By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Victor Wembanyama posted 17 points, 12 rebounds, nine assists and three blocks to lead the San Antonio Spurs past the New Orleans Pelicans 111 – 109.
With the Spurs up 107 – 106 and 15 seconds remaining, Wembanyama also blocked Herbert Jones’ shot from close range to help his team secure the win. The French big man scored 15 of his points in the second half where San Antonio came back from down 51 – 61 at the break.
Jonas Valanciunas produced 26 points, seven rebounds and seven asssits for the Pelicans that were missing leading scorers Zion Williamson and Brandon Ingram.
Kristaps Porzingis registered his second straight double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Boston Celtics downed the Sacramento Kings 101 – 100 for their fourth win in a row.
During the 24 minutes he spent on the floor, Porzingis shot 7 out of 10 from the field, including 2-2 threes.
Domantas Sabonis extended his impressive double-double streak to 60 straight by notching 16 points and 16 rebounds, along with six assists. The Kings, that have dropped to the Play-In zone, lost for a second consecutive game.
The Charlotte Hornets snapped a four-game losing streak also thanks to Vasilije Micic. The Serbian guard scored 14 points, dished out nine assists and grabbed five rebounds as his team beat the Orlando Magic 124 – 113.
Aleksej Pokusevski provided 10 points to the Hornets. Franz Wanger had 22 points plus seven rebounds for the Magic.
Neither Deni Avdija nor Tristan Vukcevic were enough to prevent the Washington Wizards from suffering their franchise record-tying 63rd loss this season by falling to the Portland Trail Blazers 102 – 108.
Avdija notched team-highs 22 points plus 12 rebounds while Tristan Vukcevic dropped a new NBA personal best 17 points (7 – 16 shots, 0 – 5 triples) while grabbing seven rebounds. It’s seems that the NBA game fits the rookie big man who has adapted pretty quickly.
The Toronto Raptors won for the first time after 15 straight defeats, beating the Milwaukee Bucks 117 – 111 on the road behind 31 points plus five rebounds by Gary Trent. The Bucks, that were without injured Giannis Antetokounmpo, lost for the fifth time over the last six games.
The rest of Friday’s (5/4) results and notable Euro performers:
Indiana Pacers – Oklahoma City Thunder 126 – 112
Chicago Bulls – New York Knicks 108 – 100 (Nikola Vucevic 16 points/13 rebounds/6 assists – Isaiah Hartenstein 10 points/7 rebounds)
Houston Rockets – Miami Heat 104 – 119 (Nikola Jovic 8 points/6 rebounds)
Memphis Grizzlies – Detroit Pistons 108 – 90
Dallas Mavericks – Golden State Warriors 108 – 106
Phoenix Suns – Minnesota Timberwolves 97 – 87 (Jusuf Nurkic 11 points/15 rebounds/6 assists)
Los Angeles Clippers – Utah Jazz 131 – 102 (Ivica Zubac 12 points/12 rebounds – Omer Yurtseven 12 points/7 rebounds)
Standings via NBA.com:
Eastern Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1
