By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Alperen Sengun scored a career-high 37 points, grabbed 14 rebounds and dished out six assists as the Houston Rockets beat the Utah Jazz 127-126 in overtime
Sengun also made the two free throws that tied the game at 115 with 20 seconds to play in regulation. He went 0 – 2 in the extra period with his team up 127 – 126 and eight seconds remaining and then Jordan Clarkson missed the shot to win the game for the Jazz.
“I don’t remember if we won in overtime since I’ve been here the past three years,” Sengun said. The Turkish big man shot 15 – 26 from the field on the way to his new individual scoring record. “So, that meant a lot. We’ve grown up a lot. We played hard, we don’t want to lose in our house, and we got the win.”
Lauri Markkanen finished with 22 points plus nine rebounds for the Jazz while Simone Fontecchio had 10 points plus seven boards.
Victor Wembanyama returned to action and the San Antonio Spurs got back to wins. The French rookie star posted 24 points, eight rebounds, six blocks and four assists to lead his team past the Washington Wizards 131 – 127 after four straight losses.
He had seven of his points in the last five minutes, when the Spurs came back from down 12 (109-121) to get the victory.
“Playing as a team again,” Wembanyama said on his team’s comeback. “I think we were slow. I was very slow. My legs were heavy tonight. And getting some stops. We relaxed and I could feel the shift from all my teammates — me included — in the fourth quarter and fortunately, it worked. Everyone was involved.”
Deni Avdija contributed 17 points, six rebounds and four assists to the Wizards. Wemby’s former teammate in France Bilal Coulibaly had 14 points.
In the day’s opening game, Giannis Antetokounmpo came one assist short of the triple-double in a win for the Milwaukee Bucks over struggling Detroit Pistons .
The rest of Saturday’s (20/1) NBA Results and notable Euro performers:
Charlotte Hornets – Philadelphia 76ers 89 – 97
Atlanta Hawks – Cleveland Cavaliers 95 – 116 (Bogdan Bogdanovic 14 points, Clint Capela six points/nine rebounds)
New York Knicks – Toronto Raptors 126 – 100 (
Chicago Bulls – Memphis Grizzlies 125 – 96 (Nikola Vucevic 11 points/11 rebounds, Santi Aldama five points/eight rebounds)
Minnesota Timberwolves – Oklahoma City Thunder 97 – 102 (Rudy Gobert seven points/18 rebounds)
Standings (via NBA.com):
Eastern Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1
Boston Celtics |
32 | 10 | .762 | — | 23-6 | 11-1 | 20-1 | 12-9 | 2-3 | 6-4 | L 1 |
| 2
Milwaukee Bucks |
29 | 13 | .690 | 3 | 22-11 | 7-6 | 19-4 | 10-9 | 2-1 | 5-5 | W 1 |
