By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
George had 23 points and 10 rebounds to help the Pacers beat the Milwaukee Bucks 104-89. The loss was Milwaukee’s third straight after winning seven of its previous eight.
Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with a game-high 25 points, 7 rebounds and 6 assists. The Greek freak scored 16 points in the first half to help the Bucks keep pace, but Indiana kept him in check in the second half and pulled away. Bosnian Mirza Teletovic added 15 points off the bench for the Bucks. French center Kevin Seraphin had 11 points and 7 rebounds for the winners.
Although the Pacers remain in playoff contention — the moved up one spot to eighth with Miami off Thursday — their fate may not be completely in their control. Chicago and Miami both hold the season tiebreaker over the Pacers. The Bucks dropped to the 6th spot.
In the West, Allen Crabbe had 25 points, including a career-high eight 3-pointers, and the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 105-98 to snap a two-game losing streak. It was the fourth game for Portland without Bosnian big man Jusuf Nurkic, which held onto the eighth and final playoff spot in the Western Conference at 1 1/2 games ahead of Denver with three games to go.
Spaniard Ricky Rubio finished the game with 19 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists for Minessota, while Israeli Omri Casspi added 4 points. Here’s last night’s results and euro-scorers.
Orlando – Brooklyn 115-107 (Vucevic 18 p. 12 r. Hezonja 11 p.)
Philadelphia – Chicago 90-102 (Saric 9 p. 10 r. Luwawu-Cabarro 18 p. Mirotic 22 p. Zipser 7 p. Lauvergne 14 p.)
New York – Washington 103-106 (Hernangomez 13 p. 8 r. Kuzminskas 8 p. Vujacic 10 p. – Gortat 16 p. Mahinmi 4 p. Bogdanovic 8 p.)
Atlanta – Boston 123-116 (Schroder 18 p. 5 as. Ilyasova 7p. 7 r. Calderon 3 p. – Jerebko 2 p. 2 r. 2 as.)
Eastern Conference
| W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | DIV | CONF | PPG | OPP PPG | DIFF | STRK | L10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1y –Cleveland Cavaliers | 51 | 27 | .654 | – | 31-8 | 20-19 | 8-8 | 35-13 | 110.5 | 106.7 | +3.8 | W4 | 6-4 |
| 2x –Boston Celtics | 50 | 29 | .633 | 1.5 | 28-11 | 22-18 | 10-5 | 33-16 | 107.7 | 105.4 | +2.3 | L2 | 6-4 |
| 3x –Toronto Raptors | 48 | 31 | .608 | 3.5 | 27-13 | 21-18 | 13-2 | 31-18 | 107.1 | 103.1 | +4.0 | W1 | 8-2 |
| 4y –Washington Wizards | 48 | 31 | .608 | 3.5 | 30-10 | 18-21 | 8-6 | 31-18 | 109.4 | 107.4 | +2.0 | W2 | 6-4 |
| 5Atlanta Hawks | 40 | 38 | .513 | 11 | 21-18 | 19-20 | 5-10 | 27-21 | 102.9 | 104.2 | -1.2 | W1 | 3-7 |
| 6Milwaukee Bucks | 40 | 39 | .506 | 11.5 | 22-18 | 18-21 | 10-6 | 25-24 | 104.1 | 104.3 | -0.2 | L3 | 6-4 |
