By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Taking over for good in the fourth quarter, the Orlando Magic outlasted the Charlotte Hornets, 102-86, in Kia Center. German Franz Wagner put in 16 points with 6/11 from the field. Fellow starter, Georgian Goga Bitadze was held to one point but tallied seven rebounds, four blocks, and two assists. German reserve Tristan da Silva threw in two assists and one rebound. Another German import, Moritz Wagner (left knee surgery) remained sidelined and is expected to sit out the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season.
Debuting for the Hornets and in his first appearance in over one month, Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic fit in the starting lineup. “It felt good. Just to be out there, playing basketball, having fun,” he said after logging nine points, eight rebounds, one block, one steal, and one assist over 15 minutes. Coming off the bench and lasting 20 minutes, French Tidjane Salaun finished with three points. Another French import for the team coached by Charles Lee, Moussa Diabate (right eye abrasion) sat out.
In Scotiabank Arena, the Cleveland Cavaliers cruised past the Toronto Raptors, 131-108, en route to a fourth straight win but a dunk by Tristan Thompson with four seconds left created tension on the court. “I think what Tristan did there was no class and disrespectful. I’m not going to stand for that, for sure,” reacted Raptors head coach Darko Rajakovic. The starting center of the Serbian tactician, Austrian Jakob Poeltl (right hip pointer) remained sidelined.
Also on a four-game winning streak, the Detroit Pistons completed a perfect back-to-back opposite the Chicago Bulls with a 128-110 victory in United Center. German Dennis Schroder paired eight points with four assists and Italian Simone Fontecchio chipped in six points, but Swedish Bobi Klintman was on a G League assignment. Starting for the hosts, Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic produced a 21-point, 14-rebound double-double and Lithuanian Matas Buzelis scored 11 points.
From dealing with back pain to posting a 17-point, 13-rebound double-double, Turkish Alperen Sengun was among the main contributors for the Houston Rockets in a win, 119-111, against the Phoenix Suns in Toyota Center. “I feel good. I am playing through the pain,” he said in a media session following Wednesday’s game. Serbian Vasilije Micic was medically cleared from a left ankle sprain but did not play for the Suns.
A European double-double in Smoothie King Center featured Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis combining 16 points with 15 rebounds as the Sacramento Kings took down the New Orleans Pelicans, 119-111. Fellow Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas added five points and four rebounds. On the wrong end, Croatian Karlo Matkovic registered two blocks and one rebound.
Wednesday results
Boston Celtics – San Antonio Spurs 116-103
Orlando Magic – Charlotte Hornets 102-86
Washington Wizards – Indiana Pacers 130-134 OT (120-120)
Brooklyn Nets – Philadelphia 76ers 100-96
New York Knicks – Atlanta Hawks 149-148 OT (137-137)
Toronto Raptors – Cleveland Cavaliers 108-131
Chicago Bulls – Detroit Pistons 110-128
Minnesota Timberwolves – Milwaukee Bucks 101-103
New Orleans Pelicans – Sacramento Kings 111-119
Oklahoma City Thunder – Miami Heat 115-101
Houston Rockets – Phoenix Suns 119-111
Denver Nuggets – Portland Trail Blazers 132-121
Utah Jazz – Los Angeles Lakers 131-119
Dallas Mavericks – Golden State Warriors 111-107
Los Angeles Clippers – Memphis Grizzlies 128-114
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Cleveland Cavaliers 44-10
2. Boston Celtics 39-16
3. New York Knicks 36-18
4. Indiana Pacers 30-23
5. Milwaukee Bucks 29-24
6. Detroit Pistons 29-26
7. Orlando Magic 27-29
8. Miami Heat 25-27
9. Atlanta Hawks 26-29
10. Chicago Bulls 22-33
11. Philadelphia 76ers 20-34
12. Brooklyn Nets 20-34
13. Toronto Raptors 17-38
14. Charlotte Hornets 13-39
15. Washington Wizards 9-45
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 44-9
2. Memphis Grizzlies 36-18
3. Denver Nuggets 36-19
4. Houston Rockets 34-20
5. Los Angeles Lakers 32-20
6. Los Angeles Clippers 30-23
7. Minnesota Timberwolves 30-25
8. Dallas Mavericks 29-26
9. Sacramento Kings 28-26
10. Golden State Warriors 27-27
11. Phoenix Suns 26-28
12. San Antonio Spurs 23-29
13. Portland Trail Blazers 23-32
14. Utah Jazz 13-40
15. New Orleans Pelicans 12-42
-The top six teams from each conference clinch a berth in the Playoffs
-Teams ranking seventh to tenth advance to the Play-Ins