Luka Dončić was better than Viktor Wembley in the clash of European NBA masters, and the LA Lakers defeated the San Antonio Spurs with a 21:10 series at the end of the match (118:116).
Although it could all have been in vain after a not-so-smart move by Marcus Smart with 1,2 seconds left. And that was after he hit a free throw and seemed to put an end to the match.
At that moment, Kelly Olynyk scored a two-pointer to cut the Lakers' lead to 118:116, and then the brilliant defender could have thrown the ball anywhere and the game would have been over, but he decided to rush and assist one of his teammates in the Spurs' half. In that attempt, he stepped on the line, so the ball went into the hands of the rivals.
San Antonio then got two free throws for overtime, but Justin Champagni missed the first penalty, and after the second none of his teammates managed to score.
Dončić was the best in the end with 35 points, 13 assists, nine rebounds and five steals, while on the other side, Vembanjama (19 points) watched the dramatic ending from the bench after being sent off for personal fouls - he earned three in the attack.
The Spurs were defeated for the second time in a row after opening the season with five wins.
The night in the NBA was marked by the champions' first defeat after their first eight wins - Portland was better than Oklahoma (121:119), which achieved its triumph after being down 22 points.
The Oregon team was led by Danny Avdia with 26 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists. He was followed by Jrue Holiday with 22 points, Jerami Grant scored 20, while Shaydon Sharp scored 18.
For the Thunder, Shay Gilges-Alexander was the most efficient with 35 points, along with nine rebounds, while Aaron Wiggins added 27 points.
When Nikola Jokić plays, a spectacle is guaranteed - the legend from Sombor led Denver to a 122:112 triumph over Miami.
The Nuggets center reached another triple-double in 37 minutes - 33 points, 16 assists and 15 rebounds. For the winning team, Aaron Gordon added 24 points, Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 18 points, while Jamal Murray had 14 points and eight rebounds.
The most efficient players for the Florida team were Norman Powell with 23 points, Andrew Wiggins with 22 and Jaime Hakes Jr. with 21 points.
Donovan Mitchell had another phenomenal game, scoring 46 points to lead Cleveland to a victory over Philadelphia (132:121), while New York "smashed" Minnesota (137:114).
Results
Indiana – Brooklyn 103:112
Detroit – Millions 114:103
Cleveland - Philadelphia 132:121
New York – Minnesota 137:114
Boston - Washington 136:107
Memphis - Houston 109:124
Dallas – New Orleans 99:101
Denver – Miami 122:112
Sacramento – Golden State 121:116
Portland – Oklahoma 121:119
LA Lakers - San Antonio 118: 116
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