By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Luka Doncic picked up a left knee injury, but finished the NBA 2018-19 Regular Season contest nearing a triple-double. He got to 19 points, set a career-high 15 rebounds and dished nine helpers, but the Dallas Mavericks lost to the Houston Rockets, 94-93. His teammate Maxi Kleber had a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double and his opponent Clint Capela ended up with 17 points and 12 boards.
Giannis Antetokounmpo posted 27 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. However, the Milwaukee Bucks were defeated by the streaking San Antonio Spurs, 121-114, at the AT&T Center. Marco Belinelli poured 16 points off the bench for the winning side, fellow Europeans Jakob Poeltl and Davis Bertans added a total of 13 points.
Nikola Vucevic notched a 26-point, 10-rebound double-double, but wasn’t enough for the Orlando Magic at the FedExForum. Fellow European Evan Fournier was ejected following two technical fouls in the third quarter and the Magic fell one win behind the playoffs zone after being defeated by the Memphis Grizzlies, 105-97.
Alex Len scored 19 points for the Atlanta Hawks in their 128-116 win against the New Orleans Pelicans and debuting Dairis Bertans. Bojan Bogdanovic put up a team-high 18 points and Domantas Sabonis (left ankle) returned to action with nine points, but the Indiana Pacers lost to the Philadelphia 76ers, 106-89.
Zaza Pachulia (right Achilles) didn’t get on the court for the Detroit Pistons. Mario Hezonja (left leg), Boban Marjanovic (right knee), Luol Deng (left Achilles), Frank Ntilikina (groin), Timofey Mozgov (right knee), Kristaps Porzingis (left knee) and Furkan Korkmaz (right knee) were inactive due to injury.
Results and European action:
| Detroit Pistons | Chicago Bulls | 131-108 | Calderon 3reb, 1ast, Mykhailiuk G-L – Markkanen 17pts, 6reb, 2ast, 1stl, 1blk, Luwawu-Cabarrot 2pts, 1reb |
| Miami Heat | Toronto Raptors | 104-125 | Dragic 11pts, 4reb, 3ast – Anunoby 11pts, 3reb, 1ast, 2stl, 1blk, Ibaka 10pts, 8reb, 1ast, 3blk, M. Gasol 6pts, 6reb, 3ast, 2stl, 1blk |
| Philadelphia 76ers | Indiana Pacers | 106-89 | Boj. Bogdanovic 18pts, 5reb, 2ast, 2stl, Sabonis 9pts, 6reb, 6ast, 1stl |
| Atlanta Hawks | New Orleans Pelicans | 128-116 | Len 19pts, 9reb, 1blk – Dair. Bertans 1ast |
| Memphis Grizzlies | Orlando Magic | 105-92 | Valanciunas 12pts, 8reb, 3ast, 1stl, 4blk, Noah 10pts, 6reb, 2ast, Dorsey 1reb – Vucevic 26pts, 10reb, 3ast, 1stl, 1blk, Fournier 3reb, 1ast, 1stl |
| Dallas Mavericks | Houston Rockets | 93-94 | Doncic 19pts, 15reb, 9ast, 2stl, 2blk, Kleber 10pts, 11reb, 1ast, 1stl, Nowitzki 6pts, 2reb, 1ast, 1blk, K. Antetokounmpo G-L Capela 17pts, 12reb, 1ast, 1stl, 1blk, Hartenstein G-L |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | New York Knicks | 103-92 | Saric 11pts, 4reb, 2ast, 1stl |
| San Antonio Spurs | Milwaukee Bucks | 121-114 | Belinelli 16pts, 3reb, 2ast, 1stl, Poeltl 8pts, 8reb, 3ast, Dav. Bertans 5pts, 4reb, 3ast, 1stl – G. Antetokounmpo 27pts, 13reb, 6ast, 1blk, Mirotic 10pts, 4reb, 1ast, P. Gasol 3pts, 3reb, 1ast, Ilyasova DNP |
| Golden State Warriors | Phoenix Suns | 111-115 | Jerebko DNP – Bender 2pts, 6reb, 1blk, Okobo G-L |
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. x-Milwaukee Bucks 50-17
2. x-Toronto Raptors 48-19
3. Philadelphia 76ers 42-25
4. Indiana Pacers 42-25
5. Boston Celtics 41-26
6. Detroit Pistons 34-31
7. Brooklyn Nets 35-33
8. Miami Heat 31-35
9. Orlando Magic 31-37
10. Charlotte Hornets 30-36
11. Washington Wizards 27-39
12. Atlanta Hawks 23-45
13. Chicago Bulls 19-49
14. e-Cleveland Cavaliers 16-50
15. e-New York Knicks 13-54
Western Conference
1. Golden State Warriors 45-21
2. Denver Nuggets 43-22
3. Houston Rockets 41-25
4. Oklahoma City Thunder 40-26
5. Portland Trail Blazers 40-26
6. Utah Jazz 37-28
7. San Antonio Spurs 38-29
8. Los Angeles Clippers 38-29
9. Sacramento Kings 33-32
10. Minnesota Timberwolves 32-35
11. Los Angeles Lakers 30-36
12. New Orleans Pelicans 30-39
13. Memphis Grizzlies 28-40
14. Dallas Mavericks 27-39
15. e-Phoenix Suns 16-52
x-Secured a playoffs spot
e-Eliminated from playoffs