Boston Celtics– e |
61 | 16 | .792 | — | 39-9 | 15-1 | 34-3 | 27-13 | 2-4 | 8-2 | W 4 |
| 2
Milwaukee Bucks– ps |
47 | 30 | .610 | 14 | 32-16 | 10-7 | 29-10 | 18-20 | 2-2 | 4-6 | L 3 |
| 3
Cleveland Cavaliers– ps |
46 | 31 | .597 | 15 | 30-20 | 10-5 | 24-14 | 22-17 | 3-1 | 4-6 | L 1 |
| 4
Orlando Magic– ps |
45 | 32 | .584 | 16 | 30-18 | 9-7 | 27-12 | 18-20 | 2-1 | 6-4 | L 1 |
| 5
New York Knicks– ps |
45 | 32 | .584 | 16 | 30-17 | 10-5 | 25-14 | 20-18 | 0-1 | 5-5 | L 1 |
| 6
Indiana Pacers– ps |
44 | 34 | .564 | 17.5 | 29-19 | 11-5 | 24-15 | 20-19 | 0-1 | 6-4 | W 1 |
| 7
Miami Heat– ps |
43 | 34 | .558 | 18 | 29-19 | 12-3 | 20-18 | 23-16 | 1-0 | 6-4 | W 1 |
| 8
Philadelphia 76ers– ps |
42 | 35 | .545 | 19 | 28-21 | 7-8 | 22-16 | 20-19 | 0-2 | 5-5 | W 3 |
| 9
Chicago Bulls– pi |
37 | 40 | .481 | 24 | 20-26 | 6-9 | 20-20 | 17-20 | 7-3 | 5-5 | W 1 |
| 10
Atlanta Hawks– pi |
36 | 41 | .468 | 25 | 22-27 | 8-6 | 21-18 | 15-23 | 4-1 | 6-4 | L 1 |
| 11
Brooklyn Nets– o |
30 | 47 | .390 | 31 | 22-26 | 4-9 | 18-20 | 12-27 | 1-4 | 4-6 | W 1 |
| 12
Toronto Raptors– o |
24 | 53 | .312 | 37 | 17-30 | 1-14 | 13-26 | 11-27 | 1-3 | 1-9 | W 1 |
| 13
Charlotte Hornets– o |
19 | 58 | .247 | 42 | 12-37 | 5-10 | 11-28 | 8-30 | 1-1 | 2-8 | W 1 |
| 14
Washington Wizards– o |
15 | 63 | .192 | 46.5 | 11-38 | 4-12 | 7-33 | 8-30 | 0-2 | 4-6 | L 2 |
| 15
Detroit Pistons– o |
13 | 64 | .169 | 48 | 10-38 | 2-13 | 7-32 | 6-32 | 1-2 | 1-9 | L 3 |
Western Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1
Minnesota Timberwolves– x |
53 | 24 | .688 | — | 36-13 | 12-3 | 28-10 | 25-14 | 1-4 | 7-3 | L 1 |
| 2
Denver Nuggets– x |
53 | 24 | .688 | — | 30-18 | 8-6 | 31-8 | 22-16 | 0-1 | 6-4 | L 1 |
| 3
Oklahoma City Thunder– x |
52 | 25 | .675 | 1 | 33-16 | 12-4 | 29-8 | 23-17 | 3-1 | 5-5 | L 3 |
| 4
LA Clippers– ps |
49 | 28 | .636 | 4 | 29-19 | 8-6 | 24-13 | 25-15 | 0-1 | 7-3 | W 2 |
| 5
Dallas Mavericks– ps |
47 | 30 | .610 | 6 | 30-20 | 10-5 | 24-15 | 23-15 | 0-0 | 9-1 | W 2 |
| 6
Phoenix Suns– ps |
46 | 31 | .597 | 7 | 26-21 | 7-8 | 25-14 | 21-17 | 3-0 | 7-3 | W 3 |
| 7
New Orleans Pelicans– ps |
45 | 32 | .584 | 8 | 26-21 | 9-7 | 21-18 | 24-14 | 0-1 | 4-6 | L 4 |
| 8
Sacramento Kings– ps |
44 | 33 | .571 | 9 | 29-19 | 10-6 | 23-15 | 21-18 | 5-1 | 5-5 | L 2 |
| 9
Los Angeles Lakers– ps |
44 | 33 | .571 | 9 | 25-23 | 7-9 | 27-12 | 17-21 | 4-1 | 8-2 | W 3 |
| 10
Golden State Warriors |
42 | 35 | .545 | 11 | 22-25 | 6-9 | 19-19 | 23-16 | 1-4 | 7-3 | L 1 |
| 11
Houston Rockets |
38 | 39 | .494 | 15 | 26-22 | 9-6 | 26-14 | 12-25 | 2-4 | 6-4 | L 4 |
| 12
Utah Jazz– o |
29 | 48 | .377 | 24 | 14-33 | 5-10 | 20-19 | 9-29 | 2-2 | 0-10 | L 11 |
| 13
Memphis Grizzlies– o |
27 | 50 | .351 | 26 | 14-34 | 8-7 | 9-28 | 18-22 | 1-3 | 4-6 | W 3 |
| 14
Portland Trail Blazers– o |
21 | 56 | .273 | 32 | 8-40 | 1-15 | 11-27 | 10-29 | 5-3 | 2-8 | W 2 |
| 15
San Antonio Spurs– o |
19 | 58 | .247 | 34 | 12-36 | 2-13 | 10-28 | 9-30 | 3-1 | 5-5 | W 1 |
Photo: Getty Images