By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
The Milwaukee Bucks registered their third consecutive victory after outlasting the Chicago Bulls 118-112 on the road Friday to top them in the third place of the Eastern Conference standings.
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored a double-double with 34 points, 16 rebounds along with 5 assists and 2 steals for the reigning champions and Jrue Holiday hit back-to-back clutch shots down the stretch to exit the game with 26 points.
The Bucks kept Zach LaVine (3o points) and DeMar DeRozan (29 points) in check to take a 2-0 lead in their regular-season series. Nikola Vucevic added 19 points and 9 rebounds for the Bulls, which dropped their fourth game in a row.
Bogdan Bogdanovic kept up with his double-digit performances in Atlanta Hawks‘ 117-114 triumph over the Washington Wizards on the road, dropping 17 points and 6 rebounds while coming from the bench as his team won their second straight game.
DeAndre Hunter led all Hawks scorers with 26 points, Trae Young followed with 25, while Clint Capela posted a double-double with 12 points, 12 rebounds and Danilo Gallinari tapped 10 points.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope led the Wizards with 28 points, Kyle Kuzma added 22 points, 11 assists, while Deni Avdija contributed 9 points, 3 rebounds and 3 assists in 22 minutes coming off the bench. The Wizards have now lost three of their last five games dropping to the 11th spot in the East.
Franz Wagner was among the key players for the Orlando Magic in their 103-97 victory over the Toronto Raptors on the road, adding 11 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists for his team that managed to snap a 9-game skid. Jalen Suggs and Cole Anthony shared 15 points apiece, while Mo Bamba had 14.
The Magic overcame a 34-point piece by Raptors‘ Pascal Siakam, who also grabbed 14 rebounds. Malachi Flynn was added to the list of top scorers with 20 points and Scottie Barnes picked up 10.
Brandon Ingram and CJ McCollum combined for 54 points as the New Orleans Pelicans kept the Utah Jazz under control with a 124-90 win at home. Ingram led the way with 29 points, 8 rebounds and 6 assists and McCollum added 24 points to help their team win their fourth straight game after leading by as many as 37 points in the second half.
Donovan Mitchell paced the Jazz with 14 points and Rudy Gobert had a double-double with 10 points and 11 rebounds for the Jazz.
Even with Nikola Jokic sidelined due to a non-COVID related illness, the Denver Nuggets held the Houston Rockets off to grab a 116-101 win at home.
DeMarcus Cousins started in place of the reigning MVP to lead the team with 31 points, 9 rebounds and 4 assists, Jeff Green and Jamycal added 14 points each and Aaron Gordon had 12 points to lead three more Nuggets scorers in double-digits.
Christian Wood tapped a double-double of 22 points, 10 rebounds for the Rockets, while Alperen Sengun also posted a double-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds in 22 minutes from the bench.
NBA-leading Suns, playing without All-Star guards Chris Paul and Devin Booker yet Cam Johnson stepped up to save the day with a game-winning three that lifted Phoenix to a 115-114 win over the New York Knicks.
Johnson finished the game with a staggering 9-of-12 from the three-point line for a total of 38 points in 28 minutes.
Julius Randle led six scorers of the New York Knicks in double digits with 25 points, while Evan Fournier picked up 16 points.
Tyrese Maxey hit five 3-pointers for a total of 33 points to pace the Philadelphia 76ers to their fifth straight win, 125-119 over the Cleveland Cavaliers at home. James Harden dropped a double-double with 25 points, 11 assists for the Sixers and Joel Embiid had 22 points and 9 rebounds as the team remains second in the East.
Darius Garland led the Cavs with a big double-double of 26 points, 19 assists, Isaac Okoro had 22 points, while Cedi Osman and Jarrett Allen tapped 20 points apiece.
NBA March 4 results:
Detroit Pistons – Indiana Pacers 111-106
Philadelphia 76ers – Cleveland Cavaliers 126-119
Washington Wizards – Atlanta Hawks 114-117
Chicago Bulls – Milwaukee Bucks 112-118
Toronto Raptors – Orlando Magic 97-103
New Orleans Pelicans – Utah Jazz 124-90
Oklahoma City Thunder – Minnesota Timberwolves 101-138
Denver Nuggets – Houston Rockets 116-101
Phoenix Suns – New York Knicks 115-114
NBA standings:
Eastern Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST 10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 42 | 22 | .656 | — | 27-13 | 11-2 | 21-7 | 21-15 | 1-3 | 8-2 | W 1 | |
|
2 Philadelphia 76ers |
39 | 23 | .629 | 2 | 23-14 | 6-7 | 18-13 | 21-10 | 2-1 | 8-2 | W 5 |
|
3 Milwaukee Bucks |
39 | 25 | .609 | 3 | 25-18 | 9-3 | 22-12 | 17-13 | 0-2 | 6-4 | W 3 |
|
4 Chicago Bulls |
39 | 25 | .609 | 3 | 24-16 | 7-4 | 24-10 | 15-15 | 0-1 | 6-4 | L 4 |
| 38 | 27 | .585 | 4.5 | 27-16 | 8-6 | 22-11 | 16-16 | 4-2 | 8-2 | W 2 | |
|
6 Cleveland Cavaliers |
36 | 27 | .571 | 5.5 | 21-16 | 7-4 | 19-11 | 17-16 | 0-0 | 4-6 | L 3 |
|
7 Toronto Raptors |
34 | 29 | .540 | 7.5 | 23-18 | 7-5 | 17-15 | 17-14 | 2-1 | 4-6 | L 2 |
| 32 | 32 | .500 | 10 | 22-17 | 7-5 | 13-18 | 19-14 | 2-0 | 3-7 | L 3 | |
|
9 Atlanta Hawks |
31 | 32 | .492 | 10.5 | 20-20 | 8-5 | 19-13 | 12-19 | 0-0 | 6-4 | W 2 |
| 31 | 33 | .484 | 11 | 21-20 | 5-7 | 15-15 | 16-18 | 0-7 | 3-7 | W 1 | |
|
11 Washington Wizards |
28 | 34 | .452 | 13 | 21-21 | 6-7 | 16-17 | 12-17 | 3-1 | 4-6 | L 1 |
|
12 New York Knicks |
25 | 38 | .397 | 16.5 | 14-25 | 4-9 | 13-19 | 12-19 | 1-2 | 1-9 | L 7 |
| 22 | 43 | .338 | 20.5 | 11-31 | 2-12 | 15-18 | 7-25 | 4-4 | 3-7 | L 1 | |
| 17 | 47 | .266 | 25 | 13-25 | 5-7 | 10-21 | 7-26 | 2-1 | 5-5 | W 2 | |
|
15 Orlando Magic |
16 | 48 | .250 | 26 | 10-32 | 2-11 | 7-22 | 9-26 | 0-2 | 4-6 | W 1 |
Western Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST 10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 Phoenix Suns |
51 | 12 | .810 | — | 30-9 | 6-4 | 28-7 | 23-5 | 1-0 | 8-2 | W 2 |
| 43 | 20 | .683 | 8 | 26-14 | 9-2 | 26-7 | 17-13 | 0-2 | 3-7 | L 3 | |
| 43 | 21 | .672 | 8.5 | 29-13 | 7-4 | 21-10 | 22-11 | 2-1 | 7-3 | L 1 | |
|
4 Utah Jazz |
39 | 23 | .629 | 11.5 | 25-13 | 11-1 | 22-10 | 17-13 | 1-0 | 8-2 | L 1 |
| 38 | 25 | .603 | 13 | 27-15 | 11-2 | 21-11 | 17-14 | 1-2 | 8-2 | W 3 | |
|
6 Denver Nuggets |
37 | 26 | .587 | 14 | 22-18 | 5-9 | 18-11 | 19-15 | 2-0 | 8-2 | W 1 |
| 35 | 29 | .547 | 16.5 | 23-18 | 8-4 | 19-12 | 16-17 | 2-1 | 6-4 | W 3 | |
|
8 LA Clippers |
34 | 31 | .523 | 18 | 21-23 | 7-6 | 19-13 | 15-18 | 0-2 | 7-3 | W 5 |
| 27 | 35 | .435 | 23.5 | 15-23 | 2-10 | 18-16 | 9-19 | 6-1 | 2-8 | L 4 | |
|
10 New Orleans Pelicans |
27 | 36 | .429 | 24 | 18-20 | 4-7 | 15-17 | 12-19 | 1-1 | 6-4 | W 4 |
| 25 | 37 | .403 | 25.5 | 11-27 | 1-9 | 16-18 | 9-19 | 0-1 | 4-6 | L 3 | |
| 24 | 39 | .381 | 27 | 14-22 | 4-7 | 11-19 | 13-20 | 1-3 | 5-5 | L 3 | |
| 24 | 41 | .369 | 28 | 17-25 | 5-7 | 15-18 | 9-23 | 1-0 | 4-6 | W 1 | |
| 20 | 43 | .317 | 31 | 14-27 | 4-6 | 9-22 | 11-21 | 3-1 | 3-7 | L 1 | |
|
15 Houston Rockets |
15 | 48 | .238 | 36 | 7-32 | 2-8 | 8-21 | 7-27 | 1-1 | 0-10 | L 12 |
Photo credit: Getty Images