By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
After three consecutive losses, Victor Wembanyama finally found a victory over two-time MVP Nikola Jokic, helping the Spurs get an important 121-120 win over the Denver Nuggets, that dropped to the 3rd place in the West following this defeat.
The French center put on an absolute show in front of his fans, performing 34 points, 12 rebounds, and 5 assists despite shooting 12/27 from the field. His shooting percentage was conditioned by a 5/12 from beyond the arc, still huge numbers for his size.
He described this as the “best win of the season”. “It just makes every win feel even more special. As a growing team, a young team, it’s big for us. We are going to need this kind of wins in the future”, he commented.
On the other side, Nikola Jokic replied with a double-double as well, ending with 22 points, 12 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Helping Victor Wembanyama out, other European players on Gregg Popovich’s team shone against the Nuggets. It’s the case of Sandro Mamukelashvili, who ended with a double-double of 21 points and 12 rebounds, and of Sidy Cissoko, who added 8 points in the win.
Results of the Night and European performances
Philadelphia 76ers – Orlando Magic 125-113 (Franz Wagner 24 p, 6 r: Moritz Wagner 17 p, 6 r; Batum 5 p, 4 r)
Washington Wizards – Chicago Bulls 127-129 (Bitim 6 p; Drell 9 p; Vukcevic 19 p; Avdija 24 p, 12 r, 8 a)
Boston Celtics – Charlotte Hornets 131-98 (Micic 5 p, 3 a; Pokusevski 8 p, 5 r; Bertans 9 p; Mykhailiuk 8 p; Queta 16 p, 6 r, 5 a)
Cleveland Cavaliers – Indiana Pacers 129-120
New York Knicks – Brooklyn Nets 111-107 (Anunoby 15 p; Bojan Bogdanovic 9 p)
Miami Heat – Toronto Raptors 125-103 (Jovic 22 p, 5 r)
Memphis Grizzlies – Los Angeles Lakers 120-123
Minnesota Timberwolves – Atlanta Hawks 109-106 (Bogdan Bogdanovic 17 p, 2 r; Capela 13 p, 11 r; Gobert 25 p, 19 r)
Oklahoma City Thunder – Milwaukee Bucks 125-107 (Gallinari 11 p, 4 r)
San Antonio Spurs – Denver Nuggets 121-120
Dallas Mavericks – Detroit Pistons 89-107 (Kleber 6 p)
Golden State Warriors – New Orleans Pelicans 109-114 (Valanciunas 10 p, 5 r)
Portland Trail Blazers – Houston Rockets 107-116 (Rupert 4 p, 5 a)
Los Angeles Clippers – Utah Jazz 109-110 (Samanic 11 p, 6 r; Yursteven 4 p, 10 r; Zubac 10 p; Theis 14 p, 7 r)
Sacramento Kings – Phoenix Suns 107-108 (Nurkic 10 p, 10 r; Sabonis 25 p, 12 r, 9 a)
Standings
Eastern Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Boston Celtics– e | 63 | 18 | .778 | — | 40-11 | 15-2 | 36-4 | 27-14 | 2-4 | 6-4 | W 1 |
| 2 Milwaukee Bucks– x | 49 | 32 | .605 | 14 | 34-17 | 10-7 | 31-11 | 18-21 | 2-2 | 3-7 | L 1 |
| 3 New York Knicks– x | 49 | 32 | .605 | 14 | 34-17 | 12-5 | 26-14 | 23-18 | 0-1 | 6-4 | W 4 |
