By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Bradley Beal scored 44 points, teammate Moritz Wagner set a couple of NBA career-highs with 30 points and 15 boards, also posted two assists, one steal and one block for the Washington Wizards in the 137-116 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves at the Target Center on Friday evening. European contribution also came in the form of Davis Bertans’ eight points, four rebounds, three dimes and one block, and Isaac Bonga’s 1/1 threes in limited action, but Ian Mahinmi remained on the injury list for the 2019-20 regular season contest.
A couple of clutch threes threw Evan Fournier into his game-high 26 points, also tallied four rebounds, three dimes and one steal for the Orlando Magic in the 111-109 victory over the San Antonio Spurs at the Amway Center. Nikola Vucevic added a 10-point, 13-rebound double-double to go along with his four assists and two steals. Marco Belinelli and Jakob Poeltl scored nine points each for the losing side, the former registered four boards and one dime as well, the latter five rebounds, two assists, two interceptions and one block, but Luka Samanic was inactive.
Danilo Gallinari poured a team-high 28 points for his fifth 20-point game of the season behind 7/11 from the field, grabbed seven rebounds and dished a couple of assists for the Oklahoma City Thunder in the 127-119 overtime win against the Philadelphia 76ers at the Chesapeake Energy Arena. Dennis Schroder had eight points, four dimes and one rebound from the bench. The only European of the losing side Furkan Korkmaz struggled with 1/7 from the field for three points and added two dimes in 26 minutes on the court.
The Memphis Grizzlies beat the Utah Jazz, 107-106, at the FedExForum with Jonas Valanciunas posting ten points, eight boards, a pair of assists and one block. Marko Guduric was held to 0/6 shots and one assist. As for the losing side, Rudy Gobert put up a 23-point, 17-rebound double-double, also blocked five shots and dished one assist, but missed a crucial free throw down the stretch, while Bojan Bogdanovic finished with 20 points behind 6/15 from the field, registered one board as well in 35 minutes of work.
Clint Capela was out, but Thabo Sefolosha with five points, one rebound and one steal, and Isaiah Hartenstein with four points and one rejection complimented James Harden’s 44 points in the Houston Rockets’ 111-102 win over the Indiana Pacers at the Toyota Center. Domantas Sabonis posted an 18-point, 13-rebound double-double plus three assists for the visitors, Goga Bitadze had six points, three boards, one assist and one block, but Naz Mitrou-Long was inactive.
Following three consecutive 20-point outings, Bogdan Bogdanovic made 18 points to go along with his five dimes, two steals and three rebounds, but the Sacramento Kings lost, 99-97, to the Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center. Serbian teammate Nemanja Bjelica had 11 points, four rebounds, two steals and one dime. As for the winning side, Kostas Antetokounmpo was inactive.
Daniel Theis posted seven points, seven rebounds, two steals and blocked one shot, and Enes Kanter added four points, five rebounds, a pair of rejections and one assist helping the Boston Celtics to the 105-100 victory over the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center. Vincent Poirier and Javonte Green did not get any playing time. Alen Smailagic of the hosts was held on the injury list.
Willy Hernangomez did not leave the bench and Nicolas Batum remained sidelined, but the Charlotte Hornets went over the Detroit Pistons, 109-106, at the Spectrum Center. Pistons’ Sekou Doumbouya was inactive while Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk did not get on the board in 12 minutes.
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Boston Celtics 10-1
2. Miami Heat 8-3
3. Milwaukee Bucks 8-3
4. Toronto Raptors 8-3
5. Philadelphia 76ers 7-5
6. Indiana Pacers 7-5
7. Charlotte Hornets 5-7
8. Orlando Magic 5-7
9. Cleveland Cavaliers 4-7
10. Atlanta Hawks 4-7
11. Brooklyn Nets 4-7
12. Chicago Bulls 4-8
13. Detroit Pistons 4-9
14. Washington Wizards 3-7
15. New York Knicks 3-9
Western Conference
1. Los Angeles Lakers 10-2
2. Houston Rockets 9-3
3. Denver Nuggets 8-3
4. Utah Jazz 8-4
5. Phoenix Suns 7-4
6. Los Angeles Clippers 7-5
7. Minnesota Timberwolves 7-5
8. Dallas Mavericks 6-5
9. Memphis Grizzlies 5-7
10. San Antonio Spurs 5-7
11. Oklahoma City Thunder 5-7
12. Sacramento Kings 4-7
13. Portland Trail Blazers 4-8
14. New Orleans Pelicans 3-8
15. Golden State Warriors 2-11
Photo Credit: Getty Images