By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Bogdan Bogdanovic made 9/17 from the field for a team-high 22 points and the Sacramento Kings overpowered the Charlotte Hornets, 104-97. Nemanja Bjelica helped out with three points, but Kostas Koufos didn’t get any action. Tony Parker (rest) didn’t play for the visitors, but Nicolas Batum scored 13 points and Willy Hernangomez added three of his own at the Golden 1 Center.
Rudy Gobert was two assists shy of his first triple-double leading the Utah Jazz to their 110-102 home victory over the Chicago Bulls. The 26-year-old French center finished up with 15 points, 16 rebounds and a personal-best eight assists. Ricky Rubio (right hamstring) and Thabo Sefolosha (right hamstring) remained on the injury list, and Naz Mitrou-Long didn’t leave the bench. Lauri Markkanen put up 16 points for the visitors.
Dennis Schroder sank all of his 19 points in the second half helping the Oklahoma City Thunder achieve a 122-112 home win over the San Antonio Spurs. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot got some garbage time and scored one point, but Alex Abrines (personal) missed his seventh straight game. Marco Belinelli posted a 24-point season-high but wasn’t enough for the Texans. Davis Bertans had nine points, Jakob Poeltl six and Pau Gasol two.
Nikola Vucevic posted a 16-point, 13-rebound double for the Orlando Magic in their 105-103 home win over the Boston Celtics. Evan Fournier helped his team snap a four-game losing streak making 8/15 from the field for 18 points, while Timofey Mozgov (right knee) remained out. Daniel Theis scored four points for the visitors, but Guerschon Yabusele didn’t get any action in the tight game played at the Amway Center.
Karl-Anthony Towns’ monster 27-point, career-high 27-rebound double-double was enough for the Minnesota Timberwolves in their 110-106 home victory against the New Orleans Pelicans. Dario Saric added 14 points and Luol Deng had four playing for the first time in thirteen games and just the fifth in the NBA 2018-19 Regular Season. Nikola Mirotic put up nine points in his second game following his lengthy injury layoff.
Blake Griffin had a night to remember at the Staples Center facing the Los Angeles Clippers on the road for the first time. He poured 44 points leading the Detroit Pistons to their 109-104 win. Jose Calderon chipped in with five points, while Zaza Pachulia (right leg) remained on the injury list. Danilo Gallinari scored 23 and Marcin Gortat added four for the home side, but Serbs Milos Teodosic and Boban Marjanovic didn’t play.
Goran Dragic (right knee) remained sidelined, but the Miami Heat hang on for a 112-108 home victory against the Memphis Grizzlies. The visitors blew a couple of double-digits leads in the first half, before falling thirteen points behind in the second. They tried to come back, but didn’t get the “W” despite Marc Gasol’s 15 points. Omri Casspi and Joakim Noah scored four points apiece.
Nikola Jokic went off for a team-high 23 points, also grabbed ten boards, but the Denver Nuggets suffered a 103-92 loss to the Phoenix Suns at the Talking Stick Resort Arena. Juan Hernangomez only scored one point in 14 minutes. Elie Okobo notched five for the winning side, but Dragan Bender didn’t leave the bench.
Results, European action and standings:
| Los Angeles Clippers | Detroit Pistons | 104-109 | Danilo Gallinari 23pts, 6reb, 2ast, 1stl, Marcin Gortat 4pts, 4reb, 1ast – Jose Calderon 5pts, 1ast |
| Miami Heat | Memphis Grizzlies | 112-108 | Marc Gasol 15pts, 5reb, 5ast, 1stl, 2blk, Omri Casspi 4pts, 6reb, Joakim Noah 4pts, 5reb, 1ast, 1blk |
| Orlando Magic | Boston Celtics | 105-103 | Evan Fournier 18pts, 3reb, 5ast, Nikola Vucevic 16pts, 13reb, 5ast – Daniel Theis 4pts, 3reb, 1ast |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | New Orleans Pelicans | 110-106 | Dario Saric 14pts, 4reb, Luol Deng 4pts – Nikola Mirotic 9pts, 6reb, 3blk |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | San Antonio Spurs | 122-112 | Dennis Schroder 19pts, 1reb, 6ast, 4stl, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot 1pt, – Marco Belinelli 24pts, 1ast, Davis Bertans 9pts, 4reb, 1ast, 2blk, Jakob Poeltl 6pts, 10reb, 1ast, 1blk, Pau Gasol 2pts, 6reb |
| Phoenix Suns | Denver Nuggets | 102-93 | Elie Okobo 5pts, 3reb, 5ast, 1stl, 1blk – Nikola Jokic 23pts, 10reb, 4ast, 1blk, Juan Hernangomez 1pt, 1reb |
| Utah Jazz | Chicago Bulls | 110-102 | Rudy Gobert 15pts, 16reb, 8ast, 1stl, 2blk – Lauri Markkanen 16pts, 5reb, 1ast, 2blk |
| Sacramento Kings | Charlotte Hornets | 104-97 | Bogdan Bogdanovic 22pts, 6reb, 2ast, Nemanja Bjelica 3pts, 4ast, 2stl – Nicolas Batum 13pts, 8reb, 5ast, 2stl, 2blk, Willy Hernangomez 3pts, 6reb, 1ast |
Eastern Conference
1. Toronto Raptors 32-12
2. Milwaukee Bucks 29-12
3. Indiana Pacers 28-14
4. Philadelphia 76ers 27-16
5. Boston Celtics 25-17
6. Miami Heat 21-20
7. Brooklyn Nets 21-23
8. Charlotte Hornets 19-23
9. Detroit Pistons 18-23
10. Orlando Magic 18-24
11. Washington Wizards 18-25
12. Atlanta Hawks 13-29
13. New York Knicks 10-32
14. Chicago Bulls 10-33
15. Cleveland Cavaliers 8-35
Western Conference
1. Denver Nuggets 28-13
2. Golden State Warriors 28-14
3. Oklahoma City Thunder 26-16
4. Portland Trail Blazers 26-17
5. Houston Rockets 24-17
6. Los Angeles Clippers 24-18
7. San Antonio Spurs 25-19
8. Los Angeles Lakers 23-20
9. Utah Jazz 23-21
10. Sacramento Kings 22-21
11. Minnesota Timberwolves 21-22
12. Dallas Mavericks 20-22
13. New Orleans Pelicans 20-23
14. Memphis Grizzlies 19-23
15. Phoenix Suns 11-33