By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
One of the most anticipated showdowns of the NBA Night saw Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama going at each other, and the two-time Serbian MVP dragged the Denver Nuggets to the 110-105 win against the San Antonio Spurs on the road.
The Joker was absolutely unstoppable and ended with 42 points, 16 rebounds, and 6 assists, shooting 18/32 from the field and 5/6 at the free throw line.
Providing a losing effort of 23 points with 15 rebounds, 8 assists, and a season-high 9 blocks, Victor Wembanyama couldn’t avoid his team the defeat. He was followed by his European teammates Cedi Osman (10 points and 3 rebounds) and Sandro Mamukelashvili (10 points and 9 rebounds).
“He had like 600 blocks tonight, but we got the win”, Nikola Jokic said about the future dominator of the league. “Of course I didn’t do a good job today. He blocked six, seven shots. But he’s a special player and you always have to do special acts to score against those guys. But I think when he learns and he figures it out, he’s going to be an even bigger problem”, the Serbian star added.
In the post-game press conference, Victor Wembanyama praised Nikola Jokic, saying that going up against him “is very demanding” and that the altitude was “just one difficulty among others”. “We have to adapt to this just like we have to adapt to plenty of other factors”, the French center commented.
Results of the NBA Night and European performances
Toronto Raptors – Los Angeles Lakers 128-111
Washington Wizards – Milwaukee Bucks 117-113 (Giannis Antetokounmpo 35 p, 15 r, 10 a; Gallinari 3 p; Avdija 23 p, 8 r, 5 a; Vukcevic 14 p, 7 r, 3 a)
Philadelphia 76ers – Oklahoma City Thunder 109-105 (Batum 7 p, 2 r, 2 a)
Miami Heat – New York Knicks 109-99 (Hartenstein 4 p, 2 a, 3 s; Bojan Bogdanovic 16 p, 6 r; Jovic 5 p, 3 r, 6 a)
Minnesota Timberwolves – Houston Rockets 113-106 (Gobert 12 p, 14 r)
Denver Nuggets – San Antonio Spurs 110-105
Utah Jazz – Cleveland Cavaliers 113-129 (Samanic 12 p, 5 r; Yursteven 11 p, 6 r)
Sacramento Kings – Los Angeles Clippers 109-95 (Zubac 10 p, 11 r; Theis 3 p, 5 r; Sabonis 22 p, 20 r, 9 a; Len 4 p, 7 r)
Golden State Warriors – Dallas Mavericks 104-100 (Doncic 30 p, 12 r, 11 a)
Standings
Eastern Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Boston Celtics– e | 59 | 16 | .787 | — | 39-9 | 15-1 | 32-3 | 27-13 | 2-4 | 8-2 | W 2 |
| 2 Milwaukee Bucks– ps | 47 | 28 | .627 | 12 | 32-15 | 10-7 | 29-8 | 18-20 | 2-2 | 5-5 | L 1 |
| 3 Cleveland Cavaliers– ps | 46 | 30 | .605 | 13.5 | 30-20 | 10-5 | 24-14 | 22-16 | 3-1 | 4-6 | W 1 |
| 4 Orlando Magic– ps | 44 | 31 | .587 | 15 | 30-17 | 9-6 | 27-12 | 17-19 | 2-1 | 7-3 | W 2 |
