By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Luka Doncic led the Dallas Mavericks to their 110-101 home win against the Indiana Pacers with 26 points and ten boards. Dirk Nowitzki started the 2018-19 Regular Season contest and added 11 points for the winning side. Bojan Bogdanovic notched a team-high 22 points for the visitors.
Nikola Mirotic put up 21 points including five in overtime for the Milwaukee Bucks in their 141-140 dramatic road win over the Sacramento Kings. Giannis Antetokounmpo added 17 points of his own. Bogdan Bogdanovic set a new NBA personal-best with 28 points for the losing side.
Clint Capela also notched a career-high grabbing 17 rebounds, additionally poured 23 points for the Houston Rockets that overpowered the Charlotte Hornets, 118-113, on the road. Nicolas Batum took on James Harden defensively and posted 17 points for the hosts.
Goran Dragic scored a team-high 27 points, 25 in the first half, 20 in the second quarter alone. However, Dwyane Wade secured the 126-125 win for the Miami Heat against the Golden State Warriors with an unbelievable off-balanced buzzer-beating three-pointer.
Lauri Markkanen finished with 22 points and ten rebounds for the Chicago Bulls that grabbed a 109-107 away victory over the Memphis Grizzlies. Rudy Gobert was also in double-double mode (20pts, 13reb) for the Utah Jazz in their 111-105 home win over the Los Angeles Clippers.
On the injury side, Domantas Sabonis (left ankle) sat out for the Pacers, so did Mavericks‘ Kristaps Porzingis (left knee). Luol Deng left with a sore left Achilles and the Minnesota Timberwolves lost 131-123 to the Atlanta Hawks in overtime.
Results and European action:
| Charlotte Hornets | Houston Rockets | 113-118 | Batum 17pts, 6reb, 3ast, Parker 3pts, 2ast, W. Hernangomez DNP – Capela 23pts, 17reb, 2ast, 1stl, 1blk, Hartenstein ASS |
| Atlanta Hawks | Minnesota Timberwolves | 131-123 | Len 1pt, 1reb – Saric 6pts, 4reb, 4ast, 2stl, Deng 1reb, 1stl |
| Boston Celtics | Portland Trail Blazers | 92-97 | Theis 2ast, 1blk, Yabusele DNP – Nurkic 16pts, 6reb, 3ast, 1stl, 2blk, Kanter 8pts, 7reb, 1ast, 2stl |
| Brooklyn Nets | Washington Wizards | 116-125 | Kurucs 7pts, 2reb, 3ast, 1stl, Musa ASS – Satoransky 7pts, 2reb, 10ast, Mahinmi DNP |
| Miami Heat | Golden State Warriors | 126-125 | Dragic 27pts, 3reb, 1ast – Jerebko 6pts, 3reb, 1ast |
| Memphis Grizzlies | Chicago Bulls | 107-109 | Valanciunas 13pts, 7reb, 4ast, 1blk, Noah 12pts, 9reb, 3ast, 2blk, Dorsey 2pts, 2reb – Markkanen 22pts, 10reb, 1ast, Luwawu-Cabarrot 1reb, 1ast |
| San Antonio Spurs | Detroit Pistons | 105-93 | Belinelli 17pts, 5reb, Poeltl 11pts, 14reb, 1ast, 3blk, Dav. Bertans 4reb, P. Gasol DNP – Pachulia 1pt, 5reb, 1ast, 1blk, Mykhailiuk INC, Calderon INC |
| Dallas Mavericks | Indiana Pacers | 110-101 | Doncic 26pts, 10reb, 7ast, Nowitzki 11pts, 5reb, 3ast, Kleber 6pts, 2reb, 3ast, 1stl, 1blk, K. Antetokounmpo ASS – Boj. Bogdanovic 22pts, 4reb, 1stl |
| Utah Jazz | Los Angeles Clippers | 111-105 | Gobert 20pts, 13reb, 2ast, 4blk, Rubio 13pts, 3reb, 3ast, 2stl, Sefolosha 2reb, 1stl, Mitrou-Long ASS – Gallinari 18pts, 5reb, 1ast, 1stl, 1blk, Zubac 7pts, 3ast, 1stl, 1blk |
| Sacramento Kings | Milwaukee Bucks | 140-141 | Bogd. Bogdanovic 28pts, 8reb, 8ast, 2stl, 1blk, Koufos DNP, Bjelica DNP – Mirotic 21pts, 8reb, 3ast, 2blk, G. Antetokounmpo 17pts, 7reb, 2ast, 2blk, Ilyasova 8pts, 6reb, 1ast, 1blk |
| Los Angeles Lakers | New Orleans Pelicans | 125-119 | Wagner DNP, Bonga ASS |
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Milwaukee Bucks 47-14
2. Toronto Raptors 45-17
3. Indiana Pacers 40-22
4. Philadelphia 76ers 39-22
5. Boston Celtics 37-25
6. Brooklyn Nets 32-31
7. Detroit Pistons 29-31
8. Charlotte Hornets 28-33
9. Orlando Magic 28-34
10. Miami Heat 27-33
11. Washington Wizards 25-36
12. Atlanta Hawks 21-41
13. Chicago Bulls 17-45
14. Cleveland Cavaliers 14-47
15. New York Knicks 13-48
Western Conference
1. Golden State Warriors 43-18
2. Denver Nuggets 42-18
3. Oklahoma City Thunder 38-22
4. Portland Trail Blazers 38-23
5. Houston Rockets 36-25
6. Utah Jazz 34-26
7. San Antonio Spurs 34-29
8. Los Angeles Clippers 34-29
9. Sacramento Kings 31-30
10. Los Angeles Lakers 30-31
11. Minnesota Timberwolves 29-32
12. Dallas Mavericks 27-34
13. New Orleans Pelicans 27-36
14. Memphis Grizzlies 24-39
15. Phoenix Suns 12-50 (E)
E-Eliminated from playoffs
Photo Credit: Getty Images