By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Luka Doncic had 35 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists, but the Dallas Mavericks lost 123-120 to the Toronto Raptors at the American Airlines Center in Sunday’s Regular Season matchup between the two teams. Beside his new single-game points record, the 19-year-old Slovenian became the first NBA teenager with a pair of triple-doubles. He will turn 20 on February 28th, so maybe there is room for a hat-trick.
Serge Ibaka notched a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double for the winners and OG Anunoby added five points of his own, but Jonas Valanciunas (left thumb) remained on his team’s injury list. On the losing side, Dirk Nowitzki finished up with seven points with 2/2 beyond the arc in ten minutes. Maxi Kleber also played for the home team, but didn’t insert himself in the scoring list.
Davis Bertans returned from a two-game absence pouring a season-high 21 points and the San Antonio Spurs overpowered the Washington Wizards, 132-119, at the AT&T Center. Marco Belinelli added 13 points, Pau Gasol five and Jakob Poeltl four. Tomas Satoransky flirted with a losing effort triple-double, but ended up one board and two helpers shy besides his 2018-19-high 21 points. His teammate Ian Mahinmi (right thumb) was out.
Despite missing Danilo Gallinari (back) again, the Los Angeles Clippers strolled to the 122-108 win against the Sacramento Kings at the Staples Center. Milos Teodosic was also inactive and Boban Marjanovic didn’t fit in the rotation. However, Marcin Gortat started and posted four points. Bogdan Bogdanovic had 19 points and Nemanja Bjelica three for the visitors, but Kostas Koufos remained on the bench.
Ivica Zubac erupted for a 24-point, 16-rebound double-double and the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Phoenix Suns, 116-102, at the other game of the night played at the Staples Center. Fellow Europeans Moritz Wagner and Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk also got action, but only the 21-year-old German put up three points. Dragan Bender notched five and Elie Okobo four for the visitors.
Cedi Osman had a great showing with 17 points for the Cleveland Cavaliers in their 104-101 victory over the Chicago Bulls in the United Center. Ante Zizic added eight points and a NBA personal-best 14 rebounds for the visitors. Finn Lauri Markkanen (hip) was questionable, but avoided signs of discomfort putting up a 21-point, 15-rebound double-double for the losing side.
Goran Dragic (right knee) remained out, but the Miami Heat got by the New York Knicks with a 106-97 win at the Madison Square Garden. Mario Hezonja scored 12 points for the hosts and Frank Ntilikina put up six of his own before leaving the game due to a sore groin. Enes Kanter didn’t play and Kristaps Porzingis (left knee) was inactive once again.
Ricky Rubio posted 18 points and Rudy Gobert 17 helping the Utah Jazz beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 125-111, at the Target Center. Naz Mitrou-Long didn’t get any action and Thabo Sefolosha (right hamstring) remained out. Luol Deng set a new season-high with 15 points for the losing side and Dario Saric finished with three points and eleven boards.
Dennis Schroder scored 14 points for the Oklahoma City Thunder that beat the Milwaukee Bucks, 118-112, at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. His teammates Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot and Alex Abrines didn’t leave the bench. Giannis Antetokounmpo’s 27-point, 18-rebound double-double wasn’t enough for the visitors. Ersan Ilyasova also played but failed to get on the board.
Nikola Vucevic posted a 19-point, 17-rebound double-double and Evan Fournier racked up 18 points, but the Houston Rockets rallied down the stretch for their 103-98 victory over the Orlando Magic at the Toyota Center. Clint Capela (right thumb) and Timofey Mozgov (right knee) remained on their teams’ injury list.
Results and European action:
| Chicago Bulls | Cleveland Cavaliers | 101-104 | Markkanen 21pts, 15reb, 1ast, 1stl – Osman 17pts, 8reb, 2ast, 2stl, Zizic 8pts, 14reb, 3ast, 1stl, 1blk |
| Los Angeles Clippers | Sacramento Kings | 122-108 | Gortat 4pts, 7reb, 1ast – Bogdanovic 19pts, 1reb, 2ast, 3stl, Bjelica 3pts, 4reb, 1stl, 1blk |
| Oklahoma City Thunder | Milwaukee Bucks | 118-112 | Schroder 14pts, 2reb, 7ast – Antetokounmpo 27pts, 18reb, 4ast, 1stl |
| Dallas Mavericks | Toronto Raptors | 120-123 | Doncic 35pts, 12reb, 10ast, Nowitzki 7pts, Kleber 2reb, 1ast – Ibaka 17pts, 11reb, 2ast, 1stl, 2blk, Anunoby 5pts, 2reb |
| Houston Rockets | Orlando Magic | 103-98 | Vucevic 19pts, 17reb, 5ast, 2stl, 1blk, Fournier 18pts, 3reb, 2ast, 2stl |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | Utah Jazz | 111-125 | Deng 15pts, 4reb, 2stl, Saric 3pts, 11reb – Rubio 18pts, 4reb, 8ast, 2stl, Gobert 17pts, 4reb, 4ast, 2stl, 3blk |
| San Antonio Spurs | Washington Wizards | 132-119 | Bertans 21pts, 3reb, 2ast, Belinelli 13pts, 5reb, 3ast, Gasol 5pts, 7reb, Poeltl 4pts, 5ren, 1ast, 1stl, 1blk – Satoransky 21pts, 9reb, 8ast, 1stl |
| New York Knicks | Miami Heat | 97-106 | Hezonja 12pts, 5reb, 1ast, 3stl, Ntilikina 6pts, 2reb, 4ast, 1stl |
| Los Angeles Lakers | Phoenix Suns | 116-102 | Zubac 24pts, 16reb, 4blk, Wagner 3pts, 1reb, Mykhailiuk 1ast, 1stl -Bender 5pts, 4reb, 1blk, Okobo 4pts, 2reb, 3ast, 1blk |
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Milwaukee Bucks 35-13
2. Toronto Raptors 37-15
3. Indiana Pacers 32-16
4. Philadelphia 76ers 32-18
5. Boston Celtics 30-19
6. Brooklyn Nets 27-23
7. Miami Heat 24-24
8. Charlotte Hornets 23-25
9. Detroit Pistons 21-27
10. Washington Wizards 21-28
11. Orlando Magic 20-30
12. Atlanta Hawks 15-33
13. Chicago Bulls 11-39
14. New York Knicks 10-38
15. Cleveland Cavaliers 10-41
Western Conference
1. Golden State Warriors 35-14
2. Denver Nuggets 33-15
3. Oklahoma City Thunder 31-18
4. Portland Trail Blazers 31-20
5. Houston Rockets 29-20
6. San Antonio Spurs 29-22
7. Utah Jazz 29-22
8. Los Angeles Clippers 28-22
9. Los Angeles Lakers 26-24
10. Sacramento Kings 25-25
11. Minnesota Timberwolves 24-26
12. Dallas Mavericks 22-27
13. New Orleans Pelicans 22-28
14. Memphis Grizzlies 20-30
15. Phoenix Suns 11-41