By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With Nikola Jokic missing an opportunity to force overtime at the buzzer, the Denver Nuggets surrendered, 130-127, to the Chicago Bulls in Ball Arena on Monday.
In his side’s first home loss in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season, the 30-year-old Serbian center played through a left wrist sprain and posted his eighth season triple-double with 36 points, 18 rebounds, and 13 assists, alongside two blocks and one steal in 38:38. Off the bench, Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas registered four points and two rebounds over 4:33.
“Yes, we started slow. We couldn’t make shots. In the second half, they were scoring a lot. Even in the first and second quarters, they were really good. And then we had that run at the end of the second quarter. But it seemed like they were always one step ahead, pushing the pace, advancing the ball, attacking downhill. We were always kind of just there,” said Jokic in a postgame press conference, referring to his side digging their way out of an 18-point hole in the first half.
With the visitors snapping a five-game losing streak, Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic was held to 3/13 field goals but made a clutch three-pointer with 33 seconds left in the fourth quarter. Lasting 29 minutes, he ended up with eight points, nine rebounds, six assists, and one steal. Fellow starter, Lithuanian Matas Buzelis, went for 13 points, four rebounds, two blocks, and two assists in 29:05. In contrast, French Noa Essengue did not play.
Fontecchio, Hartenstein, Gobert
Italian Simone Fontecchio reached 14 points and Swedish Pelle Larsson went for 13 points for the Miami Heat in a win, 115-113, against the New York Knicks in Kaseya Center. Serbian Nikola Jovic chipped in five points, but Russian Vladislav Goldin did not get on the court, and Lithuanian Kasparas Jakucionis was inactive. For the Knicks, French reserves Guerschon Yabusele and Mohamed Diawara did not score, with French Pacome Dadiet, British Tosan Evbuomwan, and German Ariel Hukporti on the bench, and British O.G. Anunoby (left hamstring strain) on the injury list.
The Oklahoma City Thunder took down the New Orleans Pelicans, 126-109, in Smoothie King Center. German Isaiah Hartenstein contributed 16 points, seven rebounds, six assists, four steals, and one block, with Belgian Ajay Mitchell at 11 points, but French Ousmane Dieng did not score, and Serbian Nikola Topic (testicular cancer treatment) remained out. On the wrong end, Croatian Karlo Matkovic had ten points.
French Rudy Gobert chipped in 15 points to go with nine rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block, and Italian Donte DiVincenzo added 14 points, five rebounds, two blocks, and two assists, as the Minnesota Timberwolves topped the Dallas Mavericks, 120-96, in Target Center. Beyond the aforementioned starters, French Joan Beringer tallied six points off the bench.
Without Turkish Adem Bona (right ankle sprain), the Philadelphia 76ers secured a narrow win, 110-108, over the Los Angeles Clippers in Xfinity Mobile Arena. For the visitors, Croatian Ivica Zubac posted a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double, French Nicolas Batum recorded 11 points, and Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic had nine points, but Swiss Yanic Konan Niederhauser did not play.
The Toronto Raptors, guided by Serbian head coach Darko Rajakovic, edged out the Charlotte Hornets, 110-108, in Scotiabank Arena. Austrian Jakob Poeltl and Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili put in 13 and seven points, respectively. On the wrong end, French Moussa Diabate got to eight points, but fellow French import Tidjane Salaun did not suit up.
With the lone European, Swedish Bobi Klintman (left ankle sprain) among the several sidelined players, the Detroit Pistons extended their winning streak to ten games with a 127-112 victory versus the Indiana Pacers in Little Caesars Arena.
Monday results
Cleveland Cavaliers – Milwaukee Bucks 118-106
Detroit Pistons – Indiana Pacers 127-112
Philadelphia 76ers – Los Angeles Clippers 110-108
Miami Heat – New York Knicks 115-113
Toronto Raptors – Charlotte Hornets 110-108
Minnesota Timberwolves – Dallas Mavericks 120-96
New Orleans Pelicans – Oklahoma City Thunder 109-126
Denver Nuggets – Chicago Bulls 127-130
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 12-2
2. Cleveland Cavaliers 10-5
3. Toronto Raptors 9-5
4. Atlanta Hawks 9-5
5. New York Knicks 8-5
6. Philadelphia 76ers 8-5
7. Miami Heat 8-6
8. Chicago Bulls 7-6
9. Milwaukee Bucks 8-7
10. Boston Celtics 7-7
11. Orlando Magic 7-7
12. Charlotte Hornets 4-10
13. Brooklyn Nets 2-11
14. Washington Wizards 1-12
15. Indiana Pacers 1-13
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 14-1
2. Denver Nuggets 10-3
3. Houston Rockets 9-3
4. Los Angeles Lakers 10-4
5. San Antonio Spurs 9-4
6. Minnesota Timberwolves 9-5
7. Golden State Warriors 9-6
8. Phoenix Suns 8-6
9. Portland Trail Blazers 6-7
10. Utah Jazz 5-8
11. Los Angeles Clippers 4-10
12. Memphis Grizzlies 4-10
13. Dallas Mavericks 4-11
14. Sacramento Kings 3-11
15. New Orleans Pelicans 2-12
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins