By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Khris Middleton hit a 3-pointer with 40.7 seconds left in overtime after Thon Maker tipped an initial miss from Middleton right back to his teammate, and the Milwaukee Bucks beat the Detroit Pistons 108-105. The Greek Freak Giannis Antetokounmpo finished the game with 28 points, 14 rebounds and 9 assists.
It was a thrilling end to the month for the Bucks, who moved into fifth place in the Eastern Conference after going 14-4 in March. Milwaukee had its first 14-win month since a 16-2 record in February 1971. Bosnian Mirza Teletovic added 3 points for the winners, while Slovenian Beno Udrh had 16 points and 8 assists for the losing side.
Meanwhile Serb Nikola Jokic, who finished with a triple-double on 26 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists was not enough. All-Star Kemba Walker had 31 points, and Charlotte’s backups – led by Frank Kaminsky (22 p.) and Italian Marco Belinelli (11 p.) – outscored their Denver counterparts 50-19 as the Hornets preserved their slim playoff hopes with a 122-114 win.
French Nicolas Batum added 13 points and 9 assists for the winners, while Italian Danilo Gallinari scored 19 points and Spaniard Juancho Hernangomez had 2 points. The loss dealt a severe blow to Denver’s playoff chances. The Nuggets fell two games behind Portland for the eighth spot in the Western Conference. The first seven spots of the West have been already “locked”.
Here’s the rest of last night’s results and euro-scorers.
Toronto – Indiana 111-100 (Ibaka 15 p. 12 r., Valanciunas 16 p. 17 r., Poeltl 1 r.)
Cleveland – Philadelphia 122-105 (Saric 8 p., Luwawu-Cabarro 19 p.)
Boston – Orlando 117-116 (Jerebko 4 p. 8 r. – Vucevic 8 p. 7 r., Fournier 20 p., Hezonja 4 p.)
Memphis – Dallas 99-90 (Gasol DNP – Nowitzki 13 p. 12 r.)
New Orleans – Sacramento 117-89 (Papagiannis 11 p. 3 r.)
Miami – New York 94-98 (Dragic 22 p. 5 as. – Porzingis 22 p. 7 r., Hernangomez 10 p. 12 r., Vujacic 9 p. 7 as.)
Oklahoma City – San Antonio 95-100 (Sabonis 9 p., Kanter 11 p., Abrines 5 p. – Parker 8 p. 2 as., Gasol 17 p. 4 r. 4 as.)
Utah – Washington 95-88 (Gobert 16 p. 10 r., Diaw 5 as. – Gortat 4 p. 11 r., Mahinmi 6 p., Bogdanovic 10 p.)
Golden State – Houston 107-98 (Pachulia 2 p. – Capela 8 p. 14 r.)
Eastern Conference
| W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | DIV | CONF | PPG | OPP PPG | DIFF | STRK | L10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1x –Boston Celtics | 49 | 27 | .645 | – | 28-10 | 21-17 | 9-5 | 32-14 | 107.8 | 105.2 | +2.6 | W1 | 8-2 |
| 2y –Cleveland Cavaliers | 48 | 27 | .640 | 0.5 | 29-8 | 19-19 | 7-8 | 32-13 | 110.0 | 106.7 | +3.3 | W1 | 5-5 |
| 3x –Toronto Raptors | 46 | 30 | .605 | 3 | 26-13 | 20-17 | 12-2 | 29-17 | 107.2 | 103.0 | +4.2 | W1 | 8-2 |
| 4y –Washington Wizards | 46 | 30 | .605 | 3 | 29-10 | 17-20 | 7-6 | 29-18 | 109.3 | 107.0 | +2.2 | L2 | 5-5 |
| 5Milwaukee Bucks | 40 | 36 | .526 | 9 | 22-17 | 18-19 | 10-5 | 25-23 | 104.6 | 104.2 | +0.5 | W3 | 8-2 |