| 3
Philadelphia 76ers |
28 | 13 | .683 | 3.5 | 19-10 | 5-3 | 16-6 | 12-7 | 0-2 | 6-4 | W 5 |
| 4
Cleveland Cavaliers |
25 | 15 | .625 | 6 | 17-9 | 5-3 | 15-8 | 10-7 | 2-0 | 8-2 | W 7 |
| 5
New York Knicks |
26 | 17 | .605 | 6.5 | 18-10 | 5-3 | 14-5 | 12-12 | 0-0 | 8-2 | W 3 |
| 6
Miami Heat |
24 | 18 | .571 | 8 | 18-12 | 9-1 | 12-8 | 12-10 | 1-0 | 5-5 | L 2 |
| 7
Indiana Pacers |
24 | 18 | .571 | 8 | 20-11 | 9-2 | 13-8 | 11-10 | 0-0 | 6-4 | L 1 |
| 8
Orlando Magic |
22 | 20 | .524 | 10 | 16-12 | 5-4 | 13-6 | 9-14 | 1-1 | 3-7 | L 2 |
| 9
Chicago Bulls |
21 | 23 | .477 | 12 | 13-16 | 3-6 | 14-10 | 7-13 | 4-2 | 6-4 | W 2 |
| 10
Atlanta Hawks |
18 | 24 | .429 | 14 | 12-20 | 6-5 | 8-12 | 10-12 | 2-1 | 5-5 | L 1 |
| 11
Brooklyn Nets |
17 | 24 | .415 | 14.5 | 13-13 | 1-4 | 10-10 | 7-14 | 0-3 | 2-8 | W 1 |
| 12
Toronto Raptors |
16 | 27 | .372 | 16.5 | 10-20 | 0-11 | 10-11 | 6-16 | 1-1 | 3-7 | L 2 |
| 13
Charlotte Hornets |
9 | 31 | .225 | 22 | 7-19 | 3-6 | 5-14 | 4-17 | 1-1 | 2-8 | L 1 |
| 14
Washington Wizards |
7 | 34 | .171 | 24.5 | 5-27 | 2-9 | 3-15 | 4-19 | 0-0 | 1-9 | L 3 |
| 15
Detroit Pistons |
4 | 38 | .095 | 28 | 4-21 | 1-8 | 2-19 | 2-19 | 0-2 | 1-9 | L 2 |
Western Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1
Minnesota Timberwolves |
30 | 12 | .714 | — | 21-7 | 5-2 | 17-3 | 13-9 | 1-1 | 6-4 | L 1 |
| 2
Oklahoma City Thunder |
29 | 13 | .690 | 1 | 17-10 | 8-2 | 16-5 | 13-8 | 2-0 | 6-4 | W 2 |
| 3
Denver Nuggets |
29 | 14 | .674 | 1.5 | 17-10 | 2-4 | 17-4 | 12-10 | 0-0 | 6-4 | W 1 |
| 4
LA Clippers |
26 | 14 | .650 | 3 | 20-11 | 6-3 | 17-4 | 9-10 | 0-1 | 8-2 | W 1 |
| 5
New Orleans Pelicans |
25 | 18 | .581 | 5.5 | 17-16 | 5-6 | 13-9 | 12-9 | 0-1 | 6-4 | L 1 |
| 6
Dallas Mavericks |
24 | 18 | .571 | 6 | 18-15 | 7-5 | 13-9 | 11-9 | 0-0 | 6-4 | L 1 |
| 7
Sacramento Kings |
23 | 18 | .561 | 6.5 | 15-13 | 5-5 | 13-8 | 10-10 | 3-1 | 4-6 | L 4 |
| 8
Phoenix Suns |
23 | 18 | .561 | 6.5 | 16-14 | 5-7 | 12-11 | 11-7 | 2-0 | 7-3 | W 4 |
| 9
Utah Jazz |
22 | 22 | .500 | 9 | 12-17 | 4-6 | 15-6 | 7-16 | 2-2 | 7-3 | L 2 |
| 10
Los Angeles Lakers |
21 | 22 | .488 | 9.5 | 16-14 | 5-3 | 15-8 | 6-14 | 1-1 | 4-6 | L 1 |
| 11
Houston Rockets |
20 | 21 | .488 | 9.5 | 15-10 | 7-2 | 16-6 | 4-15 | 1-3 | 4-6 | W 1 |
| 12
Golden State Warriors |
18 | 22 | .450 | 11 | 11-17 | 3-6 | 11-11 | 7-11 | 1-2 | 3-7 | L 2 |
| 13
Memphis Grizzlies |
15 | 27 | .357 | 15 | 12-21 | 6-6 | 4-15 | 11-12 | 1-1 | 5-5 | L 2 |
| 14
Portland Trail Blazers |
12 | 29 | .293 | 17.5 | 5-23 | 1-6 | 7-12 | 5-17 | 2-2 | 3-7 | W 2 |
| 15
San Antonio Spurs |
8 | 34 | .190 | 22 | 5-19 | 1-7 | 3-16 | 5-18 | 1-1 | 3-7 | W 1 |