By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
As the regular season approaches its end, Nikola Vucevic posted 29 points and 16 rebounds and the Chicago Bulls (29-39) kept their play-in hopes alive after beating the Detroit Pistons (20-49) 108-96. Zach LaVine added 30 points for the Bulls that have moved within 2 1/2 games of the Indiana Pacers (31-36) for the last Eastern Conference play-in position.
Things got heated for the Dallas Mavericks and Luka Doncic, whose below-the-belt swipe to Collin Sexton resulted in an ejection in the third period of Dallas’ (40-28) 124-97 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers (21-47). Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 25 points and Josh Richardson had 20, while Doncic tapped 15 prior to being ejected.
Evan Fournier erupted with 30 points for the Boston Celtics (35-33), though his team fell short to the Miami Heat (37-31) that prevailed with a 130-124 victory. The Heat has increased its lead over Boston to two games for sixth place in the standings and they now have the same record as fifth-place Hawks, but the latter owns the tiebreaker.
The New Orleans Pelicans push for the play-in tournament after beating Charlotte Hornets (33-35) 112-110, to win their fourth of their last six games and pull within 1 and a half games of the San Antonio Spurs for the 10th position of the Western Conference standings. Willy Hernangomez was among the top contributors for the team with 9 points and 16 rebounds, while Eric Bledsoe led the way with 24 points and 11 assists.
Aleksej Pokusevski and Theo Maledon posted 13 points each for the Oklahoma City Thunder (21-48), though their team fell short to Sacramento Kings (30-38) that prevailed over with a 126-98 win, to move within 2 1/2 games of Spurs (32-35) for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference.
Finally, Ricky Rubio contributed 18 points as the Minnesota Timberwolves (21-47) overcame the Orlando Magic (21-47) with a smashing 128-96 win on Sunday.