By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Nikola Jokic registered his 15th triple-double of the season with 27 points, 22 rebounds and 12 assists to lead the Denver Nuggets to a 120 – 108 win over the Portland Trail Blazers.
Jokic shot 11-16 and also had two blocks during the 36 minutes he spent on the floor. Nuggets coach Mike Malone told reporters that while this kind of performances come to the Serbian center naturally, they are indeed special.
“We have been spoiled and I’m sure some of us do find ourselves maybe taking it for granted,” Malone said. “But just remind yourself that not many guys like Nikola Jokic walk through those doors. Appreciate every opportunity that you have to watch him play.”
Blazers coach Chauncey Billups admitted that it’s difficult to stop the Nuggets when Jokic is so dominant and involves his teammates that well at the same time “Really tough to beat them when he’s having that type of night,” he said. “You have to have it really going offensively, a lot of shots going in, to be able to beat them on a night like that, when he’s putting a masterpiece performance on.”
Domantas Sabonis had 26 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists as the Sacramento Kings beat the Indiana Pacers 133 – 122 on the road. This was the 30th straight double-double for the Lithuanian center breaking Oscar Robertson’s franchise record of 29.
He became the 14th player in NBA history to post 30 double-doubles in a row, as Kings coach Mike Brown emphatically pointed out in the post-game presser.
The Toronto Raptors became easy prey for the Houston Rockets and Alperen Sengun in particular. The Turkish big man had 24 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists in his team’s 135 – 106 victory.
Dennis Schroder scored eight points off the bench for the Raptors.
Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 23 points and dished out five assists as the Atlanta Hawks moved past the Phoenix Suns 129 – 120. His shooting contribution was particularly noted by his coach Quinn Snyder after the game.
“Sometimes you take it for granted, the shots that he hits,” Snyder said on Bogdanovic’s 4-7 triples. “He’s always ready to shoot. He can shoot contested shots.”
Clint Capela contributed 11 points and 10 rebounds to the Hawks. Jusuf Nurkic had 14 points and nine rebounds for the Suns.
The rest of Friday’s (2/2) results and notable Euro performers:
Detroit Pistons – Los Angeles Clippers 125 – 136
Washington Wizards – Miami Heat 102 – 110 (Deni Avdija 15 points/eight rebounds)
Memphis Grizzlies – Golden State Warriors 101 – 121
Minnesota Timberwolves – Orlando Magic 106 – 108 (Rudy Gobert 22 points/16 rebounds)
Oklahoma City Thunder – Charlotte Hornets 126 – 106
San Antonio Spurs – New Orleans Pelicans 113 – 114 (Victor Wembanyama 16 points/14 rebounds/7 assists – Jonas Valanciunas 18 points/nine rebounds/four assists)