| 7Chicago Bulls | 39 | 40 | .494 | 12.5 | 23-16 | 16-24 | 9-7 | 26-23 | 102.5 | 103.1 | -0.6 | W1 | 7-3 |
| 8Indiana Pacers | 39 | 40 | .494 | 12.5 | 28-12 | 11-28 | 8-8 | 23-26 | 104.6 | 105.4 | -0.8 | W2 | 4-6 |
| Miami Heat | 38 | 40 | .487 | 13 | 21-18 | 17-22 | 7-7 | 24-24 | 102.9 | 101.9 | +1.0 | W1 | 5-5 |
| Charlotte Hornets | 36 | 43 | .456 | 15.5 | 22-18 | 14-25 | 10-5 | 22-27 | 105.5 | 104.7 | +0.7 | L2 | 6-4 |
| Detroit Pistons | 35 | 43 | .449 | 16 | 24-16 | 11-27 | 5-11 | 21-29 | 101.1 | 102.4 | -1.3 | L2 | 2-8 |
| e –New York Knicks | 30 | 49 | .380 | 21.5 | 18-21 | 12-28 | 4-10 | 21-29 | 104.5 | 108.0 | -3.5 | L1 | 3-7 |
| e –Orlando Magic | 28 | 51 | .354 | 23.5 | 15-24 | 13-27 | 7-9 | 19-30 | 101.1 | 107.2 | -6.1 | W1 | 4-6 |
| e –Philadelphia 76ers | 28 | 51 | .354 | 23.5 | 17-22 | 11-29 | 7-8 | 19-30 | 102.5 | 108.1 | -5.7 | L5 | 2-8 |
| e –Brooklyn Nets | 19 | 60 | .241 | 32.5 | 12-28 | 7-32 | 3-12 | 10-39 | 106.2 | 112.6 | -6.4 | L1 | 6-4 |
Western Conference
| W | L | PCT | GB | HOME | ROAD | DIV | CONF | PPG | OPP PPG | DIFF | STRK | L10 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1z –Golden State Warriors | 65 | 14 | .823 | – | 34-4 | 31-10 | 13-2 | 40-9 | 116.1 | 104.4 | +11.7 | W13 | 10-0 |
| 2y –San Antonio Spurs | 60 | 18 | .769 | 4.5 | 31-9 | 29-9 | 10-5 | 35-13 | 105.8 | 98.2 | +7.6 | L1 | 8-2 |
| 3x –Houston Rockets | 53 | 25 | .679 | 11.5 | 29-10 | 24-15 | 10-6 | 34-15 | 115.3 | 109.0 | +6.3 | W2 | 6-4 |
| 4x –Utah Jazz | 48 | 30 | .615 | 16.5 | 27-12 | 21-18 | 7-7 | 28-20 | 100.6 | 96.5 | +4.1 | W1 | 5-5 |
| 5x –LA Clippers | 48 | 31 | .608 | 17 | 27-12 | 21-19 | 9-6 | 28-21 | 108.5 | 104.8 | +3.7 | W4 | 8-2 |
| 6x –Oklahoma City Thunder | 45 | 33 | .577 | 19.5 | 28-12 | 17-21 | 8-5 | 27-21 | 106.8 | 105.7 | +1.1 | W2 | 6-4 |
| 7x –Memphis Grizzlies | 42 | 37 | .532 | 23 | 23-15 | 19-22 | 8-7 | 28-23 | 100.7 | 100.1 | +0.6 | L3 | 3-7 |
| 8Portland Trail Blazers | 39 | 40 | .494 | 26 | 23-15 | 16-25 | 10-5 | 26-23 | 108.2 | 108.9 | -0.7 | W1 | 7-3 |
| Denver Nuggets | 37 | 41 | .474 | 27.5 | 21-18 | 16-23 | 5-9 | 21-27 | 111.7 | 111.7 | +0.0 | L1 | 4-6 |
| e –New Orleans Pelicans | 33 | 45 | .423 | 31.5 | 21-20 | 12-25 | 6-10 | 19-29 | 104.5 | 106.1 | -1.6 | L2 | 6-4 |
| e –Dallas Mavericks | 32 | 46 | .410 | 32.5 | 21-18 | 11-28 | 4-10 | 18-30 | 97.9 | 100.5 | -2.6 | L2 | 3-7 |
| e –Sacramento Kings | 31 | 47 | .397 | 33.5 | 16-23 | 15-24 | 6-7 | 20-28 | 102.4 | 106.4 | -4.0 | W2 | 4-6 |
| e –Minnesota Timberwolves | 31 | 47 | .397 | 33.5 | 20-20 | 11-27 | 5-9 | 18-30 | 105.4 | 106.3 | -1.0 | L2 | 3-7 |
| e –Los Angeles Lakers | 23 | 55 | .295 | 41.5 | 14-24 | 9-31 | 5-9 | 13-35 | 104.7 | 111.9 | -7.3 | W2 | 3-7 |
| e –Phoenix Suns | 22 | 57 | .278 | 43 | 13-26 | 9-31 | 3-12 | 9-40 | 107.4 | 113.3 | -6.0 | L13 | 0-10 |