By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
But that was just part of the brilliance shown by European players, with many others leaving their mark. One of them was talented Serbian forward Nikola Jokic, who led the Miami Heat to a 111-117 overtime win over the Atlanta Hawks.
With his best performance of the season, Jovic scored 23 points, eight rebounds, and hit shots in crucial moments of the match.
On the other side, Bogdan Bogdanovic had 11 points, and Clint Capela had six with 11 rebounds. The Serbian national team captain also received the Sekou Smith Award for the player who best represents themselves in their interactions with the media.
Domantas Sabonis couldn’t guide the Sacramento Kings against the Oklahoma City Thunder, as the side from California suffered a 112-105 defeat on the road.
The Lithuanian finished the match with eight points and 13 rebounds, snapping his 61-game double-double streak.
Victor Wembanyama had a good performance in the San Antonio Spurs‘ 87-102 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies, scoring 18 points with seven rebounds, six assists, and a monstrous seven blocks.
He became the first player with double-digit 15/5/5/5 games in a season since David Robinson.
He had great help from Sandro Mamukelashvili, who got a double-double with 11 points and 16 rebounds, while Sidy Cissoko scored 10 points for the young Gregg Popovich’s team.
That wasn’t all from the European players, as Nikola Vucevic led the Chicago Bulls with 26 points, but his side fell at home, with the New York Knicks grabbing a 117-128 road win.
British swingman O.G. Anunoby had 24 points for the winning side, while Isaiah Hartenstein added 11.
Jonas Valanciunas was on the verge of a double-double with 11 points and eight rebounds as the New Orleans Pelicans defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 100-110 as visitors.
NBA results:
Charlotte Hornets – Dallas Mavericks 104-130 (Bertans 13p, Micic 6p, Pokusevski 4p – Doncic 39p, 12r, 10as, Kleber 10p)
Philadelphia 76ers – Detroit Pistons 120-102 (Embiid 37p, 11r, 8as, Batum 2p – Fournier 21p)
Toronto Raptors – Indiana Pacers 123-140
Atlanta Hawks – Miami Heat 111-117 OT (Bogdanovic 11p, Capela 6p, 11r – Jovic 23p, 8r)
Milwaukee Bucks – Boston Celtics 104-91 (Giannis 15p, 8r, 7as – Mikhailiuk 5p)
Chicago Bulls – New York Knicks 117-128 (Vucevic 26p – Anunoby 24p, Hartenstein 11p, Bogdanovic 3p)
Houston Rockets – Orlando Magic 118-106 (M. Wagner 12p)
Memphis Grizzlies – San Antonio Spurs 87-102 (Wemby 18p, 7r, Mamukelashvili 11p, 16r, Cissoko 10p)
Minnesota Timberwolves – Washington Wizards 130-121 (Gobert 19p, 16r – Avdija 15p, 6r)
Oklahoma City Thunder – Sacramento Kings 112-105 (Sabonis 8p, 13r)
Utah Jazz – Denver Nuggets 95-111 (Yurtseven 20p, 11r, Samanic 15p, 10r)
LA Lakers – Golden State Warriors 120-134
Phoenix Suns – LA Clippers 92-105 (Zubac 17p, 13r)
Portland Trail Blazers – New Orleans Pelicans 100-110 (Rupert 6p – Valanciunas 11p, 8r)
