By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Nikola Jokic became the third player to start an NBA Regular Season with four straight triple-doubles, following Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook, lifting the Denver Nuggets over the New Orleans Pelicans, 122-88, in Ball Arena. He ended up with 21 points, 12 rebounds, ten assists, and two steals on Wednesday.
“It’s not effortless. I think we need to stop saying that. I’m still running and jumping like other guys. Sometimes, the game goes my way and I have a good night, like today,” said the 30-year-old Serbian superstar in the postgame press conference, replying to a question about his latest triple-double, “Hopefully, it’s going to be like that in the future.”
“It seems a little bit like European style. Whoever is getting going, he is going to play. Whoever is having a good game, he is going to continue to play,” he also praised the rotation picks of head coach David Adelman.
Lithuanian teammate Jonas Valanciunas chipped in ten points. On the wrong end, Croatian Karlo Matkovic had two points.
Buzelis fuels a 4-0 start
Lithuanian Matas Buzelis dropped a team-high 27 points with 11/18 from the field, and Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic threw in a 13-point, 14-rebound double-double plus seven assists for the Chicago Bulls in a win, 126-113, against the Sacramento Kings in United Center, but French Noa Essengue did not leave the bench. On the losing side, Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis posted an 18-point, 11-rebound double-double, and German Dennis Schroder had five points, but Croatian Dario Saric and French Maxime Raynaud did not play.
Latvian Kristaps Porzingis with 14 points and French Zaccharie Risacher with eight points contributed to the Atlanta Hawks defeating the Brooklyn Nets, 117-112, in Barclays Center. Czech Vit Krejci stayed on the bench, with Serbian Nikola Djuricic and Spanish Eli Ndiaye out of the lineup. For the team coached by Spanish Jordi Fernandez, Russian Egor Demin got four points, but Israeli Ben Saraf did not score, and French Nolan Traore and Israeli Danny Wolf were out of the rotation.
Overcoming a 32-point outing by Finnish Lauri Markkanen, the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Utah Jazz, 136-134, in Delta Center. Israeli Deni Avdija and Belgian Toumani Camara put in 19 and 17 points, respectively, and French Rayan Rupert registered three more points, but French Sidy Cissoko did not suit up. Starting alongside Markkanen, Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk went for seven points, while Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic scored 13 points playing through a right hip contusion.
With Slovenian Luka Doncic (left finger sprain / lower left leg contusion) and German Maxi Kleber (abdominal muscle strain) in a packed injury list, Austin Reaves hit the game-winner as the Los Angeles Lakers beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, 116-115, in Target Center. Starting for the hosts, Italian Donte DiVincenzo scored 14 points and French Rudy Gobert finished with nine points, but French Joan Beringer stayed on the bench.
Sengun dominates
With the Toronto Raptors missing Austrian big Jakob Poeltl (low back tightness), Turkish Alperen Sengun piled up 18 points behind 6/8 field goals, nine assists, eight rebounds, two blocks, and two steals, helping the Houston Rockets prevail, 139-121, in Scotiabank Arena. Swiss reserve Clint Capela added four points. For the team coached by Serbian Darko Rajakovic, Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili recorded ten points.
German Franz Wagner scored 22 points in an Orlando Magic loss, 135-116, to the Detroit Pistons in Little Caesars Arena. German Tristan da Silva, Georgian Goga Bitadze, and French Noah Penda came off the bench for 15, ten, and four points, respectively, and German Moritz Wagner (left knee injury recovery) remained out. On the winning end, Swedish Bobi Klintman did not play.
In Mortgage Matchup Center, Spanish Santi Aldama overcame left shoulder soreness with 14 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and three steals as the Memphis Grizzlies prevailed, 114-113, versus the Phoenix Suns, behind a game-winner by Ja Morant for the team coached by Finnish Tuomas Iisalo.
In TD Garden, the Boston Celtics beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 125-105. Portuguese Neemias Queta posted a 10-point, 10-rebound double-double, with Bosnian Luka Garza adding ten more points and Spanish Hugo Gonzalez limited to four fruitless minutes. British Amari Williams and Ukrainian Max Shulga were inactive.
Without European players on both sides, the Dallas Mavericks edged out the Indiana Pacers, 107-105, in American Airlines Center.
Wednesday results
Toronto Raptors – Houston Rockets 121-139
Boston Celtics – Cleveland Cavaliers 125-105
Detroit Pistons – Orlando Magic 135-116
Brooklyn Nets – Atlanta Hawks 112-117
Chicago Bulls – Sacramento Kings 126-113
Dallas Mavericks – Indiana Pacers 107-105
Denver Nuggets – New Orleans Pelicans 122-88
Utah Jazz – Portland Trail Blazers 134-136
Minnesota Timberwolves – Los Angeles Lakers 115-116
Phoenix Suns – Memphis Grizzlies 113-114
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Chicago Bulls 4-0
2. Philadelphia 76ers 4-0
3. Miami Heat 3-1
4. Milwaukee Bucks 3-1
5. Cleveland Cavaliers 3-2
6. Detroit Pistons 3-2
7. New York Knicks 2-2
8. Charlotte Hornets 2-2
9. Atlanta Hawks 2-3
10. Boston Celtics 2-3
11. Washington Wizards 1-3
12. Toronto Raptors 1-4
13. Orlando Magic 1-4
14. Indiana Pacers 0-4
15. Brooklyn Nets 0-5
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 5-0
2. San Antonio Spurs 4-0
3. Golden State Warriors 4-1
4. Denver Nuggets 3-1
5. Portland Trail Blazers 3-2
6. Los Angeles Lakers 3-2
7. Memphis Grizzlies 3-2
8. Utah Jazz 2-2
9. Los Angeles Clippers 2-2
10. Houston Rockets 2-2
11. Minnesota Timberwolves 2-3
12. Dallas Mavericks 2-3
13. Phoenix Suns 1-4
14. Sacramento Kings 1-4
15. New Orleans Pelicans 0-4
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins