By John Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Nikola Vucevic sat out with a stomach virus, but Evan Fournier poured 14 points and the Orlando Magic beat the Charlotte Hornets, 122-114, at the Spectrum Center. The winning side finished seventh in the East and eliminated the home team from the 2019 NBA Playoffs. The Detroit Pistons completed the postseason field securing the conference’s eight spot after the 115-89 away win against the New York Knicks.
The Denver Nuggets achieved second-seed status in the West after the 99-95 home victory versus the Minnesota Timberwolves. Nikola Jokic paved the way with 29 points. The Houston Rockets dropped to fourth place because the Portland Trail Blazers finished third with the 136-131 win against the Sacramento Kings.
Dennis Schroder and company pushed the Oklahoma City Thunder to the 127-116 road victory over the Milwaukee Bucks and into sixth place of the Western Conference. The German point guard went off for 32 points in the Regular Season finale. The hosts left their leader, Giannis Antetokounmpo, out.
Dirk Nowitzki finished his storied career with a 20-point, 10-rebound double-double, but the Dallas Mavericks lost to the San Antonio Spurs, 105-94. The 40-year-old German got emotional during the hosts’ tribute video. His European teammates including Luka Doncic finished their 2018-19 campaign sidelined.
The Spurs’ win gave them seventh place in the Western Conference and held the Los Angeles Clippers to eighth spot despite the Californians’ 143-137 overtime victory against the Utah Jazz. Ivica Zubac posted a 22-point, 11-rebound double-double and Danilo Gallinari added 13 points for the winning side.
Goran Dragic only played nine minutes and Dwyane Wade concluded his NBA career with a 25-point, 11-rebound, 10-assist triple-double, which didn’t prevent the Miami Heat from losing to the Brooklyn Nets, 113-94. Rodions Kurucs helped his team secure East’s sixth seed by pouring 15 points.
Boban Marjanovic and Furkan Korkmaz both started for the third-seeded Philadelphia 76ers that defeated the Chicago Bulls, 125-109. The European duo put up a total of 26 points. Tyler Dorsey had 18 for the Memphis Grizzlies in the 132-117 home win over the Golden State Warriors.
The Indiana Pacers were already set at Eastern Conference’s fifth place and rested their Europeans Domantas Sabonis and Bojan Bogdanovic. However, they overcame Alex Len’s 20-point, 10-rebound double-double for a 135-134 win versus the Atlanta Hawks on the road.
Results and European action:
| GAME | RESULT | EUROPEAN STATS |
| Atlanta Hawks – Indiana Pacers | 134-135 | Len 20pts, 10reb, 3ast, 3blk – Sabonis DNP, Boj. Bogdanovic OUT |
| Brooklyn Nets – Miami Heat | 113-94 | Kurucs 15pts, 9reb, 1ast, 2stl, Musa G-L – Dragic 2reb, 1stl |
| Charlotte Hornets – Orlando Magic | 114-122 | Batum 2reb, 3ast, Parker DNP, W. Hernangomez DNP – Fournier 14pts, 2reb, 3ast, Vucevic OUT, Mozgov OUT |
| Memphis Grizzlies – Golden State Warriors | 132-117 | Dorsey 18pts, 4reb, 3ast, 1stl, Valanciunas OUT, Noah OUT – Jerebko 8pts, 3reb, 3ast, 1blk |
| Milwaukee Bucks – Oklahoma City Thunder | 116-127 | Ilyasova 4pts, 8reb, P. Gasol OUT, G. Antetokounmpo OUT, Mirotic OUT – Schroder 32pts, 6reb, 5ast |
| New York Knicks – Detroit Pistons | 89-115 | Hezonja 3reb, 4ast, 3stl, Ntilikina OUT – Pachulia 6pts, 5reb, 3ast, Calderon 0pts, Mykhailiuk OUT |
| Philadelphia 76ers – Chicago Bulls | 125-109 | Marjanovic 18pts, 8reb, 6ast, 2blk, Korkmaz 8pts, 2reb, 1ast – Luwawu-Cabarrot 14pts, 4reb, 2ast, Markkanen OUT |
| San Antonio Spurs – Dallas Mavericks | 105-94 | Dav. Bertans 9pts, 3reb, 1ast, Poeltl 4pts, 2reb, 2ast, 1blk, Belinelli 2pts, 2reb, 1ast, Motiejunas 2pts, 1reb – Nowitzki 20pts, 10reb, 1ast, 1stl, Porzingis OUT, K. Antetokounmpo OUT, Kleber OUT, Doncic OUT |
| Denver Nuggets – Minnesota Timberwolves | 99-95 | Jokic 29pts, 14reb, 2ast, 3stl, J. Hernangomez DNP – Saric 11pts, 7reb, 3ast, Deng OUT |
| Los Angeles Clippers – Utah Jazz | 143-137 | Zubac 22pts, 11reb, 2ast, 3blk, Gallinari 13pts, 4reb, 5ast, 1stl – Mitrou-Long 9pts, 4reb, 9ast, 1stl, 1blk, Sefolosha 7pts, 6reb, 3ast, 2stl, Rubio OUT, Gobert OUT |
| Portland Trail Blazers – Sacramento Kings | 136-131 | Kanter DNP, Nurkic OUT – Bogd. Bogdanovic 15pts, 1reb, 1ast, Bjelica 10pts, 1ast, Koufos OUT |
Standings:
Eastern Conference
1. Milwaukee Bucks 60-22
2. Toronto Raptors 58-24
3. Philadelphia 76ers 51-31
4. Boston Celtics 49-33
5. Indiana Pacers 48-34
6. Brooklyn Nets 42-40
7. Orlando Magic 42-40
8. Detroit Pistons 41-41
9. Charlotte Hornets 39-43
10. Miami Heat 39-43
11. Washington Wizards 32-50
12. Atlanta Hawks 29-53
13. Chicago Bulls 22-60
14. Cleveland Cavaliers 19-63
15. New York Knicks 17-65
Western Conference
1. Golden State Warriors 57-25
2. Denver Nuggets 54-28
3. Portland Trail Blazers 53-29
4. Houston Rockets 53-29
5. Utah Jazz 50-31
6. Oklahoma City Thunder 49-33
7. San Antonio Spurs 48-34
8. Los Angeles Clippers 47-34
9. Sacramento Kings 39-43
10. Los Angeles Lakers 37-45
11. Minnesota Timberwolves 36-46
12. Memphis Grizzlies 33-49
13. New Orleans Pelicans 33-49
14. Dallas Mavericks 33-49
15. Phoenix Suns 19-63