By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With fellow French teammate Bilal Coulibaly expected to miss the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season, Alex Sarr scored the go-ahead bucket and produced a block on the opposite end of the court, lifting the Washington Wizards over the Detroit Pistons, 129-125, in Little Caesars Arena.
Before Thursday’s game, Coulibaly was officially ruled out for four to six additional weeks following a recent right hip contusion. With the Regular Season finale one month away, he is considered likely to remain sidelined through the rest of the games. Starting in all of his 59 appearances in his sophomore NBA campaign, he tallied 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 1.3 steals, and 0.7 blocks per contest.
Meanwhile, Sarr recorded 19 points with 7/12 from the field, including three triples against the Pistons. Over 30 minutes, he added five rebounds, four blocks, and three assists. Serbian teammate Tristan Vukcevic stayed on the bench. On the losing end, German Dennis Schroder went for 11 points, three assists, and two rebounds, and Italian Simone Fontecchio had nine points, two rebounds, and one assist, while Swedish Bobi Klintman remained on a G League assignment with the Motor City Cruise.
In Smoothie King Center, the Orlando Magic dominated the New Orleans Pelicans, 113-93. “I thought we played really good defense all game. Obviously, there were going to be stretches where they go on runs, but I thought for the most part, our communication was good. Our effort was really good. Followed the gameplan really well. And I think that helped us get a rhythm on offense,” recapped German winger Franz Wagner in a postgame press conference.
With his brother Moritz rehabbing a left knee surgery, 23-year-old Franz produced 27 points, six rebounds, five assists, and one steal, lasting 35 minutes in his latest brilliant display. Coming off the bench, German Tristan da Silva finished with three points, two rebounds, one block, and one assist, and Georgian Goga Bitadze paired two assists with one rebound. Starting for the hosts, Croatian Karlo Matkovic settled at eight points, six rebounds, two blocks, and one assist.
Stephen Curry became the first player with 4,000 three-pointers as the Golden State Warriors cruised past the Sacramento Kings, 130-104, in Chase Center. Starting alongside the legendary guard, Dutch Quinten Post went for ten points, four rebounds, one block, and one steal. The visitors sidelined Domantas Sabonis for a sixth straight game due to a left hamstring strain, and fellow Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas remained in the starting lineup, logging five points, nine rebounds, and one block.
More Lithuanian action in the United Center with Matas Buzelis chipping in six points, three rebounds, and one assist for the Chicago Bulls in a win, 116-110, versus the Brooklyn Nets. Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic returned to the starting lineup under minutes restriction, putting in seven points, three rebounds, and three assists over 23 minutes. British Tosan Evbuomwan, the only European option for Spanish head coach Jordi Fernandez, was with the Long Island Nets.
Thursday results
Detroit Pistons – Washington Wizards 125-129
Milwaukee Bucks – Los Angeles Lakers 126-106
Chicago Bulls – Brooklyn Nets 116-110
New Orleans Pelicans – Orlando Magic 93-113
Golden State Warriors – Sacramento Kings 130-104
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. p-Cleveland Cavaliers 55-10
2. Boston Celtics 47-19
3. New York Knicks 42-23
4. Milwaukee Bucks 37-28
5. Indiana Pacers 36-28
6. Detroit Pistons 37-30
7. Atlanta Hawks 32-34
8. Orlando Magic 31-36
9. Miami Heat 29-36
10. Chicago Bulls 28-38
11. Toronto Raptors 23-43
12. Philadelphia 76ers 22-43
13. Brooklyn Nets 22-44
14. Charlotte Hornets 16-49
15. Washington Wizards 14-51
Western Conference
1. p-Oklahoma City Thunder 54-12
2. Memphis Grizzlies 42-24
3. Denver Nuggets 42-24
4. Los Angeles Lakers 40-24
5. Houston Rockets 41-25
6. Golden State Warriors 38-28
7. Minnesota Timberwolves 38-29
8. Los Angeles Clippers 36-30
9. Sacramento Kings 33-32
10. Dallas Mavericks 33-34
11. Phoenix Suns 30-35
12. San Antonio Spurs 27-37
13. Portland Trail Blazers 28-39
14. e-New Orleans Pelicans 18-49
15. e-Utah Jazz 15-51
-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
e-eliminated