By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
Playing without Steve Adams and Kevin Durant, Alperen Sengun had the chance to shine just hours after not being named All-Star.
The Turkish big man matched his season high with 39 points, and Jabari Smith Jr. added 19 to help the short-handed Houston Rockets to beat the Indiana Pacers 118-114.
Durant sat out after spraining his left ankle when he stepped on a fan’s foot. The Rockets already were missing center Steven Adams, who is expected to miss the rest of this season following surgery on his injured left ankle.
Sengun made 13 of 25 from the field and 13 of 18 from the free-throw line including 8 of 12 during the fourth quarter and grabbed 16 rebounds.
Veteran French center Rudy Gobert had seven points and 10 rebounds, however the Grizzlies beat the Timberwolves (137-128) and fellow big man from Croatia Ivica Zubac had eight points and nine rebounds in the Clippers defeat to the Sixers (128-113).
Monday results
Charlotte Hornets – New Orleans Pelicans 102-95
Indiana Pacers – Houston Rockets 114-118
Memphis Grizzlies – Minessota Timberwolves 137-128
LA Clippers – Philadelphia 76ers 113-128
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 36-12
2. Boston Celtics 31-18
3. New York Knicks 31-18
4. Cleveland Cavaliers 30-21
5. Toronto Raptors 30-21
6. Philadelphia 76ers 28-21
7. Miami Heat 27-24
8. Orlando Magic 25-23
9. Chicago Bulls 24-26
10. Atlanta Hawks 24-27
11. Charlotte Hornets 23-28
12. Milwaukee Bucks 18-29
13. Brooklyn Nets 13-35
14. Washington Wizards 13-35
15. Indiana Pacers 13-37
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 39-11
2. San Antonio Spurs 33-16
3. Denver Nuggets 33-17
4. Houston Rockets 31-17
5. Minnesota Timberwolves 31-20
6. Los Angeles Lakers 29-19
7. Phoenix Suns 30-20
8. Golden State Warriors 27-23
9. Los Angeles Clippers 23-26
10. Portland Trail Blazers 23-27
11. Memphis Grizzlies 19-29
12. Dallas Mavericks 19-30
13. Utah Jazz 15-35
14. New Orleans Pelicans 13-39
15. Sacramento Kings 12-39
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins