By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Beating the initial timeline regarding a right ankle sprain, Domantas Sabonis resurfaced for the Sacramento Kings on Monday. However, the Boston Celtics spoiled his return with a convincing 113-95 victory in Golden 1 Center.
The 28-year-old Lithuanian big registered a 16-point, 17-rebound double-double and dished out one assist, lasting 32 minutes.
“I feel horrible. I had a crazy month myself, personally. You never want that to happen,” Sabonis opened up about a flagrant 1 foul on Jayson Tatum forcing the 27-year-old combo forward to an early exit, “I apologize.”
Fellow Lithuanian, Jonas Valanciunas was reduced to a bench role and produced four points, three rebounds, and one assist over 13 minutes. Back after sitting out the first part of a back-to-back and lasting 30 minutes, Latvian Kristaps Porzingis contributed 16 points, eight rebounds, two blocks, two assists, and one steal to the Celtics improving to 53-19 in the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season. Checking in during the fourth quarter, Portuguese Neemias Queta chipped in two points and two rebounds.
Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers topped the Minnesota Timberwolves, 119-103. “We need to refocus on who we are, playing with a lot of urgency and connectedness,” commented French Rudy Gobert after combining a 16-point, 16-rebound double-double with three assists over 34 minutes in a losing effort in Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Entering in the fourth quarter with the winner of the game already decided, Bosnian Luka Garza got two points. Dutch Jesse Edwards remained on assignment with the Iowa Wolves.
Without Serbian superstar Nikola Jokic (left ankle impingement) for a fifth straight game, the Denver Nuggets fell to the Chicago Bulls, 129-119, in Ball Arena. Starting for the visitors, Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic registered 13 points, eight rebounds, two steals, and two assists, and Lithuanian Matas Buzelis put in ten points, four rebounds, two blocks, two assists, and one steal. On the losing end, Slovenian Vlatko Cancar grabbed three rebounds and Croatian Dario Saric did not play.
A Croatian import of the New Orleans Pelicans, Karlo Matkovic reset his best scoring showing in the NBA at 19 points as the New Orleans Pelicans took down the Philadelphia 76ers, 112-99, in Smoothie King Center. The 23-year-old forward/center made 7/11 field goals, in addition to eight rebounds, three assists, and one block.
The Sixers featured French Guerschon Yabusele as the starting center. The 29-year-old big ended up with 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and one steal. After sitting out five consecutive games, Turkish Adem Bona (left ankle sprain) returned to action with six points, seven rebounds, two steals, one block, and one assist.
After being rested in the top half of a back-to-back, Austrian Jakob Poeltl posted a 21-point, 11-rebound double-double along with three blocks, two steals, and one assist, helping Serbian head coach Darko Rajakovic lead the Toronto Raptors to a win, 112-104, against the Washington Wizards in Capital One Arena.
The starting center of the hosts, French Alex Sarr went for 16 points, five rebounds, three blocks, two assists, and one steal. Serbian Tristan Vukcevic tallied 11 points, four rebounds, one block, and one assist. French Bilal Coulibaly (right hamstring strain) remained sidelined.
With Anthony Davis in the lineup, the Dallas Mavericks beat the Brooklyn Nets, 120-101, in Barclays Center. British Tosan Evbuomwan, assigned to the G League’s Long Island Nets, was inactive for the team coached by Spanish Jordi Fernandez.
Monday results
Indiana Pacers – Minnesota Timberwolves 119-103
Orlando Magic – Los Angeles Lakers 118-106
Washington Wizards – Toronto Raptors 104-112
Brooklyn Nets – Dallas Mavericks 101-120
New Orleans Pelicans – Philadelphia 76ers 112-99
Denver Nuggets – Chicago Bulls 119-129
Phoenix Suns – Milwaukee Bucks 108-106
Sacramento Kings – Boston Celtics 95-113
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. p-Cleveland Cavaliers 57-14
2. p-Boston Celtics 53-19
3. New York Knicks 44-26
4. Indiana Pacers 42-29
5. Milwaukee Bucks 40-31
6. Detroit Pistons 40-32
7. Atlanta Hawks 35-36
8. Orlando Magic 34-38
9. Chicago Bulls 32-40
10. Miami Heat 30-41
11. Toronto Raptors 25-47
12. Brooklyn Nets 23-49
13. Philadelphia 76ers 23-49
14. e-Charlotte Hornets 18-53
15. e-Washington Wizards 15-56
Western Conference
1. p-Oklahoma City Thunder 59-12
2. Houston Rockets 46-26
3. Denver Nuggets 45-28
4. Los Angeles Lakers 43-28
5. Memphis Grizzlies 43-28
6. Golden State Warriors 41-30
7. Los Angeles Clippers 40-31
8. Minnesota Timberwolves 41-32
9. Sacramento Kings 35-36
10. Phoenix Suns 35-37
11. Dallas Mavericks 35-37
12. Portland Trail Blazers 32-40
13. San Antonio Spurs 31-39
14. e-New Orleans Pelicans 20-53
15. e-Utah Jazz 16-56
-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