City Thunder 1-3
5. San Antonio Spurs 0-4
y-clinched berth in Quarterfinals
Quarterfinals
Indiana Pacers – Boston Celtics
Sacramento Kings – New Orleans Pelicans
Milwaukee Bucks – New York Knicks
Los Angeles Lakers – Phoenix Suns
Photo Credit: Getty Images