By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
The Boston Celtics cruised past the Golden State Warriors, 125-85, in Chase Center on Monday. Among the top contributors to an impressive win for the defending NBA champions, Latvian Kristaps Porzingis dropped 18 points with 6/13 field goals, besides tallying seven rebounds, two assists, and one steal over 22 minutes. In six minutes, Portuguese Neemias Queta recorded three points. European action for the team coached by Steve Kerr went from Dutch Quinten Post combining nine points with three rebounds and one assist to German Dennis Schroder with seven points plus one steal and one assist.
Overtime in Smoothie King Center, CJ McCollum scored 45 points as the New Orleans Pelicans outlasted the Utah Jazz, 123-119. German starter Daniel Theis threw in four points, eight rebounds and six assists, and Croatian Karlo Matkovic added two points, three rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal. On the losing end, Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk tallied 19 points, four rebounds and two blocks with Finnish Lauri Markkanen remaining out due to low back spasms.
In Intuit Dome, the Chicago Bulls overpowered the Los Angeles Clippers, 112-99. Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic chipped in 14 points, eight rebounds, four assists, three steals, and one block. Lithuanian Matas Buzelis added five points and four rebounds. For the hosts, French Nicolas Batum was cleared from right finger soreness and grabbed six rebounds alongside two blocks and one assist, but Croatian Ivica Zubac was ruled out with an eye injury.
With Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic missing a seventh straight game after dealing with an illness, the Phoenix Suns were routed by the Cleveland Cavaliers, 118-92, in Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.
Monday results
Charlotte Hornets – Dallas Mavericks 110-105
Houston Rockets – Detroit Pistons 96-107
Memphis Grizzlies – Minnesota Timberwolves 108-106
New York Knicks – Atlanta Hawks 119-110
Cleveland Cavaliers – Phoenix Suns 118-92
Golden State Warriors – Boston Celtics 85-125
New Orleans Pelicans – Utah Jazz 123-119 OT (110-110)
Los Angeles Clippers – Chicago Bulls 99-112
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Cleveland Cavaliers 36-6
2. Boston Celtics 30-13
3. New York Knicks 28-16
4. Milwaukee Bucks 24-17
5. Indiana Pacers 24-19
6. Atlanta Hawks 22-20
7. Orlando Magic 23-21
8. Miami Heat 21-20
9. Detroit Pistons 22-21
10. Chicago Bulls 19-25
11. Philadelphia 76ers 15-26
12. Brooklyn Nets 14-29
13. Charlotte Hornets 11-28
14. Toronto Raptors 10-32
15. Washington Wizards 6-35
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 35-7
2. Houston Rockets 28-14
3. Memphis Grizzlies 28-15
4. Denver Nuggets 26-16
5. Los Angeles Clippers 24-18
6. Los Angeles Lakers 22-18
7. Dallas Mavericks 23-20
8. Sacramento Kings 22-20
9. Minnesota Timberwolves 22-21
10. Golden State Warriors 21-21
11. Phoenix Suns 21-21
12. San Antonio Spurs 19-22
13. Portland Trail Blazers 14-28
14. New Orleans Pelicans 12-32
15. Utah Jazz 10-31
-The top six teams from each conference clinch a berth in the Playoffs
-Teams ranking seventh to tenth advance to the Play-Ins