By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The penultimate installment of NBA Sundays in the 2023-24 Regular Season featured Luka Doncic returning to action after missing one game due to right knee soreness. The Dallas Mavericks rallied past the Houston Rockets to prevail, 147-136, in overtime at American Airlines Center.
Kyrie Irving poured in a season-high 48 points and Dante Exum forced five extra minutes with a three-pointer as time ran out in the fourth quarter. Adding 37 points behind 12/21 field goals, 12 assists, nine rebounds, and two blocks, the Slovenian sensation shaped a somewhat usual huge contribution, lasting 45 minutes under the guidance of Jason Kidd on Sunday. Also returning to action, recovering from back spasms, German Maxi Kleber piled up nine points, four rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block. For the visitors, Serbian Boban Marjanovic was a healthy scratch and Turkish Alperen Sengun (right ankle sprain) stayed on the injury list.
A double-overtime treat in Frost Bank Center with the Philadelphia 76ers defeating the San Antonio Spurs, 133-126. Opposite French wunderkind Victor Wembanyama, experienced French forward Nicolas Batum drew up nine points, seven rebounds, three steals, and two assists over 46 minutes. On the wrong end of the nail-biter, Wemby tallied 33 points, 18 rebounds, seven blocks, and six assists. Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili finished with six points, seven rebounds, and three assists. French Sidy Cissoko suited up but did not leave the bench for the team coached by Gregg Popovich. Turkish Cedi Osman (right ankle sprain) and Polish Jeremy Sochan (left ankle impingement) were sidelined.
After sitting out the previous game with left hamstring tendinopathy, Greek Giannis Antetokounmpo posted a 28-point, 15-rebound double-double alongside eight assists, two blocks, and one steal for the Milwaukee Bucks in a loss, 122-109, to the New York Knicks in Fiserv Forum. His brother Thanasis Antetokounmpo grabbed one rebound in a brief showing. Italian Danilo Gallinari did not play. At the winning end, German Isaiah Hartenstein recorded 18 points, ten rebounds, one steal, and one block, Croatian Bojan Bogdanovic chipped in 15 points, one rebound, and one assist, and British O.G. Anunoby had four points, four steals, three rebounds, two blocks, and two assists.
More European showings
Los Angeles Clippers – Cleveland Cavaliers 120-118 (Ivica Zubac 14pts, 11reb, 1ast, Daniel Theis INJ, Moussa Diabate INA)
Indiana Pacers – Miami Heat 117-115 (Nikola Jovic 18pts, 2reb)
Boston Celtics – Portland Trail Blazers 124-107 (Kristaps Porzingis 12pts, 10reb, 5blk, 3stl, 2ast, Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk 5pts, 2reb, 2ast, Neemias Queta GL – Rayan Rupert 9pts, 3reb, 2ast, 1stl, Toumani Camara INJ)
Charlotte Hornets – Oklahoma City Thunder 118-121 (Vasilije Micic 17pts, 10ast, 1reb, 1stl, Aleksej Pokusevski 14pts, 9reb, 1blk, Davis Bertans 12pts, 2reb, 2stl, 1blk – Ousmane Dieng GL, Olivier Sarr GL)
Orlando Magic – Chicago Bulls 113-98 (Franz Wagner 16pts, 4reb, 3ast, 1stl, Moritz Wagner 8pts, 4reb, 2stl, Goga Bitadze 0pts, Admiral Schofield 0pts – Nikola Vucevic 8pts, 5reb, 2ast, Onuralp Bitim 4pts)
Phoenix Suns – New Orleans Pelicans 105-113 (Jusuf Nurkic 6pts, 10reb, 6ast, 3stl, 1blk – Jonas Valanciunas 2pts, 2reb)
Toronto Raptors – Washington Wizards 130-122 (Jakob Poeltl INJ – Deni Avdija 32pts, 10reb, 5ast, 3blk, 2stl, Tristan Vukcevic 11pts, 9reb, 4ast, 3blk, Bilal Coulibaly INJ)
Brooklyn Nets – Sacramento Kings 77-107 (Dennis Schroder 4pts, 7reb, 6ast, 1blk – Domantas Sabonis 18pts, 20reb, 9ast, 2blk, 1stl, Alex Len 3reb, 3ast, 1blk, Sasha Vezenkov 0pts)
Golden State Warriors – Utah Jazz 118-110 (Usman Garuba 2pts, 2reb, Dario Saric INJ – Omer Yurtseven 8pts, 7reb, Luka Samanic 0pts, Lauri Markkanen INJ)
Los Angeles Lakers – Minnesota Timberwolves 117-127 (Rudy Gobert 18pts, 16ast, 3ast, 2stl, 1blk, Luka Garza 1reb)
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. q-Boston Celtics 62-16
2. q-Milwaukee Bucks 47-31
3. Orlando Magic 46-32
4. New York Knicks 46-32
5. Cleveland Cavaliers 46-33
6. Indiana Pacers 45-34
7. Philadelphia 76ers 44-35
8. Miami Heat 43-35
9. Chicago Bulls 37-41
10. Atlanta Hawks 36-42
11. e-Brooklyn Nets 31-48
12. e-Toronto Raptors 25-53
13. e-Charlotte Hornets 19-59
14. e-Washington Wizards 15-64
15. e-Detroit Pistons 13-65
Western Conference
1. q-Minnesota Timberwolves 54-24
2. q-Denver Nuggets 54-24
3. q-Oklahoma City Thunder 53-25
4. Los Angeles Clippers 50-28
5. Dallas Mavericks 48-30
6. Phoenix Suns 46-32
7. New Orleans Pelicans 46-32
8. Sacramento Kings 45-33
9. Los Angeles Lakers 45-34
10. Golden State Warriors 43-35
11. e-Houston Rockets 38-40
12. e-Utah Jazz 29-49
13. e-Memphis Grizzlies 27-51
14. e-Portland Trail Blazers 21-57
15. e-San Antonio Spurs 19-59
q-qualified for Playoffs
e-eliminated from Playoffs
-Teams ranking first through sixth advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams ranking seventh through tenth compete in the Play-Ins