| 5 New York Knicks– ps | 44 | 31 | .587 | 15 | 30-16 | 10-5 | 24-14 | 20-17 | 0-1 | 6-4 | L 3 |
| 6 Indiana Pacers– ps | 43 | 33 | .566 | 16.5 | 29-18 | 11-5 | 23-15 | 20-18 | 0-1 | 6-4 | W 2 |
| 7 Miami Heat– ps | 42 | 33 | .560 | 17 | 29-18 | 12-3 | 20-17 | 22-16 | 1-0 | 7-3 | W 3 |
| 8 Philadelphia 76ers– ps | 41 | 35 | .539 | 18.5 | 27-21 | 7-8 | 22-16 | 19-19 | 0-2 | 5-5 | W 2 |
| 9 Chicago Bulls– pi | 36 | 40 | .474 | 23.5 | 19-26 | 6-9 | 19-20 | 17-20 | 7-3 | 4-6 | L 1 |
| 10 Atlanta Hawks | 35 | 40 | .467 | 24 | 21-27 | 8-6 | 20-18 | 15-22 | 4-1 | 6-4 | W 1 |
| 11 Brooklyn Nets | 29 | 47 | .382 | 30.5 | 21-26 | 4-9 | 17-20 | 12-27 | 1-4 | 3-7 | L 2 |
| 12 Toronto Raptors– o | 23 | 52 | .307 | 36 | 16-30 | 1-14 | 13-26 | 10-26 | 1-3 | 0-10 | L 14 |
| 13 Charlotte Hornets– o | 18 | 57 | .240 | 41 | 11-37 | 4-10 | 10-27 | 8-30 | 1-1 | 2-8 | L 3 |
| 14 Washington Wizards– o | 15 | 61 | .197 | 44.5 | 11-38 | 4-12 | 7-31 | 8-30 | 0-2 | 4-6 | W 1 |
| 15 Detroit Pistons– o | 13 | 62 | .173 | 46 | 10-37 | 2-13 | 7-32 | 6-30 | 1-2 | 1-9 | L 1 |
Western Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Denver Nuggets– x | 53 | 23 | .697 | — | 30-17 | 8-6 | 31-8 | 22-15 | 0-1 | 7-3 | W 2 |
| 2 Minnesota Timberwolves– x | 52 | 23 | .693 | 0.5 | 36-12 | 12-3 | 27-10 | 25-13 | 1-4 | 8-2 | W 1 |
| 3 Oklahoma City Thunder– x | 52 | 23 | .693 | 0.5 | 33-16 | 12-4 | 29-8 | 23-15 | 3-1 | 7-3 | L 1 |
| 4 LA Clippers– ps | 47 | 28 | .627 | 5.5 | 27-19 | 8-6 | 22-13 | 25-15 | 0-1 | 5-5 | L 1 |
| 5 Dallas Mavericks | 45 | 30 | .600 | 7.5 | 29-20 | 10-5 | 22-15 | 23-15 | 0-0 | 8-2 | L 1 |
| 6 New Orleans Pelicans | 45 | 30 | .600 | 7.5 | 26-20 | 9-6 | 21-16 | 24-14 | 0-1 | 6-4 | L 2 |
| 7 Sacramento Kings | 44 | 31 | .587 | 8.5 | 29-19 | 10-6 | 23-15 | 21-16 | 5-1 | 6-4 | W 2 |
| 8 Phoenix Suns | 44 | 31 | .587 | 8.5 | 25-21 | 7-8 | 23-14 | 21-17 | 3-0 | 6-4 | W 1 |
| 9 Los Angeles Lakers | 43 | 33 | .566 | 10 | 25-23 | 7-9 | 27-12 | 16-21 | 4-1 | 7-3 | W 2 |
| 10 Golden State Warriors | 41 | 34 | .547 | 11.5 | 21-24 | 6-9 | 19-19 | 22-15 | 1-4 | 7-3 | W 5 |
| 11 Houston Rockets | 38 | 37 | .507 | 14.5 | 26-21 | 9-6 | 26-12 | 12-25 | 2-4 | 8-2 | L 2 |
| 12 Utah Jazz– o | 29 | 47 | .382 | 24 | 14-32 | 5-10 | 20-19 | 9-28 | 2-2 | 0-10 | L 10 |
| 13 Memphis Grizzlies– o | 25 | 50 | .333 | 27.5 | 14-34 | 8-7 | 8-28 | 17-22 | 1-3 | 3-7 | W 1 |
| 14 Portland Trail Blazers– o | 19 | 56 | .253 | 33.5 | 8-40 | 1-15 | 11-27 | 8-29 | 5-3 | 0-10 | L 10 |
| 15 San Antonio Spurs– o | 18 | 58 | .237 | 35 | 11-36 | 1-13 | 10-28 | 8-30 | 3-1 | 4-6 | L 2 |
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images