By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Jonas Valanciunas with 19 points and 12 rebounds set the tone early and prevailed against his good friend Domantas Sabonis who had 23 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists.
However, what counts is the 105-98 win of the New Orleans Pelicans against the Sacramento Kings.
Playing without injured Zion Williamson, Brandon Ingram led the the charge with 24 points, six rebounds and six assists for the winning side, which will compete in the Eastern Conference playoffs against the top-seeded Oklahoma City Thunder.
Sacramento was missing again Malik Monk and Kevin Huerter and their season ended with last year’s EuroLeague MVP Sasha Vezenkov staying 11 minutes on the court and contributing two points, two rebounds and one steal.
In Miami, despite missing injured Jimmy Butler, the Heat grabbed the last spot in the Eastern Conference playoffs by beating the Chicago Bulls 112-91.
Tyler Herro scored 24 points and was an assist shy of a triple-double, while Serb Nikola Jovic had five points, six rebounds and two assists as a starter.
Miami is set to be huge underdogs against a Celtics team that is the big favorite to win the NBA title in an early rematch of last season’s Eastern Conference finals.
DeMar DeRozan scored 22 points for the Bulls, who got 16 points, 14 rebounds and five assists from Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic.