By Eurohoops Team/ info@eurohoops.net
Victor Wembanyama scored a career-high 40 points, grabbed 20 rebounds and dished out seven assists to lead the San Antonio Spurs past the New York Knicks in overtime. The French star big man registered the first 40-20 performance by a rookie since Shaquille O’ Neal in 1993.
Wemby shot 13-22 from the field. He also hit a crucial 3-pointer to make it 124 – 128 for the Spurs with 1:18 to play in the extra period,
“The season has been going on for just some months. I’ve just witnessed so much greatness and I want to be a part of it,” Wembanyama said, referring to the several prolific performances we’ve seen this NBA season. “I always wanted to, but more and more seeing that I’m already able to compete with those guys. I’m not near, but I’m on the right path. I know it and I’m going to get there and soon.”
Speaking of greatness, Jalen Brunson had a career-high 61 points, surpassing his previous individual record of 50. Yet the Knicks needed more to overcome the Wembanyama-led Spurs.
Luka Doncic delivered with 26 points, 12 assists and nine rebounds and the Dallas Mavericks confirmed their top recent form once again by beating the Sacramento Kings 107 – 103. It was the Mavs‘ sixth straight win overall and second consecutive victory over the Kings.
Former Partizan guard Dante Exum drained the go-ahead triple for the Mavericks with 28 seconds remaining. Doncic then sealed the outcome with a free throw.
“So if I miss one, the next one’s in,” Exum, who finished with eight points, said. He was 1-5 from the field before his decisive 3-pointer. “I would just always have that mindset.”
Domantas Sabonis continued his impressive double-double streak (now 56 straight) with 13 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his NBA-best 26th triple-double this season. It might’ve been enough if the Kings weren’t held scoreless in the last 2:19.
Both Nikola Jokic and Rudy Gobert produced what their teams needed and it was the French center who came on top in the end. The three-time DPOY notched 21 points, 12 rebounds and three blocks in the Minnesota Timberwolves‘ 111 – 98 win over the Denver Nuggets.
Jokic had 32 points, 10 rebounds and five assists but the Nuggets weren’t effective overall to counter the Timberwolves and suffered their second straight loss.
The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Chicago Bulls 125 – 108 behind 27 points (7-11 threes), seven assists and five rebounds by Dennis Schroder. It was one of the German guard’s top performances this season.
Nikola Vucevic posted 13 points, 10 rebounds and four assists for the Bulls.
STANDINGS:
Eastern Conference:
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Boston Celtics– e | 57 | 16 | .781 | — | 38-9 | 15-1 | 32-3 | 25-13 | 2-4 | 8-2 | L 2 |
| 2. Milwaukee Bucks– ps | 46 | 27 | .630 | 11 | 31-14 | 10-7 | 29-8 | 17-19 | 2-2 | 5-5 | L 2 |
| 3. Cleveland Cavaliers– ps | 45 | 29 | .608 | 12.5 | 30-20 | 10-5 | 24-14 | 21-15 | 3-1 | 4-6 | W 1 |
| 4. New York Knicks– ps | 44 | 29 | .603 | 13 | 30-15 | 10-5 | 24-13 | 20-16 | 0-1 | 7-3 | L 1 |
| 5. Orlando Magic– ps | 42 | 31 | .575 | 15 | 30-17 | 9-6 | 25-12 | 17-19 | 2-1 | 5-5 | L 3 |
| 6. Indiana Pacers– ps | 42 | 33 | .560 | 16 | 28-18 | 11-5 | 22-15 | 20-18 | 0-1 | 6-4 | W 1 |
| 7. Miami Heat– ps | 40 | 33 | .548 | 17 | 27-18 | 11-3 | 19-17 | 21-16 | 1-0 | 5-5 | W 1 |
| 8. Philadelphia 76ers– ps | 39 | 35 | .527 | 18.5 | 26-21 | 6-8 | 21-16 | 18-19 | 0-2 | 3-7 | L 3 |
| 9. Chicago Bulls | 35 | 39 | .473 | 22.5 | 19-25 | 6-9 | 19-19 | 16-20 | 7-3 | 4-6 | L 1 |
| 10. Atlanta Hawks | 34 | 39 | .466 | 23 | 20-26 | 8-6 | 20-17 | 14-22 | 4-1 | 5-5 | W 4 |
| 11. Brooklyn Nets | 29 | 45 | .392 | 28.5 | 21-25 | 4-9 | 17-19 | 12-26 | 1-4 | 4-6 | W 3 |
| 12. Toronto Raptors– o | 23 | 50 | .315 | 34 | 16-29 | 1-13 | 13-24 | 10-26 | 1-3 | 0-10 | L 12 |
| 13. Charlotte Hornets– o | 18 | 55 | .247 | 39 | 11-36 | 4-10 | 10-25 | 8-30 | 1-1 | 3-7 | L 1 |
| 14. Washington Wizards– o | 14 | 60 | .189 | 43.5 | 10-37 | 4-11 | 6-30 | 8-30 | 0-2 | 3-7 | L 2 |
| 15. Detroit Pistons– o | 13 | 61 | .176 | 44.5 | 10-37 | 2-13 | 7-31 | 6-30 | 1-2 | 2-8 | W 1 |
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Minnesota Timberwolves– ps | 51 | 22 | .699 | — | 35-12 | 12-3 | 26-9 | 25-13 | 1-4 | 7-3 | W 4 |
| 2. Oklahoma City Thunder– ps | 51 | 22 | .699 | — | 33-16 | 12-4 | 29-8 | 22-14 | 3-1 | 7-3 | W 1 |
| 3. Denver Nuggets– ps | 51 | 23 | .689 | 0.5 | 29-17 | 8-6 | 29-8 | 22-15 | 0-1 | 7-3 | L 2 |
| 4. LA Clippers | 46 | 27 | .630 | 5 | 27-18 | 8-5 | 22-13 | 24-14 | 0-1 | 5-5 | W 2 |
| 5. New Orleans Pelicans | 45 | 28 | .616 | 6 | 26-19 | 9-6 | 21-14 | 24-14 | 0-1 | 7-3 | W 1 |
| 6. Dallas Mavericks | 44 | 29 | .603 | 7 | 28-19 | 9-5 | 22-15 | 22-14 | 0-0 | 9-1 | W 6 |
| 7. Phoenix Suns | 43 | 31 | .581 | 8.5 | 24-21 | 7-8 | 23-14 | 20-17 | 3-0 | 6-4 | L 1 |
| 8. Sacramento Kings | 42 | 31 | .575 | 9 | 27-19 | 9-6 | 21-15 | 21-16 | 5-1 | 6-4 | L 2 |
| 9. Los Angeles Lakers | 41 | 33 | .554 | 10.5 | 25-23 | 7-9 | 27-12 | 14-21 | 4-1 | 7-3 | L 1 |
| 10. Golden State Warriors | 39 | 34 | .534 | 12 | 19-24 | 6-9 | 18-19 | 21-15 | 1-4 | 6-4 | W 3 |
| 11. Houston Rockets | 38 | 35 | .521 | 13 | 26-19 | 9-5 | 26-11 | 12-24 | 2-4 | 10-0 | W 11 |
| 12. Utah Jazz– o | 29 | 45 | .392 | 22.5 | 14-31 | 5-10 | 20-18 | 9-27 | 2-2 | 1-9 | L 8 |
| 13. Memphis Grizzlies– o | 24 | 49 | .329 | 27 | 14-34 | 8-7 | 8-28 | 16-21 | 1-3 | 2-8 | L 2 |
| 14. Portland Trail Blazers– o | 19 | 55 | .257 | 32.5 | 8-40 | 1-15 | 11-27 | 8-28 | 5-3 | 1-9 | L 9 |
| 15. San Antonio Spurs– o | 18 | 56 | .243 | 33.5 | 11-34 | 1-13 | 10-27 | 8-29 | 3-1 | 4-6 | W 3 |