By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the Milwaukee Bucks to their 111-101 away victory against the Memphis Grizzlies. The 24-year-old Greek forward finished up his effort at the FedEx Forum with a 27-point, 11-rebound double-double. Ersan Ilyasova scored three points of his own. Omri Casspi notched a 2018-19 personal-best 17 points and Marc Gasol added 14 points. Joakim Noah had four points for the losing side.
Jusuf Nurkic posted his first NBA triple-double with ten points, ten rebounds and ten assists. The Bosnian center also blocked five shots for the Portland Trail Blazers that beat the Cleveland Cavaliers, 129-112. He’s now averaging 17.3 points, 11,5 rebounds, 3.6 assists and 1.9 blocks in January. Ante Zizic put up 16 points for the losing side, but Cedi Osman was benched early with just four points in his stat sheet.
Despite playing with a left knee injury, Marco Belinelli scored 17 points, Davis Bertans sank clutch buckets on his way for a total of 12 points and the San Antonio Spurs grabbed a 105-101 away win over the Dallas Mavericks. Jakob Poeltl added six points and Pau Gasol two. Luka Doncic’s 25 points weren’t enough for the hosts, Maxi Kleber posted seven points and Dirk Nowitzki had six.
Rudy Gobert had a 23-point, 22-rebound double-double for the Utah Jazz in their 129-109 away victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. Naz Mitrou-Long also played but didn’t get on the board, while Ricky Rubio (right hamstring) and Thabo Sefolosha (right hamstring) remained out. Danilo Gallinari scored nine points, Marcin Gortat and Boban Marjanovic added four apiece for the hosts, but Milos Teodosic was inactive.
Nikola Mirotic sank six threes going off for 29 points at the Oracle Arena, The Montenegrin-Spanish forward’s best game after his long injury layoff wasn’t enough for the New Orleans Pelicans that lost to the Golden State Warriors, 147-140. Stephen Curry paved the way with nine made shots beyond the arc and 41 points. Swede Jonas Jerebko also played but failed to score in five minutes.
Red-hot James Harden posted a season-high 58 points, but the Houston Rockets suffered a 145-142 overtime defeat at the hands of the Brooklyn Nets at the Toyota Center. Clint Capela (right hand) remained on the hosts’ injury list and Isaiah Hartenstein didn’t leave the bench. Latvian Rodions Kurucs scored 14 points for the Nets, but Dzanan Musa (left shoulder) remained out.
Nikola Vucevic went off for 24 points and also grabbed 13 boards, and Evan Fournier finished up with 18 points, but the Orlando Magic suffered a 120-115 overtime defeat to the Detroit Pistons at the Little Caesars Arena. Zaza Pachulia returned to action with six points for the winning side, but Jose Calderon didn’t leave the bench. Magic’s Timofey Mozgov (right knee) remained sidelined.
Serge Ibaka also notched a losing effort double-double with 22 points and ten rebounds for the Toronto Raptors in their 117-108 away loss to the Boston Celtics. The Canadian team’s Jonas Valanciunas (left hand) and OG Anunoby (personal) were inactive. The hosts’ Daniel Theis and Guerschon Yabusele were available but didn’t play,
Results and European action:
| Detroit Pistons | Orlando Magic | 120-115 | Zaza Pachulia 6pts, 3reb, 3ast – Nikola Vucevic 24pts, 13reb, 3ast, 1stl, Evan Fournier 18pts, 2reb, 5ast, 1stl |
| Boston Celtics | Toronto Raptors | 117-108 | Serge Ibaka 22pts, 10reb |
| Houston Rockets | Brooklyn Nets | 142-145 | Rodions Kurucs 14pts, 5reb, 2ast, 1stl |
| Memphis Grizzlies | Milwaukee Bucks | 101-111 | Omri Casspi 17pts, 6reb, 2ast, Marc Gasol 14pts, 4reb, 5ast, Joakim Noah 4pts, 6reb – Giannis Antetokounmpo 27pts, 11reb, 3ast, 1stl, 2blk, Ersan Ilyasova 3pts, 2reb, 1stl |
| Dallas Mavericks | San Antonio Spurs | 101-105 | Luka Doncic 25pts, 8reb, 8ast, 1stl, Maxi Kleber 7pts, 2reb, 1ast, 4stl, 1blk, Dirk Nowitzki 6pts, 4reb, 1ast – Marco Belinelli 17pts, 2reb, 2ast, 1stl, Davis Bertans 12pts, 4reb, 1blk, Jakob Poeltl 6pts, 7reb, 4ast, 3stl, 1blk, Pau Gasol 2pts, 1reb |
| Portland Trail Blazers | Cleveland Cavaliers | 129-112 | Jusuf Nurkic 10pts, 10reb, 10ast, 5blk – Ante Zizic 16pts, 8reb, 1ast, 2blk, Cedi Osman 4pts, 1reb |
| Golden State Warriors | New Orleans Pelicans | 147-140 | Jonas Jerebko 2reb, 1ast – Nikola Mirotic 29pts, 3reb, 2ast |
| Los Angeles Clippers | Utah Jazz | 109-129 | Danilo Gallinari 9pts, 4reb, 1ast, Marcin Gortat 4pts, 6reb, 3ast, 2stl, Boban Marjanovic 4pts – Rudy Gobert 23pts, 22reb, 1ast, 1stl, 4blk, Naz Mitrou-Long 0pts |
The standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Milwaukee Bucks 32-12
2. Toronto Raptors 33-13
3. Indiana Pacers 29-14
4. Philadelphia 76ers 29-16
5. Boston Celtics 26-18
6. Brooklyn Nets 23-23
7. Miami Heat 21-21
8. Charlotte Hornets 20-23
9. Detroit Pistons 19-24
10. Orlando Magic 19-25
11. Washington Wizards 18-26
12. Atlanta Hawks 14-30
13. New York Knicks 10-33
14. Chicago Bulls 10-34
15. Cleveland Cavaliers 9-36
Western Conference
1. Golden State Warriors 31-14
2. Denver Nuggets 29-14
3. Oklahoma City Thunder 26-17
4. Portland Trail Blazers 27-19
5. Houston Rockets 25-19
6. San Antonio Spurs 26-20
7. Los Angeles Clippers 24-20
8. Utah Jazz 25-21
9. Los Angeles Lakers 24-21
10. Sacramento Kings 23-21
11. Minnesota Timberwolves 21-23
12. New Orleans Pelicans 21-24
13. Dallas Mavericks 20-24
14. Memphis Grizzlies 19-25
15. Phoenix Suns 11-34
Photo Credit: Getty Images