By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Denver Nuggets rallied past the Golden State Warriors in the fourth quarter en route to a win, 119-115, in Ball Arena.
Despite the winning effort, they fell shy of a berth in the Quarterfinals of the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup. The Dallas Mavericks and Slovenian sensation Luka Doncic picked up the wild card of the Western Conference to eliminate the Nuggets and Nikola Jokic.
The Serbian superstar dropped a game-high 38 points with 14/24 from the field, including 3/4 from beyond the arc. Lasting 40 minutes, he additionally threw in ten rebounds, six assists, five steals, and one block.
“We can surprise everybody in a good way or a bad way,” the Joker commented on team showings so far in the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season, “Literally everybody.”
Spurs and Suns are out
Victor Wembanyama also bowed out of the NBA Cup. The 20-year-old French big piled up 15 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, one block, and one steal as the San Antonio Spurs fell to the Phoenix Suns, 104-93, in Footprint Center.
After missing 13 games with a left thumb injury, Polish Jeremy Sochan bounced back with a 14-point, 12-rebound double-double. French Sidy Cissoko and Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili did not play.
Despite the win, the Suns were eliminated as well. Furthermore, Kevin Durant left the game with a sprained ankle late in the first half.
Other teams knocked out were the Los Angeles Clippers and Portland Trail Blazers. In a direct battle in Intuit Dome, the Clips won, 127-105.
Sengun ejected
The Sacramento Kings were already out of the NBA Cup Quarterfinals, before defeating the Houston Rockets, 120-111, in Golden 1 Center. Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis scored a team-high 27 points with 13/19 from the field. He also threw in seven rebounds and four assists.
Building frustration down the stretch led to Alperen Sengun and Rockets head coach Ime Udoka being ejected. The Turkish center had 24 points plus eight rebounds and six assists.
EuroLeague regulars in Charlotte
The Philadelphia 76ers outlasting the Charlotte Hornets, 110-104, featured French Guerschon Yabusele and Serbian Vasilije Micic as starters, in a clash of former stars of the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague.
Playing 32 minutes, Yabusele tallied seven points, 12 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block. Turkish teammate Adem Bona finished with six points and one rebound.
On the losing end, Micic had five points, two assists, two rebounds, and one assist in just under 19 minutes. French Tidjane Salaun produced a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double.
Meanwhile, in Scotiabank Arena, Austrian Jakob Poeltl posted a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double, helping the Toronto Raptors beat the Indiana Pacers, 122-111.
Tuesday games
Charlotte Hornets – Philadelphia 76ers 104-110
Cleveland Cavaliers – Washington Wizards 118-87
Detroit Pistons – Milwaukee Bucks 107-128
New York Knicks – Orlando Magic 121-106
Toronto Raptors – Indiana Pacers 122-111
Oklahoma City Thunder – Utah Jazz 133-106
Dallas Mavericks – Memphis Grizzlies 121-116
Phoenix Suns – San Antonio Spurs 104-93
Denver Nuggets – Golden State Warriors 119-115
Sacramento Kings – Houston Rockets 120-111
Los Angeles Clippers – Portland Trail Blazers 127-105
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Cleveland Cavaliers 19-3
2. Boston Celtics 17-4
3. Orlando Magic 15-8
4. New York Knicks 13-8
5. Milwaukee Bucks 11-9
6. Atlanta Hawks 11-11
7. Miami Heat 9-10
8. Chicago Bulls 9-13
9. Brooklyn Nets 9-13
10. Indiana Pacers 9-13
11. Detroit Pistons 9-14
12. Toronto Raptors 7-15
13. Charlotte Hornets 6-15
14. Philadelphia 76ers 5-14
15. Washington Wizards 2-17
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 16-5
2. Houston Rockets 15-7
3. Dallas Mavericks 14-8
4. Memphis Grizzlies 14-8
5. Los Angeles Clippers 14-9
6. Phoenix Suns 12-8
7. Golden State Warriors 12-8
8. Denver Nuggets 11-8
9. Los Angeles Lakers 12-9
10. San Antonio Spurs 11-10
11. Minnesota Timberwolves 10-10
12. Sacramento Kings 10-12
13. Portland Trail Blazers 8-14
14. Utah Jazz 4-17
15. New Orleans Pelicans 4-18
-The top six teams from each conference clinch a berth in the Playoffs
-Teams ranking seventh to tenth advance to the Play-Ins