By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After trailing by 17 points and rallying again in the first overtime, the Sacramento Kings edged out the Miami Heat, 123-118, in the second overtime.
Fueling a fifth straight win in the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season, Domantas Sabonis lasted over 50 minutes and produced a triple-double. He finished with 21 points behind 7/16 from the field, 18 rebounds, 11 assists, three blocks, and one steal.
“There were a lot of times we could have just folded and give it away,” said the Lithuanian star after the nail-biter in Golden 1 Center, “We just fought. We kept getting stops.”
Ukrainian teammate Alex Len logged two rebounds. For the visitors, Serbian Nikola Jovic paired 12 points with three rebounds and Swedish Pelle Larsson combined one steal with one rebound.
Coming off a career-high 53 points, Anthony Edwards scored 28 of his 37 points in the second half, leading the Minnesota Timberwolves to a close win, 108-106, over the Los Angeles Clippers in Target Center. Navigating a matchup with fellow European starting center Ivica Zubac and numerous heated moments on Monday, French Rudy Gobert chipped in eight points, 18 rebounds, two assists, and one block.
On the opposite end, the Croatian big posted a 17-point, 16-rebound double-double and also blocked six shots. Coming off the bench, French Nicolas Batum registered three points and three rebounds.
Starting for the Philadelphia 76ers, French Guerschon Yabusele drew up a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double plus one block and one rebound but was not enough to prevent a loss, 109-99, to the Phoenix Suns in Wells Fargo Center. Turkish reserve Adem Bona went for four points, five rebounds, and one block. Removed from the starting lineup, Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic tallied five points, seven rebounds, and one assist for the Suns.
Despite missing Franz Wagner (right oblique tear) and Moritz Wagner (left knee surgery), among several players on the injury list, the Orlando Magic topped the New York Knicks, 103-94, in Madison Square Garden. A healthy German import, Tristan da Silva chipped in eight points, and Georgian Goga Bitadze had six points. For the Knicks, British O.G. Anunoby finished with nine points.
In Little Caesars Arena, the Detroit Pistons took down the Portland Trail Blazers, 118-115. Contributing to a fourth win in a row, Italian Simone Fontecchio put in ten points and six rebounds. Starting for the visitors, Israeli Deni Avdija recorded 14 points and Belgian Toumani Camara scored 12 points.
With Croatian Bojan Bogdanovic (left foot) remaining sidelined, the Brooklyn Nets, coached by Spanish Jordi Fernandez, were overpowered by the Indiana Pacers, 113-99, in Barclays Center.
Monday results
Detroit Pistons – Portland Trail Blazers 118-115
Philadelphia 76ers – Phoenix Suns 99-109
Brooklyn Nets – Indiana Pacers 99-113
New York Knicks – Orlando Magic 94-103
Toronto Raptors – Milwaukee Bucks 104-128
Chicago Bulls – San Antonio Spurs 114-110
Memphis Grizzlies – Dallas Mavericks 119-104
Minnesota Timberwolves – Los Angeles Clippers 108-106
Sacramento Kings – Miami Heat 123-118 2OT (112-112, 102-102)
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Cleveland Cavaliers 31-4
2. Boston Celtics 26-10
3. New York Knicks 24-13
4. Orlando Magic 22-16
5. Milwaukee Bucks 18-16
6. Indiana Pacers 19-18
7. Detroit Pistons 18-18
8. Atlanta Hawks 18-18
9. Miami Heat 17-17
10. Chicago Bulls 17-19
11. Philadelphia 76ers 14-20
12. Brooklyn Nets 13-23
13. Toronto Raptors 8-28
14. Charlotte Hornets 7-27
15. Washington Wizards 6-27
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 30-5
2. Houston Rockets 23-12
3. Memphis Grizzlies 24-13
4. Denver Nuggets 20-14
5. Los Angeles Lakers 20-15
6. Dallas Mavericks 20-16
7. Los Angeles Clippers 20-16
8. Minnesota Timberwolves 18-17
9. Golden State Warriors 18-17
10. San Antonio Spurs 18-18
11. Sacramento Kings 18-19
12. Phoenix Suns 16-18
13. Portland Trail Blazers 12-23
14. Utah Jazz 9-25
15. New Orleans Pelicans 7-29
-The top six teams from each conference clinch a berth in the Playoffs
-Teams ranking seventh to tenth advance to the Play-Ins