By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
With the NBA playoffs looming, every game matters.
The New Orleans Pelicans are closing in on fourth place in the West, following a 101-114 road win over the Detroit Pistons, while the Los Angeles Clippers lost to the Philadelphia 76ers 107-121 at home.
The team from Louisiana is currently fifth in the Western Conference standings with a 44-27 record, while the Clippers have a 44-26 record and are just a spot above.
As usual, European players left their mark, with Jonas Valanciunas contributing to the Pelicans‘ victory against the Pistons with 13 points and six rebounds in less than 20 minutes on the floor. Evan Fournier played less than 10 minutes for the losing side, scoring just two points from the free-throw line and missing all his five field goal attempts.
Zion Williamson was the star of the game with 36 points, seven rebounds, and six assists on 13/14 shooting from the field. He became only the second player with a 35/5/5 game on 90+ field goal percentage in the last 50 years, after Nikola Jokic.
Ivica Zubac was one of the best performers for the LA Clippers, reaching a double-double with 13 points and ten rebounds, but his effort was not enough. Daniel Theis went scoreless in around six minutes, with three rebounds and two assists to his name in a losing effort against Philadelphia.