26 teams were in action – and the stars shone! Luka Doncic, Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid played impressively. LeBron James managed unique. The NBA on Thursday morning.
The Dallas Mavericks continue to be in top form and also won their home game against the Toronto Raptors, thus remaining unbeaten in front of their own fans for the sixth time in a row. The last time the Texans achieved that was in the autumn of 2018. Luka Doncic excelled once again. The Slovenian again put up impressive numbers in the box score with 41 points, 14 rebounds (each a season best) and seven assists, leading his team to a 102-98 win over the Canadians. Maxi Kleber went without a basket in his 25 minutes on court but still played his part in the Mavericks’ 26th win of the season, who are currently fifth in the Western Conference (26-19).
With the Utah Jazz (29-16) losing surprisingly at home to the Houston Rockets 111-116 – Daniel Theis was not used – and the Memphis Grizzlies (31-16) losing 114-126 to the defending champion Milwaukee Bucks (Giannis Antetokounmpo and Ja Morant with 33 points each), the Mavericks narrowed the gap to the two teams immediately in front of them.
10,000th rebound by LeBron James
Lurking just behind them are the Denver Nuggets (23-20), who needed overtime and a beastly MVP in a 130-128 win over the L.A. Clippers (Isaiah Hartenstein: four points, three rebounds, three assists): Nikola Jokic made 49/14/10 for another triple-double, the 66th of his career (7th).
Only eighth in the West are the L.A. Lakers. Although LeBron James continues to be in top form after scoring 30 points and grabbing 12 rebounds – and is now also the only player in league history with more than 30,000 points, more than 10,000 rebounds and more than 9,000 assists as of today – the 104-111 loss at home to the Indiana Pacers is unlikely to be palatable to the 37-year-old perennial powerhouse. The Lakers fell to 22-23.
Embiid’s half-century – Irving makes the most of the away chance
In the Eastern Conference, the Boston Celtics lost to the Charlotte Hornets 102-111. Dennis Schröder hit five of his eight three-point attempts and recorded a total of 24 points, but could not avert defeat as his team’s top scorer. The Celtics (23-23) therefore continue to tread water and have to fear for their participation in the play-offs. At least the defeats of the Raptors and the Washington Wizards, who lost 118-119 to the Brooklyn Nets (28-16) with “away star” Kyrie Irving (30 points), kept the gaps to the teams in eighth and ninth place constant for the Celtics in tenth place.
Meanwhile, the Orlando Magic had no means against a Joel Embiid in top form and with 50 points and lost 110-123 to the Philadelphia 76ers. Franz Wagner had eleven rebounds and nine points, his brother Moritz Wagner had six points and two rebounds.
The Chicago Bulls with DeMar DeRozan (30 points, seven assists), meanwhile, continue to lead the East – the 117:104 against the Cleveland Cavaliers with Bulls ex-colleague Lauri Markkanen (28 points) brought the record of the old champions to 28:15.
