Sabonis starts 2020 with a bang

By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net

Domantas Sabonis scored 11 of his 23 points in the third quarter and finished with 10 rebounds and five assists to push the Pacers over the Philadelphia 76ers 115-97 Tuesday.

“We know in this league it doesn’t matter how many points you’re up,” Sabonis said. “Teams come back and win.”

The 76ers couldn’t overcome a 36-point deficit, especially without injured center Joel Embiid. The two-time All-Star, who leads the team 23.7 points and 12.4 rebounds per game, was out with a sore left knee.

Italian Danilo Gallinari and German Dennis Schroder each scored 20 points, Chris Paul hit the go-ahead basket with 40 seconds left and the Thunder rallied from a seven-point deficit in the final three minutes to beat the Dallas Mavericks 106-101.

Slovenian star Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 35 points, 10 rebounds, and seven assists, but he and German Maxi Kleber each missed a potential tying 3-point attempt in the final seconds.

Spaniard Serge Ibaka had 20 points and 10 rebounds as the Raptors recorded their fifth straight home win over the Cavaliers (117-97). Turk forward Cedi Osman with 14 points couldn’t change the fate of the Cavs.

Turkish center Enes Kanter had 13 points, 13 rebounds and a career-high six blocked shots for Boston in the 109-92 win over the Hornets.

James Harden scored 35 points after missing the last game with an injury to lead the Rockets to a 130-104 victory over the Denver Nuggets. Serb Nikola Jokic scored 21 points for the Nuggets, who had a two-game winning streak snapped, while Swiss big man Clint Capela had a double-double (16 p. 10 r.) for the winning side.

DeMar DeRozan had 24 points and the San Antonio Spurs escaped with a 117-113 overtime victory over the short-handed Golden State Warriors. Paul George had 21 points with season highs of 11 rebounds and nine assists to shake off a slow start, and short-handed Los Angeles thumped the Sacramento Kings 105-87 on Tuesday.