By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Jonas Valanciunas ended up with a career-high 34 points on Saturday, took down twenty rebounds as well helping the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Phoenix Suns, 120-115, on the road. His teammate, Tyler Dorsey, also started and put up 11 points at the Talking Stick Resort Arena in the matchup between teams eliminated from the 2019 NBA playoffs.
Serge Ibaka had 23 points and 12 rebounds starting beside Marc Gasol that ended up with 17 points, eight rebounds and six assists. The European big duo paved the way for the Toronto Raptors in their 124-101 away victory over the Chicago Bulls. Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot posted an 18-point, 10-rebound double-double for the losing side.
James Harden added one more 50-point game and his 42nd career triple-double to his tally leading the Houston Rockets to their 119-108 win against the Sacramento Kings. Swiss Clint Capela finished with 24 points and 15 boards. Bogdan Bogdanovic led the visitors with 24 points.
Starting for injured Jusuf Nurkic, Enes Kanter scored 20 points and grabbed 15 rebounds. However, the Portland Trail Blazers dropped their NBA 2018-19 Regular Season away game against the Detroit Pistons that secured the 99-90 win and remained within the Eastern Conference’s playoffs zone.
Nikola Vucevic aided the Orlando Magic in their crucial 121-116 victory versus the Indiana Pacers on the road with 19 points. Evan Fournier added nine for the playoffs-chasing team. Fellow Europeans Bojan Bogdanovic finished with 22 and Domantas Sabonis with ten for the hosts.
Goran Dragic notched a 10-point, 10-assist double-double for the Miami Heat in their 100-92 win over the New York Knicks. Rodions Kurucs picked up a right knee injury, but the Brooklyn Nets defeated the Boston Celtics, 110-96. Daniel Theis notched 16 points for the losing side.
Results and European action:
| Hosts | Visitors | Result | European Stats |
| Los Angeles Clippers | Cleveland Cavaliers | 132-108 | Zubac 6pts, 5reb, 1blk, Gallinari OUT – Osman 19pts, 5reb, 3ast, 4stl, Zizic 4pts, 2reb |
| Brooklyn Nets | Boston Celtics | 110-96 | Kurucs 2pts, 1reb, Musa OUT – Theis 16pts, 4reb, 2ast, 1stl, Yabusele 0pts |
| Houston Rockets | Sacramento Kings | 119-108 | Capela 24pts, 15reb, 1ast, 2blk, Hartenstein DNP – Bogd. Bogdanovic 24pts, 9reb, 8ast, Koufos 5pts, 2reb, 1ast, Bjelica OUT |
| Detroit Pistons | Portland Trail Blazers | 99-90 | Pachulia 4pts, 1reb, 2ast, Mykhailiuk OUT, Calderon OUT – Kanter 20pts, 15reb, 2stl, Nurkic OUT |
| Indiana Pacers | Orlando Magic | 116-121 | Boj. Bogdanovic 22pts, 7reb, 2ast, Sabonis 10pts, 6reb, 6ast – Vucevic 19pts, 2reb, 2ast, 2stl, Fournier 9pts, 3reb, 6ast, 2stl, Mozgov OUT |
| New York Knicks | Miami Heat | 92-100 | Hezonja DNP, Ntilikina OUT – Dragic 10pts, 2reb, 10ast |
| Chicago Bulls | Toronto Raptors | 101-124 | Luwawu-Cabarrot 18pts, 10reb, 1ast, 2blk, Markkanen OUT – Ibaka 23pts, 12reb, 2ast, 1blk, M. Gasol 17pts, 8reb, 6ast, 1blk, Anunoby OUT |
| Minnesota Timberwolves | Philadelphia 76ers | 109-118 | Saric 4pts, 4reb, 1ast, 2stl, Deng OUT – Marjanovic 6pts, 1reb, Korkmaz OUT |
| Phoenix Suns | Memphis Grizzlies |
115-120 | Bender 8pts, 9reb, 2ast, 2stl, 2blk, Okobo 3pts, 2reb, 1stl – Valanciunas 34pts, 20reb, 5ast, 2stl, 2blk, Dorsey 11pts, 3reb, 5ast, 1stl, Noah OUT |
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. y-Milwaukee Bucks 57-19
2. x-Toronto Raptors 54-23
3. x-Philadelphia 76ers 49-27
4. x-Boston Celtics 45-32
5. x-Indiana Pacers 45-32
6. Detroit Pistons 39-37
7. Brooklyn Nets 39-38
8. Miami Heat 38-38
9. Orlando Magic 38-39
10. Charlotte Hornets 35-40
11. e-Washington Wizards 31-46
12. e-Atlanta Hawks 27-49
13. e-Chicago Bulls 21-56
14. e-Cleveland Cavaliers 19-58
15. e-New York Knicks 14-62
Western Conference
1. x-Golden State Warriors 51-24
2. x-Denver Nuggets 51-24
3. x-Houston Rockets 49-28
4. x-Portland Trail Blazers 48-28
5. x-Utah Jazz 46-30
6. x-Los Angeles Clippers 46-31
7. x-San Antonio Spurs 44-32
8. x-Oklahoma City Thunder 44-32
9. e-Sacramento Kings 37-39
10. e-Minnesota Timberwolves 34-42
11. e-Los Angeles Lakers 34-42
12. e-New Orleans Pelicans 32-45
13. e-Memphis Grizzlies 31-45
14. e-Dallas Mavericks 29-46
15. e-Phoenix Suns 17-60
y-clinched division and a playoffs spot
x-Secured a playoffs spot
e-Eliminated from playoffs