By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
In a thrilling matchup, Nikola Vucevic showcased his prowess, leading a short-handed Chicago Bulls to a 120-113 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks.
Despite missing key players Zach Lavine and DeMar DeRozan, Vucevic’s season-high 29 points, coupled with 10 rebounds and six assists, secured the Bulls‘ sixth win of the season. Since entering the league, Vucevic has been leading the NBA in double-doubles.
“It is only one win,” Vucevic acknowledged. “But it’s significant for us given the way the season’s been going, the way we haven’t played really good basketball.”
Giannis Antetokounmpo, with 26 points and 14 rebounds, led the Bucks, who fell short after an impressive run of eight wins in nine games.
Meanwhile, Jeremy Sochan’s career-high 33 points and Victor Wembanyama’s stellar performance with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks weren’t enough for the struggling San Antonio Spurs.
Despite their efforts, Trae Young guided the Atlanta Hawks to a narrow 137-135 victory, marking the Spurs‘ 13th consecutive defeat and a 3-15 record, reminiscent of their struggles in 1996.
Wembanyama, questionable to play, was cleared to play 90 minutes before tip-off. However, a tightness in his right hip might sideline him for the upcoming match against New Orleans.
“It’s a very good offensive team,” Wembanyama remarked. “There are many things we need to guard. To be honest, we still need to be 100% focused on the scouting report for the whole game. At the end, we suffered from it.”
Elsewhere, the Detroit Pistons faced their 16th consecutive defeat, succumbing to the New York Knicks 118-112, despite Killian Hayes’s 23-point performance.
In other games, Rudy Gobert’s double-double (15 points, 13 rebounds) propelled Minnesota to a 101-90 victory over Utah, with Simone Fontecchio leading the Jazz with 16 points. Additionally, Dario Saric led the Golden State Warriors to a 120-114 triumph over the LA Clippers, outshining fellow countryman Ivica Zubac, who recorded a double-double of 18 points and 13 rebounds.
NBA results:
Cleveland – Portland 95-103 (Camara 9p)
Brooklyn – Charlotte 128-129
Miami – Indiana 142-132
New York – Detroit 118-112 (Hartenstein 2p – Hayes 23p)
Chicago – Milwaukee 120-113 OT (Vucevic 29p, 10r – Antetokounmpo 26p, 14r)
Minnesota – Utah 101-90 (Gobert 15p, 13r – Fontecchio 16p, Samanic 2p, Yurtseven 2p, 7r)
Oklahoma – LA Lakers 133-110
San Antonio – Atlanta 135-137 (Sochan 33p, 8r, Wemby 21p, 12r, Osman 3p – Bogdanovic 14p, Capela 12p, 9r)
Golden State – LA Clippers 120-114 (Saric 13p – Zubac 18p, 13r, Theis 10p, Diabate 2p)
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Boston Celtics 14-4
2. Orlando Magic 13-5
3. Milwaukee Bucks 13-6
4. Philadelphia 76ers 12-6
5. New York Knicks 11-7
6. Miami Heat 11-8
7. Indiana Pacers 9-8
8. Cleveland Cavaliers 10-9
9. Atlanta Hawks 9-9
10. Brooklyn Nets 9-9
11. Toronto Raptors 9-10
12. Charlotte Hornets 6-11
13. Chicago Bulls 6-14
14. Washington Wizards 3-15
15. Detroit Pistons 2-17
Western Conference
1. Minnesota Timberwolves 14-4
2. Denver Nuggets 13-6
3. Oklahoma City Thunder 12-6
4. Dallas Mavericks 11-6
5. Phoenix Suns 11-7
6. Sacramento Kings 10-7
7. Los Angeles Lakers 10-9
8. New Orleans Pelicans 10-9
9. Houston Rockets 8-8
10. Golden State Warriors 9-10
11. Los Angeles Clippers 8-10
12. Portland Trail Blazers 6-12
13. Utah Jazz 6-13
14. Memphis Grizzlies 4-13
15. San Antonio Spurs 3-15
-Teams ranking first through sixth advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams ranking seventh through tenth compete in the Play-Ins