By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
In a quick turnaround from a stint with Zalgiris, Lonnie Walker IV posted a 25-point, 11-rebound double-double for the Philadelphia 76ers in a win, 126-122, against the Utah Jazz in Wells Fargo Center.
“I was in Europe,” the former Miami standout in the NCAA referred to playing in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and Lithuania’s Betsafe LKL before returning to the NBA and joining the Sixers in late February, “Just trying to get my feet under me, and time zones ain’t no joke. It was killing me in the first couple of days as I was trying to adjust.”
“Don’t get it twisted, the EuroLeague is a beautiful league. The passion, the way the game is played over there is something beautiful, something special. It is definitely a moment of gratitude always to be given an opportunity to come back in the best league in the world and show your capabilities,” he added during a postgame press conference on Sunday.
Besides the first career double-double of the 26-year-old winger, Turkish Adem Bona, another reserve for head coach Nick Nurse, opened a similar account with 14 points and 15 rebounds alongside five blocks, two steals, and one assist over 31 minutes. French starter Guerschon Yabusele was limited to 11 minutes with two rebounds to his name.
For the team coached by Will Hardy, Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk had one steal, one rebound, and one assist over 19 minutes. Finnish Lauri Markkanen (low back injury management) sat out an eighth straight game of the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season.
More NBA Sundays action in Intuit Dome, with the Los Angeles Clippers edging out the Sacramento Kings, 111-110, in overtime. A tremendous buzzer-beater by Kawhi Leonard sealed a third win in a row for the team coached by Tyronn Lue.
Croatian Ivica Zubac produced a 22-point, 14-rebound double-double plus two assists, one block, and one steal. French Nicolas Batum tallied nine points, four rebounds, and one block. Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic added nine points, four assists, two rebounds, and one block.
With Domantas Sabonis (left hamstring strain) projected to remain on the Kings‘ injury list for at least one more game, fellow Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas kept his starting spot, registering nine points, 17 rebounds, seven assists, one block, and one steal.
In Moda Center, the Detroit Pistons prevailed, 119-112, over the Portland Trail Blazers. German Dennis Schroder chipped in 12 points, four assists, four rebounds, and one steal, while Italian Simone Fontecchio settled at five points, three rebounds, and two assists.
For the hosts, Belgian Toumani Camara piled up seven points, five assists, five rebounds, two steals, and one assist. In contrast, Israeli Deni Avdija (left quad contusion) was ruled out from a second consecutive game.
NBA Sundays results
Oklahoma City Thunder – Denver Nuggets 127-103
Dallas Mavericks – Phoenix Suns 116-125
New Orleans Pelicans – Memphis Grizzlies 104-107
Philadelphia 76ers – Utah Jazz 126-122
Milwaukee Bucks – Cleveland Cavaliers 100-112
Minnesota Timberwolves – San Antonio Spurs 141-124
Portland Trail Blazers – Detroit Pistons 112-119
Los Angeles Clippers – Sacramento Kings 111-110 OT (97-97)
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. p-Cleveland Cavaliers 54-10
2. Boston Celtics 46-18
3. New York Knicks 40-23
4. Milwaukee Bucks 36-27
5. Indiana Pacers 35-27
6. Detroit Pistons 36-29
7. Atlanta Hawks 30-34
8. Orlando Magic 30-35
9. Miami Heat 29-34
10. Chicago Bulls 26-38
11. Philadelphia 76ers 22-41
12. Brooklyn Nets 21-42
13. Toronto Raptors 21-43
14. Charlotte Hornets 15-48
15. Washington Wizards 13-49
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 53-11
2. Los Angeles Lakers 40-22
3. Denver Nuggets 41-23
4. Memphis Grizzlies 40-24
5. Houston Rockets 39-25
6. Golden State Warriors 36-28
7. Minnesota Timberwolves 37-29
8. Los Angeles Clippers 35-29
9. Sacramento Kings 33-30
10. Dallas Mavericks 32-33
11. Phoenix Suns 30-34
12. Portland Trail Blazers 28-37
13. San Antonio Spurs 26-36
14. New Orleans Pelicans 17-48
15. Utah Jazz 15-49
-The top six teams from each conference clinch a berth in the Playoffs
-Teams ranking seventh to tenth advance to the Play-Ins
p-clinched a playoff berth