| 4 Cleveland Cavaliers– x | 48 | 33 | .593 | 15 | 31-20 | 11-5 | 26-14 | 22-19 | 3-1 | 5-5 | W 2 |
| 5 Orlando Magic– ps | 46 | 35 | .568 | 17 | 31-20 | 9-7 | 28-12 | 18-23 | 2-1 | 4-6 | L 3 |
| 6 Indiana Pacers– ps | 46 | 35 | .568 | 17 | 31-20 | 11-6 | 25-15 | 21-20 | 0-1 | 6-4 | L 1 |
| 7 Philadelphia 76ers– ps | 46 | 35 | .568 | 17 | 30-21 | 7-8 | 24-16 | 22-19 | 1-2 | 7-3 | W 7 |
| 8 Miami Heat– ps | 45 | 36 | .556 | 18 | 31-20 | 13-3 | 21-19 | 24-17 | 2-0 | 6-4 | W 1 |
| 9 Chicago Bulls– pi | 39 | 42 | .481 | 24 | 22-28 | 7-9 | 20-21 | 19-21 | 7-3 | 5-5 | W 2 |
| 10 Atlanta Hawks– pi | 36 | 45 | .444 | 27 | 22-29 | 8-8 | 21-20 | 15-25 | 4-2 | 4-6 | L 5 |
| 11 Brooklyn Nets– o | 32 | 49 | .395 | 31 | 24-27 | 5-10 | 20-21 | 12-28 | 1-4 | 6-4 | L 1 |
| 12 Toronto Raptors– o | 25 | 56 | .309 | 38 | 18-33 | 1-15 | 14-27 | 11-29 | 1-3 | 2-8 | L 3 |
| 13 Charlotte Hornets– o | 20 | 61 | .247 | 43 | 13-38 | 6-10 | 11-30 | 9-31 | 1-1 | 3-7 | L 1 |
| 14 Washington Wizards– o | 15 | 66 | .185 | 48 | 11-40 | 4-12 | 7-34 | 8-32 | 0-2 | 2-8 | L 5 |
| 15 Detroit Pistons– o | 14 | 67 | .173 | 49 | 10-41 | 2-14 | 7-33 | 7-34 | 1-2 | 2-8 | W 1 |
Western Conference
| TEAM | W | L | WIN% | GB | CONF | DIV | HOME | ROAD | OT | LAST10 | STREAK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Oklahoma City Thunder– x | 56 | 25 | .691 | — | 35-16 | 12-4 | 32-8 | 24-17 | 3-1 | 6-4 | W 4 |
| 2 Minnesota Timberwolves– x | 56 | 25 | .691 | — | 37-14 | 12-4 | 30-10 | 26-15 | 1-4 | 7-3 | W 1 |
| 3 Denver Nuggets– x | 56 | 25 | .691 | — | 32-19 | 10-6 | 33-8 | 23-17 | 0-1 | 6-4 | L 1 |
| 4 LA Clippers– p | 51 | 30 | .630 | 5 | 30-21 | 9-7 | 25-15 | 26-15 | 0-1 | 7-3 | L 2 |
| 5 Dallas Mavericks– sw | 50 | 31 | .617 | 6 | 31-20 | 11-5 | 25-16 | 25-15 | 1-0 | 8-2 | L 1 |
| 6 New Orleans Pelicans– ps | 49 | 32 | .605 | 7 | 30-21 | 9-7 | 21-18 | 28-14 | 0-1 | 5-5 | W 4 |
| 7 Phoenix Suns– ps | 47 | 33 | .588 | 8.5 | 27-23 | 8-9 | 25-16 | 22-17 | 3-0 | 6-4 | W 1 |
| 8 Los Angeles Lakers– pi | 46 | 35 | .568 | 10 | 26-25 | 7-10 | 28-14 | 18-21 | 4-1 | 7-3 | W 1 |
| 9 Sacramento Kings– pi | 45 | 35 | .563 | 10.5 | 29-21 | 10-6 | 23-16 | 22-19 | 5-1 | 4-6 | L 2 |
| 10 Golden State Warriors– pi | 45 | 36 | .556 | 11 | 25-26 | 7-9 | 20-20 | 25-16 | 1-4 | 8-2 | L 1 |
| 11 Houston Rockets– o | 40 | 41 | .494 | 16 | 27-24 | 9-7 | 27-14 | 13-27 | 2-5 | 4-6 | W 1 |
| 12 Utah Jazz– o | 31 | 50 | .383 | 25 | 16-35 | 5-11 | 21-20 | 10-30 | 2-2 | 2-8 | W 2 |
| 13 Memphis Grizzlies– o | 27 | 54 | .333 | 29 | 14-36 | 8-8 | 9-31 | 18-23 | 1-3 | 3-7 | L 4 |
| 14 San Antonio Spurs– o | 21 | 60 | .259 | 35 | 14-37 | 3-13 | 11-29 | 10-31 | 3-2 | 6-4 | W 1 |
| 15 Portland Trail Blazers– o | 21 | 60 | .259 | 35 | 8-43 | 1-15 | 11-30 | 10-30 | 5-3 | 2-8 | L 4 |
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty Images