Tristan Vukcevic wraps up NBA season with career showing

By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net

A new career-high of 28 points by Tristan Vukcevic emerged among the highlights of NBA Sundays, dedicated to the last games for each team in the 2024-25 Regular Season. The Serbian big also celebrated a crazy buzzer beater by Bob Carrington sending the Washington Wizards to a win, 119-118, over the Miami Heat in Kaseya Center.

Vukcevic, 22, connected 9/12 field goals, including four triples in a career game. The promising youngster added 11 rebounds, five assists, and one block. French Alex Sarr threw in ten points, eight rebounds, four assists, and one steal. Fellow French upstart Bilal Coulibaly (right hamstring strain) remained sidelined, similar to Serbian Nikola Jovic (right hand fracture) and Swedish Pelle Larsson (right ankle sprain) for the team coached by Erik Spoelstra.

Sitting Giannis Antetokounmpo (left shoulder tendinopathy), the Milwaukee Bucks topped the Detroit Pistons, 140-133, in overtime. With the Greek superstar on the sidelines, European participation in Fiserv Forum was limited to the Pistons, with Swedish Bobi Klintman pairing his first 15 NBA points with six assists, three rebounds, and two steals. Italian Simone Fontecchio ended up with 15 points, three rebounds, and two assists, but German Dennis Schroder did not play.

Double overtime in Rocket Arena saw the Indiana Pacers outlast the Cleveland Cavaliers, 126-118.

Bona and Nurkic are not enough

In Wells Fargo Center, the Chicago Bulls cruised past the Philadelphia 76ers, 122-102, before a SoFi Play-In Tournament matchup versus the Heat. Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic chipped in eight points, eight rebounds, one block, and one steal, and Lithuanian Matas Buzelis recorded seven points, three rebounds, one steal, and one assist. For the Sixers, Turkish Adem Bona finished his first NBA season with 16 points, nine rebounds, two blocks, and one steal, and French Guerschon Yabusele (right knee soreness) remained out.

Without Latvian Kristaps Porzingis (illness reconditioning), the Boston Celtics beat the Charlotte Hornets, 93-86, in TD Garden. Portuguese Neemias Queta contributed two points, six rebounds, four assists, and two steals. Jusuf Nurkic packed 14 points, nine rebounds, three steals, two assists, and one block for the visitors. “We had to finish the season right and compete as hard as you can. Just execute the game plan,” said the 30-year-old Bosnian center in a postgame media session.

Among French options for Hornets head coach Charles Lee, Moussa Diabate recovered from an illness with ten points, nine rebounds, two steals, and one block. Tidjane Salaun completed his rookie NBA journey with five points, five rebounds, and two assists.

Tristan da Silva starts

With German Franz Wagner (right knee soreness) joining his brother Moritz Wagner (left knee surgery) on the injury list for the finale of the Regular Season, the Orlando Magic lost, 117-105, to the Atlanta Hawks in State Farm Arena. Fellow German import Tristan da Silva fit in the starting lineup, tallying 14 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Georgian Goga Bitadze had ten points, six rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and one steal. On the winning end, Swiss Clint Capela (left fourth metacarpal ligament sprain) remained out, but Czech Vit Krejci recorded 13 points, seven assists, seven rebounds, and three assists off the bench. French Zaccharie Risacher was limited to six points, two rebounds, and one block in just under ten minutes.

French Pacome Dadiet went for four points and four rebounds as the New York Knicks took down the Brooklyn Nets, 113-105, in Barclays Center. British O.G. Anunoby (right thumb sprain) and German Ariel Hukporti (left knee surgery) were unavailable for Tom Thibodeau. Another British NBA player, Tosan Evbuomwan, produced two points, five assists, four rebounds, and one steal for the team coached by Spanish Jordi Fernandez.

NBA Sundays results

Atlanta Hawks – Orlando Magic 117-105
Boston Celtics – Charlotte Hornets 93-86
Philadelphia 76ers – Chicago Bulls 102-122
Miami Heat – Washington Wizards 118-119
Brooklyn Nets – New York Knicks 105-113
Milwaukee Bucks – Detroit Pistons 140-133 OT (123-123)
Cleveland Cavaliers – Indiana Pacers 118-126 (109-109, 105-105)

SoFi Play-In Tournament

Eastern Conference

1. Orlando Magic – Atlanta Hawks (winner takes seventh seed)
2. Chicago Bulls – Miami Heat
3. Loser 1 – Winner 2 (winner takes eighth seed)

NBA Playoffs presented by Google

Eastern Conference Quarterfinals

4. Cleveland Cavaliers – Winner 3
5. Indiana Pacers – Milwaukee Bucks
6. New York Knicks – Detroit Pistons
7. Boston Celtics – Winner 1

Eastern Conference Semifinals

8. Winners 4-5
9. Winners 6-7

Eastern Conference Finals

Winners 8-9

NBA Finals

Champions of Eastern and Western Conferences

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