By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Orlando is the hottest team in the NBA at the moment, and Franz Wagner just might be the hottest player. The German player led the Magic to their ninth consecutive win as they defeated the Washington Wizards 130-125.
The younger of the Wagner brothers finished the match with 31 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists, marking his third straight game with over 30 points.
In tying the franchise record for consecutive wins, Paolo Banchero followed him with 28 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists, while Franz’s brother Moritz finished the match with 18 points.
“Look at Franz and look at Paolo. They can manipulate the game because they are so big, so strong, and just (play) downhill. They are a problem,” Kyle Kuzma said after facing the in-form team from Florida.
The Denver Nuggets notched their fourth straight win despite injury problems. They defeated the Phoenix Suns 111-119 on the road, with Nikola Jokic dominating yet again.
The Serbian center finished the match with 21 points and 16 rebounds, marking his ninth career game with 20+ points and 15+ assists. All five Nugget’s starters had 15 or more points.
“That’s our play style,” Jokic said. “When we make shots like that, it’s much easier for us to have a good game. I think we create open looks – it’s just a matter of if we’re going to make it or not.”
On the other side, Jusuf Nurkic also had a great game, scoring 31 points against his former team, and even Kevin Durant followed him with 30 points and 11 assists, but it wasn’t enough against the defending champs. Durant even moved to 10th on the all-time scoring list, passing Moses Malone with 27,423 points.
In other games, Memphis defeated Dallas 94-108, with Luka Doncic out for the Mavs and Santi Aldama reaching a double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds for the winning side.
Victor Wembanyama was sidelined during another San Antonio Spurs defeat. They fell on the road to New Orleans 121-106, with Jonas Valanciunas scoring 24 points with 12 rebounds for the Pelicans.
NBA results:
Orlando – Washington 130-125 (F. Wagner 31p, M. Wagner 18p, Bitadze 3p – Coulibaly 12p, Gallinari 7p, Avdija 6p)
Boston – Philadelphia 125-119 (Quepta 5p)
Dallas – Memphis 94-108 (Aldama 17p, 12r)
Toronto – New York 106-119 (Poeltl 12p, 12r, Schroder 10p, 9as, Anunoby 9p – Hartenstein 4p, 8r)
New Orleans – San Antonio 121-106 (Valanciunas 24p, 12r – Sochan 12p, Osman 11p, Mamukelashvili 3p)
Phoenix – Denver 111-119 (Nurkic 31p – 21p, 16as)
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Boston Celtics 15-4
2. Orlando Magic 14-5
3. Milwaukee Bucks 13-6
4. Philadelphia 76ers 12-7
5. New York Knicks 12-7
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 9-11
12. Charlotte Hornets 6-11
13. Chicago Bulls 6-14
14. Washington Wizards 3-16
15. Detroit Pistons 2-17
Western Conference
1. Minnesota Timberwolves 14-4
2. Denver Nuggets 14-6
3. Oklahoma City Thunder 12-6
4. Dallas Mavericks 11-7
5. Sacramento Kings 10-7
6. Phoenix Suns 11-8
7. Los Angeles Lakers 11-9
8. New Orleans Pelicans 11-9
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 5-13
15. San Antonio Spurs 3-16
-Teams ranking first through sixth advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams ranking seventh through tenth compete in the Play-Ins