By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Mario Hezonja took on the starting point guard duties and notched a triple-double with 16 points, 16 rebounds and 11 dimes. However, the Houston Rockets easily beat the New York Knicks, 120-96, in the NBA 2018-19 Regular Season contest. Clint Capela finished with a 12-point, 15-rebound double-double for the hosts.
Nikola Jokic was one helper shy from another European triple-double, but his 22-point, 13-rebound double-double aided the Denver Nuggets overcome the Portland Trail Blazers, 119-110, at the Pepsi Center. Enes Kanter filled in for injured Jusuf Nurkic once again and posted 24 points for the visitors.
Rudy Gobert notched a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double for the Utah Jazz in their 119-98 victory over the Sacramento Kings. His teammate Ricky Rubio returned to action after a right hamstring injury but picked up a quadriceps bruise on Friday. Kostas Koufos of the losing side also left injured due to a left calf strain.
Europeans Nikola Vucevic and Evan Fournier poured 25 points apiece as the Orlando Magic routed the Atlanta Hawks, 149-113. Dragan Bender rejected seven shots, added an 11-point, 10-rebound double-double and the Phoenix Suns beat the New Orleans Pelicans, 133-126, in overtime.
Danilo Gallinari went off for 27 points, but the Los Angeles Clippers lost to the Los Angeles Lakers, 122-117. Serge Ibaka had 20 points and 12 boards, but Jeremy Lamb was in buzzer-beater mode again versus the Toronto Raptors handing the Charlotte Hornets the 113-111 victory at the Spectrum Center.
Another European double-double display came from Dennis Schroder with 14 points and ten assists for the Oklahoma City Thunder that beat the Detroit Pistons, 123-110. Tyler Dorsey scored 17 points helping the Memphis Grizzlies overpower the shorthanded Dallas Mavericks, 122-112.
Dario Saric scored a team-high 19 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves defeated the Miami Heat, 111-109, at the Target Center. Goran Dragic ended up with 15 points, nine helpers, seven boards and four steals for the losing side.
Results and European action:
| Charlotte Hornets – Toronto Raptors | 113-111 | Batum 3pts, 1stl, W. Hernangomez 0pts, Parker OUT – Ibaka 20pts, 12reb, 1ast, 2blk, M. Gasol 6pts, 6reb, 2ast, 1blk, Anunoby 4pts, 1stl |
| Orlando Magic – Atlanta Hawks | 149-113 | Vucevic 25pts, 11reb, 4ast, 1stl, Fournier 25pts, 3reb, 7ast, 2stl, Mozgov OUT – Len 9pts, 4reb, 2ast, 1stl |
| Washington Wizards – San Antonio Spurs | 112-129 | Satoransky 6pts, 3ast, Mahinmi DNP – Poeltl 13pts, 7reb, 3ast, Dav. Bertans 10pts, 3reb, 3ast, Motiejunas 2pts, 1reb, 1blk, Belinelli OUT |
| Houston Rockets – New York Knicks | 120-96 | Capela 12pts, 15reb, 1blk, Hartenstein G-L – Hezonja 16pts, 16reb, 11ast, 1stl, Ntilikina OUT |
| Indiana Pacers – Boston Celtics | 97-117 | Sabonis 12pts, 6reb, 3ast, 2stl, Boj. Bogdanovic 4pts, 3reb, 2ast – Yabusele 2pts, 2reb, Theis 2reb, 1stl |
| Minnesota Timberwolves – Miami Heat | 111-109 | Saric 19pts, 7reb, 5ast, Deng OUT – Dragic 15pts, 7reb, 9ast, 4stl |
| Oklahoma City Thunder – Detroit Pistons | 123-110 | Schroder 14pts, 7reb, 10ast, 1stl – Pachulia 7pts, 2reb, 1ast, Mykhailiuk OUT, Calderon OUT |
| Dallas Mavericks – Memphis Grizzlies | 112-122 | Nowitzki 12pts, 7reb, 1ast, Kleber 6pts, 5reb, 1ast, K. Antetokounmpo DNP, Porzingis OUT, Doncic OUT – Dorsey 17pts, 9reb, 1ast, Valanciunas OUT, Noah OUT |
| Utah Jazz – Sacramento Kings | 119-98 | Gobert 17pts, 11reb, 1ast, 3stl, 4blk, Sefolosha 6pts, 2reb, 1ast, Rubio 4pts, 2reb, Mitrou-Long 1ast – Bogd. Bogdanovic 10pts, 3reb, 4ast, Bjelica 10pts, 3reb, 1stl, Koufos 6pts, 4reb |
| Phoenix Suns – New Orleans Pelicans | 133-126 | Bender 11pts, 10reb, 6ast, 7blk, Okobo 7pts, 5reb, 2ast, 1stl – Dair. Bertans 3pts, 1reb, 2ast |
| Denver Nuggets – Portland Trail Blazers | 119-110 | Jokic 22pts, 13reb, 9ast, 2stl, 1blk, J. Hernangomez DNP – Kanter 24pts, 7reb, 4ast, Nurkic OUT |
| Golden State Warriors – Cleveland Cavaliers | 120-114 | Jerebko 6pts, 1reb – Osman 15pts, 6reb, 2ast, 2stl, Zizic 12pts, 6reb |
| Los Angeles Clippers – Los Angeles Lakers | 117-122 | Gallinari 27pts, 6reb, 8ast, 3stl, 2blk, Zubac 11pts, 8reb, 1blk – Wagner 5pts, 1stl, Bonga 1pt, 2reb, 2ast, 1stl, 1blk |
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. z-Milwaukee Bucks 59-20
2. y-Toronto Raptors 56-24
3. x-Philadelphia 76ers 49-30
4. x-Boston Celtics 48-32
5. x-Indiana Pacers 47-33
6. Orlando Magic 40-40
7. Brooklyn Nets 39-40
8. Detroit Pistons 39-40
9. Miami Heat 38-41
10. Charlotte Hornets 37-42
11. e-Washington Wizards 32-48
12. e-Atlanta Hawks 29-51
13. e-Chicago Bulls 22-57
14. e-Cleveland Cavaliers 19-61
15. e-New York Knicks 16-64
Western Conference
1. y-Golden State Warriors 55-24
2. y-Denver Nuggets 53-26
3. y-Houston Rockets 52-28
4. x-Portland Trail Blazers 50-29
5. x-Utah Jazz 49-30
6. x-Los Angeles Clippers 47-33
7. x-Oklahoma City Thunder 46-33
8. x-San Antonio Spurs 46-34
9. e-Sacramento Kings 39-41
10. e-Minnesota Timberwolves 36-43
11. e-Los Angeles Lakers 36-44
12. e-Memphis Grizzlies 32-47
13. e-New Orleans Pelicans 32-48
14. e-Dallas Mavericks 31-48
15. e-Phoenix Suns 19-61
z-clinched conference and playoffs spot
y-clinched division and playoffs spot
x-clinch playoffs spot
e-Eliminated from playoffs