Standings via NBA.com:
Eastern Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1
Boston Celtics |
37 | 12 | .755 | — | 25-6 | 11-1 | 22-3 | 15-9 | 2-3 | 7-3 | L 1 |
| 2
Milwaukee Bucks |
32 | 16 | .667 | 4.5 | 24-12 | 9-7 | 21-5 | 11-11 | 2-1 | 6-4 | L 2 |
| 3
New York Knicks |
32 | 17 | .653 | 5 | 22-10 | 6-3 | 18-5 | 14-12 | 0-0 | 9-1 | W 9 |
| 4
Cleveland Cavaliers |
30 | 16 | .652 | 5.5 | 20-10 | 7-4 | 17-8 | 13-8 | 2-0 | 9-1 | W 4 |
| 5
Philadelphia 76ers |
30 | 17 | .638 | 6 | 19-11 | 5-3 | 17-6 | 13-11 | 0-2 | 6-4 | W 1 |
| 6
Indiana Pacers |
27 | 23 | .540 | 10.5 | 21-13 | 9-2 | 16-10 | 11-13 | 0-0 | 4-6 | L 3 |
| 7
Miami Heat |
26 | 23 | .531 | 11 | 19-15 | 10-2 | 13-11 | 13-12 | 1-0 | 3-7 | W 2 |
| 8
Orlando Magic |
26 | 23 | .531 | 11 | 17-13 | 6-4 | 15-7 | 11-16 | 1-1 | 5-5 | W 2 |
| 9
Chicago Bulls |
23 | 26 | .469 | 14 | 14-17 | 3-6 | 14-11 | 9-15 | 4-2 | 5-5 | W 1 |
| 10
Atlanta Hawks |
21 | 27 | .438 | 15.5 | 13-20 | 6-5 | 11-13 | 10-14 | 2-1 | 6-4 | W 3 |
| 11
Brooklyn Nets |
19 | 28 | .404 | 17 | 13-14 | 1-5 | 12-13 | 7-15 | 0-3 | 3-7 | L 1 |
| 12
Toronto Raptors |
17 | 31 | .354 | 19.5 | 11-21 | 0-11 | 10-13 | 7-18 | 1-1 | 2-8 | L 1 |
| 13
Charlotte Hornets |
10 | 37 | .213 | 26 | 7-22 | 3-6 | 5-18 | 5-19 | 1-1 | 2-8 | L 6 |
| 14
Washington Wizards |
9 | 39 | .188 | 27.5 | 6-28 | 2-10 | 3-20 | 6-19 | 0-0 | 2-8 | L 2 |
| 15
Detroit Pistons |
6 | 42 | .125 | 30.5 | 5-24 | 1-10 | 4-22 | 2-20 | 0-2 | 3-7 | L 2 |
Western Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1
Oklahoma City Thunder |
34 | 15 | .694 | — | 21-11 | 10-3 | 19-6 | 15-9 | 2-0 | 7-3 | W 2 |
| 2
Minnesota Timberwolves |
34 | 15 | .694 | — | 23-8 | 6-2 | 18-5 | 16-10 | 1-1 | 6-4 | L 1 |
| 3
LA Clippers |
32 | 15 | .681 | 1 | 21-11 | 7-3 | 19-4 | 13-11 | 0-1 | 8-2 | W 2 |
| 4
Denver Nuggets |
34 | 16 | .680 | 0.5 | 18-11 | 3-5 | 20-4 | 14-12 | 0-0 | 7-3 | W 1 |
| 5
Sacramento Kings |
28 | 19 | .596 | 5 | 18-13 | 6-5 | 14-8 | 14-11 | 3-1 | 5-5 | W 1 |
| 6
Phoenix Suns |
28 | 21 | .571 | 6 | 17-14 | 5-7 | 14-11 | 14-10 | 2-0 | 7-3 | L 1 |
| 7
New Orleans Pelicans |
28 | 21 | .571 | 6 | 20-17 | 7-6 | 14-10 | 14-11 | 0-1 | 5-5 | W 2 |
| 8
Dallas Mavericks |
26 | 22 | .542 | 7.5 | 18-18 | 7-5 | 14-12 | 12-10 | 0-0 | 4-6 | L 1 |
| 9
Los Angeles Lakers |
25 | 25 | .500 | 9.5 | 18-16 | 6-4 | 17-8 | 8-17 | 2-1 | 6-4 | W 1 |
| 10
Utah Jazz |
24 | 26 | .480 | 10.5 | 12-18 | 4-6 | 15-7 | 9-19 | 2-2 | 4-6 | L 3 |
| 11
Houston Rockets |
23 | 25 | .479 | 10.5 | 16-12 | 7-3 | 18-9 | 5-16 | 1-4 | 4-6 | W 1 |
| 12
Golden State Warriors |
21 | 24 | .467 | 11 | 12-19 | 3-8 | 13-13 | 8-11 | 1-3 | 4-6 | W 2 |
| 13
Memphis Grizzlies |
18 | 31 | .367 | 16 | 12-23 | 6-6 | 5-18 | 13-13 | 1-1 | 4-6 | L 4 |
| 14
Portland Trail Blazers |
15 | 34 | .306 | 19 | 6-27 | 1-8 | 9-13 | 6-21 | 3-2 | 5-5 | L 1 |
| 15
San Antonio Spurs |
10 | 39 | .204 | 24 | 7-21 | 1-8 | 5-20 | 5-19 | 1-1 | 3-7 | L 3 |