Eastern Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Boston Celtics– e | 62 | 17 | .785 | — | 39-10 | 15-1 | 35-3 | 27-14 | 2-4 | 7-3 | L 1 |
| 2 Milwaukee Bucks– x | 48 | 31 | .608 | 14 | 33-17 | 10-7 | 30-11 | 18-20 | 2-2 | 4-6 | W 1 |
| 3 New York Knicks– ps | 47 | 32 | .595 | 15 | 32-17 | 10-5 | 25-14 | 22-18 | 0-1 | 6-4 | W 2 |
| 4 Orlando Magic– ps | 46 | 33 | .582 | 16 | 31-18 | 9-7 | 28-12 | 18-21 | 2-1 | 5-5 | L 1 |
| 5 Cleveland Cavaliers– ps | 46 | 33 | .582 | 16 | 30-20 | 10-5 | 24-14 | 22-19 | 3-1 | 3-7 | L 3 |
| 6 Indiana Pacers– ps | 46 | 34 | .575 | 16.5 | 31-19 | 11-5 | 25-15 | 21-19 | 0-1 | 7-3 | W 3 |
| 7 Philadelphia 76ers– ps | 45 | 35 | .563 | 17.5 | 29-21 | 7-8 | 23-16 | 22-19 | 1-2 | 7-3 | W 6 |
| 8 Miami Heat– ps | 44 | 35 | .557 | 18 | 30-20 | 13-3 | 20-18 | 24-17 | 2-0 | 6-4 | W 1 |
| 9 Chicago Bulls– pi | 37 | 42 | .468 | 25 | 20-28 | 6-9 | 20-21 | 17-21 | 7-3 | 3-7 | L 2 |
| 10 Atlanta Hawks– pi | 36 | 43 | .456 | 26 | 22-28 | 8-7 | 21-19 | 15-24 | 4-2 | 6-4 | L 3 |
| 11 Brooklyn Nets– o | 31 | 48 | .392 | 31 | 23-26 | 4-9 | 19-21 | 12-27 | 1-4 | 5-5 | L 1 |
| 12 Toronto Raptors– o | 25 | 54 | .316 | 37 | 18-31 | 1-14 | 14-27 | 11-27 | 1-3 | 2-8 | L 1 |
| 13 Charlotte Hornets– o | 19 | 60 | .241 | 43 | 12-37 | 5-10 | 11-30 | 8-30 | 1-1 | 2-8 | L 2 |
| 14 Washington Wizards– o | 15 | 65 | .188 | 47.5 | 11-39 | 4-12 | 7-33 | 8-32 | 0-2 | 3-7 | L 4 |
| 15 Detroit Pistons– o | 13 | 66 | .165 | 49 | 10-40 | 2-13 | 7-32 | 6-34 | 1-2 | 1-9 | L 5 |
Western Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Minnesota Timberwolves– x | 55 | 24 | .696 | — | 37-13 | 12-3 | 29-10 | 26-14 | 1-4 | 8-2 | W 2 |
| 2 Denver Nuggets– x | 55 | 24 | .696 | — | 31-18 | 9-6 | 32-8 | 23-16 | 0-1 | 7-3 | W 2 |
| 3 Oklahoma City Thunder– x | 54 | 25 | .684 | 1 | 34-16 | 12-4 | 30-8 | 24-17 | 3-1 | 5-5 | W 2 |
| 4 LA Clippers– p | 51 | 28 | .646 | 4 | 30-19 | 9-6 | 25-13 | 26-15 | 0-1 | 7-3 | W 4 |
| 5 Dallas Mavericks– x | 49 | 30 | .620 | 6 | 31-20 | 11-5 | 25-15 | 24-15 | 1-0 | 9-1 | W 4 |
| 6 New Orleans Pelicans– ps | 47 | 32 | .595 | 8 | 28-21 | 9-7 | 21-18 | 26-14 | 0-1 | 5-5 | W 2 |
| 7 Phoenix Suns– ps | 46 | 33 | .582 | 9 | 26-23 | 7-9 | 25-16 | 21-17 | 3-0 | 6-4 | L 2 |
| 8 Sacramento Kings– ps | 45 | 34 | .570 | 10 | 29-20 | 10-6 | 23-15 | 22-19 | 5-1 | 5-5 | L 1 |
| 9 Los Angeles Lakers– ps | 45 | 35 | .563 | 10.5 | 25-25 | 7-10 | 28-14 | 17-21 | 4-1 | 7-3 | L 2 |
| 10 Golden State Warriors– ps | 44 | 35 | .557 | 11 | 24-25 | 7-9 | 20-19 | 24-16 | 1-4 | 8-2 | W 2 |
| 11 Houston Rockets– o | 39 | 40 | .494 | 16 | 26-23 | 9-7 | 27-14 | 12-26 | 2-5 | 5-5 | W 1 |
| 12 Utah Jazz– o | 29 | 50 | .367 | 26 | 14-35 | 5-11 | 20-20 | 9-30 | 2-2 | 0-10 | L 13 |
| 13 Memphis Grizzlies– o | 27 | 52 | .342 | 28 | 14-35 | 8-8 | 9-30 | 18-22 | 1-3 | 4-6 | L 2 |
| 14 Portland Trail Blazers– o | 21 | 58 | .266 | 34 | 8-41 | 1-15 | 11-28 | 10-30 | 5-3 | 2-8 | L 2 |
| 15 San Antonio Spurs– o | 20 | 59 | .253 | 35 | 13-36 | 3-13 | 10-29 | 10-30 | 3-2 | 5-5 | W 1 |