| 6Atlanta Hawks | 39 | 36 | .520 | 9.5 | 20-18 | 19-18 | 5-10 | 26-19 | 102.9 | 104.1 | -1.2 | W2 | 3-7 |
| 7Miami Heat | 37 | 39 | .487 | 12 | 21-17 | 16-22 | 6-7 | 23-24 | 102.6 | 101.8 | +0.9 | L1 | 5-5 |
| 8Indiana Pacers | 37 | 39 | .487 | 12 | 26-12 | 11-27 | 7-7 | 21-25 | 104.3 | 105.4 | -1.2 | L3 | 3-7 |
| Chicago Bulls | 36 | 39 | .480 | 12.5 | 22-16 | 14-23 | 9-7 | 24-22 | 102.4 | 103.2 | -0.8 | W2 | 5-5 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 35 | 41 | .461 | 14 | 22-17 | 13-24 | 10-3 | 22-25 | 105.4 | 104.5 | +0.9 | W2 | 6-4 |
| Detroit Pistons | 35 | 42 | .455 | 14.5 | 24-15 | 11-27 | 5-11 | 21-28 | 101.0 | 102.3 | -1.3 | L1 | 2-8 |
| e –New York Knicks | 29 | 47 | .382 | 20 | 17-19 | 12-28 | 4-9 | 20-27 | 104.7 | 108.2 | -3.5 | W1 | 3-7 |
| e –Philadelphia 76ers | 28 | 48 | .368 | 21 | 17-20 | 11-28 | 7-6 | 19-27 | 102.4 | 107.7 | -5.3 | L2 | 4-6 |
| e –Orlando Magic | 27 | 49 | .355 | 22 | 14-24 | 13-25 | 7-9 | 18-28 | 100.8 | 106.8 | -6.0 | L3 | 3-7 |
| e –Brooklyn Nets | 16 | 59 | .213 | 32.5 | 10-28 | 6-31 | 2-12 | 7-38 | 105.7 | 112.9 | -7.2 | L2 | 4-6 |
Western Conference
| W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | DIV | CONF | PPG | OPP PPG | DIFF | STRK | L10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1y –Golden State Warriors | 62 | 14 | .816 | – | 32-4 | 30-10 | 12-2 | 38-9 | 115.7 | 104.2 | +11.5 | W10 | 10-0 |
| 2y –San Antonio Spurs | 58 | 17 | .773 | 3.5 | 29-8 | 29-9 | 9-5 | 33-12 | 106.1 | 98.2 | +7.8 | W1 | 7-3 |
| 3x –Houston Rockets | 51 | 25 | .671 | 11 | 28-10 | 23-15 | 10-6 | 32-15 | 115.3 | 108.9 | +6.3 | L3 | 6-4 |
| 4x –Utah Jazz | 47 | 29 | .618 | 15 | 26-12 | 21-17 | 6-7 | 27-19 | 100.5 | 96.4 | +4.1 | W3 | 6-4 |
| 5x –LA Clippers | 46 | 31 | .597 | 16.5 | 25-12 | 21-19 | 8-6 | 26-21 | 108.4 | 104.9 | +3.5 | W2 | 6-4 |
| 6x –Oklahoma City Thunder | 43 | 32 | .573 | 18.5 | 27-11 | 16-21 | 8-5 | 26-21 | 106.9 | 106.0 | +0.9 | L1 | 7-3 |
| 7x –Memphis Grizzlies | 42 | 34 | .553 | 20 | 23-14 | 19-20 | 8-6 | 28-20 | 100.8 | 100.0 | +0.8 | W2 | 6-4 |
| 8Portland Trail Blazers | 37 | 38 | .493 | 24.5 | 21-15 | 16-23 | 9-3 | 24-21 | 108.3 | 109.0 | -0.7 | W5 | 8-2 |
| Denver Nuggets | 35 | 40 | .467 | 26.5 | 21-18 | 14-22 | 5-9 | 20-26 | 111.5 | 111.4 | +0.0 | L3 | 5-5 |
| New Orleans Pelicans | 33 | 43 | .434 | 29 | 21-18 | 12-25 | 6-10 | 19-28 | 104.1 | 105.6 | -1.5 | W2 | 7-3 |
| Dallas Mavericks | 31 | 44 | .413 | 30.5 | 21-18 | 10-26 | 4-10 | 18-28 | 97.9 | 100.3 | -2.5 | L4 | 3-7 |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | 30 | 44 | .405 | 31 | 19-19 | 11-25 | 4-8 | 17-27 | 105.2 | 105.9 | -0.7 | W2 | 3-7 |
| e –Sacramento Kings | 29 | 47 | .382 | 33 | 15-23 | 14-24 | 6-7 | 18-28 | 102.1 | 106.5 | -4.3 | L2 | 4-6 |
| e –Phoenix Suns | 22 | 54 | .289 | 40 | 13-24 | 9-30 | 3-11 | 9-37 | 107.1 | 112.9 | -5.8 | L10 | 0-10 |
| e –Los Angeles Lakers | 21 | 54 | .280 | 40.5 | 13-24 | 8-30 | 5-8 | 11-34 | 104.7 | 112.2 | -7.6 | L3 | 1-9 |