By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Only scored seven points in the first half, but Nikola Jokic ended up with 33 including the game-wining bucket sending the Denver Nuggets to the 107-106 victory against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. The Joker made 12/20 from the field, 4/6 beyond the arc, added seven assists, six boards, one steal and one rejection to his sum for Wednesday night. Juan Hernangomez did not score, but gathered seven rebounds and dished a couple of dimes in 12 minutes. Vlatko Cancar did not leave the bench though.
In losing effort, Luka Doncic fell one rebound shy from another triple-double. The reigning NBA Rookie of the Year banked 27 points with 11/24 from the field, only 1/7 from three-point range. He added ten dimes and nine boards in 37 minutes of work. Fellow European Maxi Kleber posted 13 points, seven rebounds, one assist, one interception and one block from the bench, but Boban Marjanovic did not earn any playing time and Kristaps Porzingis (right knee) stayed on the injury list.
Serge Ibaka made the game-winning free throws with a couple of seconds left in overtime powering the Toronto Raptors to the 112-110 victory over the Charlotte Hornets at the Spectrum Center. Ended up with 23 points alongside 11 rebounds, a pair of dimes and a couple of blocks. OG Anunoby added 19 points, seven boards, one assist and one interception with Marc Gasol (left hamstring) remaining sidelined. No European action on the losing side despite Nicolas Batum and Willy Hernangomez being available.
Clint Capela posted a 22-point, 22-rebound double-double, also blocked a couple of shots and made a pair of steals aiding in the 122-115 win for the Houston Rockets over the Atlanta Hawks at the State Farm Arena. Isaiah Hartenstein put in a couple of points, a pair of rebounds and one dime, but Thabo Sefolosha did not leave the bench and William Howard remained on his G League assignment. On the opposite side, Alex Len’s 14 point, 10-rebound double-double went to waste.
Giannis Antetokounmpo combined 30 points with 13 rebounds, tallied four dimes and one steal as well guiding the Milwaukee Bucks to the 107-98 win versus the Golden State Warriors at the Chase Center. Ersan Ilyasova missed all of his three shots in 13 minutes of work, but pulled down three rebounds. Thanasis Antetokounmpo did not play and Dragan Bender remained on his G League assignment. For the hosts, Alen Smailagic posted ten points and four boards in 11 minutes from the bench.
Nikola Vucevic led the Orlando Magic to the 123-89 win over the Washington Wizards at the Amway Center with 29 points to go along with his nine boards, two assists, two interceptions and one block. Evan Fournier followed with 19 points, five dimes, a couple of rebounds and a pair of steals. Anzejs Pasecniks had 16 points, five boards, three assists and a couple of rejections in losing effort from the bench behind starters Isaac Bonga and Ian Mahinmi who combined for eight points, eight boards, three assists, one steal and one block. Davis Bertans (right quad) and Moritz Wagner (left ankle) remained out.
Twenty points from Bojan Bogdanovic and a 16-point, 16-rebound double-double by Rudy Gobert helped the Utah Jazz defeat the New York Knicks, 128-104, at the Vivint Smart Home Arena. The Croatian forward added three dimes, three boards and one block, and his French teammate four assists, one rejection and one steal. Frank Ntilikina went for a team-high 16 points, four rebounds, three dimes and one steal, while fellow reserve Ignas Brazdeikis ended up with three points and a couple of assists.
Goran Dragic helped the Miami Heat take down the Indiana Pacers, 122-108, at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse with 15 points, four dimes, one rebound and one interception. Domantas Sabonis was not enough for the hosts in spite of his 27-point, 14-rebound double-double that he combined with six assists. Goga Bitadze made a couple of free throws and pulled down one rebound, but Naz Mitrou-Long (right ankle) stayed on the injury list.
European action at the TD Garden as well with the San Antonio Spurs beating the Boston Celtics, 129-114. Jakob Poeltl had two points, eight boards, four assists and one rejection, but Marco Belinelli did not get on the board in limited action and Luka Samanic stayed on his G League assignment. Daniel Theis went for 15 points, five boards, one dime and one block for the hosts, Enes Kanter added two points, seven rebounds and one assist, and Javonte Green had five points, a couple of boards, one dime and one steal. Vincent Poirier (right hand) remained out.
Nicolo Melli notched three points and one rebound for the New Orleans Pelicans in the 123-108 victory against the Chicago Bulls at the Smoothie King Center. For the visitors, Lauri Markkanen finished with 14 points, four boards and one assist, and Tomas Satoransky with six points, four rebounds and one dime. Adam Mokoka (eye) was inactive.
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Milwaukee Bucks 33-6
2. Miami Heat 27-10
3. Boston Celtics 25-10
4. Toronto Raptors 25-13
5. Philadelphia 76ers 24-14
6. Indiana Pacers 23-15
7. Orlando Magic 18-20
8. Brooklyn Nets 16-20
9. Charlotte Hornets 15-25
10. Detroit Pistons 14-24
11. Chicago Bulls 13-25
12. Washington Wizards 12-25
13. Cleveland Cavaliers 10-27
14. New York Knicks 10-28
15. Atlanta Hawks 8-30
Western Conference
1. Los Angeles Lakers 30-7
2. Denver Nuggets 26-11
3. Houston Rockets 25-11
4. Los Angeles Clippers 26-12
5. Utah Jazz 25-12
6. Dallas Mavericks 23-14
7. Oklahoma City Thunder 21-16
8. San Antonio Spurs 16-20
9. Memphis Grizzlies 16-22
10. Portland Trail Blazers 16-22
11. Sacramento Kings 15-23
12. Minnesota Timberwolves 14-22
13. Phoenix Suns 14-23
14. New Orleans Pelicans 13-25
15. Golden State Warriors 9-30
Photo Credit: Getty Images