By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Philadelphia 76ers mishandled a 16-point lead but prevailed, 109-103, against the Washington Wizards with plenty of help from Guerschon Yabusele in Wells Fargo Center on Wednesday.
The 29-year-old French forward went for 21 points with 6/11 field goals, including five three-pointers.
Besides scoring, a clutch block with 14 seconds on the clock paved the way for the Sixers to go up to 15-20 in the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season.
Lasting nearly 34 minutes as the starting center, Yabusele added eight rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and one steal. Turkish reserve Adem Bona finished with two points, three blocks three rebounds, and two assists over 14 minutes.
For the visitors, Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas replaced French Alex Sarr (illness) in the starting lineup and posted a 14-point, 14-rebound double-double plus one assist and one block, but also registered eight turnovers. French Bilal Coulibaly had five points, four rebounds, two assists, and one block. Serbian Tristan Vukcevic (right ankle sprain) was out.
Sharing a game-high with teammate Karl-Anthony Towns, British O.G. Anunoby scored 27 points pushing the New York Knicks to a win, 112-98, over the Toronto Raptors in Madison Square Garden. Making 8/13 from the field, including four triples, combined with two rebounds, two steals, and one block. Starting for the team coached by Serbian Darko Rajakovic, Austrian Jakob Poeltl registered eight points, ten rebounds, three assists, and one steal.
With the Portland Trail Blazers routing the New Orleans Pelicans, 119-100, Israeli Deni Avdija put in 26 points, despite dealing with a right wrist sprain in Smoothie King Center. Belgian Toumani Camara threw in 15 points. French Rayan Rupert grabbed one rebound. For the Pels, German Daniel Theis logged six points and six rebounds, and Croatian Karlo Matkovic four points and four rebounds.
Collecting a fifth straight win, the Detroit Pistons beat the depleted Brooklyn Nets, 113-98, in Barclays Center. Coming off the bench, Italian Simone Fontecchio chipped in 17 points. Swedish Bobi Klintman debuted in the NBA with two rebounds over four minutes. For the team coached by Spanish Jordi Fernandez, British Tosan Evbuomwan registered 13 points.
Despite Serbian Nikola Jokic (illness) missing a second straight game, the Denver Nuggets blew out the Los Angeles Clippers, 126-103, in Ball Arena. Croatian Dario Saric went for seven points and Slovenian Vlatko Cancar (left knee surgery) remained sidelined. On the losing end, Croatian Ivica Zubac had ten points and French Nicolas Batum three points.
Meanwhile, the Cleveland Cavaliers extended their winning streak to 11 games and stopped the streak of the Oklahoma City Thunder at 15 games with a 129-122 victory in Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse. European participation was limited to German Isaiah Hartenstein posting an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double alongside eight assists for the Thunder.
In Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic tallied ten points as the Chicago Bulls fell, 129-113, to the Indiana Pacers. Lithuanian teammate Matas Buzelis recorded two points.
Wednesday results
Cleveland Cavaliers – Oklahoma City Thunder 129-122
Indiana Pacers – Chicago Bulls 129-113
Philadelphia 76ers – Washington Wizards 109-103
New York Knicks – Toronto Raptors 112-98
Brooklyn Nets – Detroit Pistons 98-113
New Orleans Pelicans – Portland Trail Blazers 100-119
Denver Nuggets – Los Angeles Clippers 126-103
Milwaukee Bucks – San Antonio Spurs 121-105
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Cleveland Cavaliers 32-4
2. Boston Celtics 27-10
3. New York Knicks 25-13
4. Orlando Magic 22-16
5. Milwaukee Bucks 19-16
6. Indiana Pacers 20-18
7. Miami Heat 18-17
8. Detroit Pistons 19-18
9. Atlanta Hawks 19-18
10. Chicago Bulls 17-20
11. Philadelphia 76ers 15-20
12. Brooklyn Nets 13-24
13. Charlotte Hornets 8-27
14. Toronto Raptors 8-29
15. Washington Wizards 6-29
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 30-6
2. Houston Rockets 24-12
3. Memphis Grizzlies 24-13
4. Denver Nuggets 21-15
5. Dallas Mavericks 21-16
6. Los Angeles Lakers 20-16
7. Los Angeles Clippers 20-17
8. Minnesota Timberwolves 19-17
9. Golden State Warriors 18-18
10. Sacramento Kings 18-19
11. San Antonio Spurs 18-19
12. Phoenix Suns 16-19
13. Portland Trail Blazers 13-23
14. Utah Jazz 9-26
15. New Orleans Pelicans 7-31
-The top six teams from each conference clinch a berth in the Playoffs
-Teams ranking seventh to tenth advance to the Play-Ins