Dallas (USA), May 12 (EFE) .- Slovenian point guard Luka Doncic contributed 33 points and eight rebounds with eight assists this Wednesday for the Dallas Mavericks’ easy victory 125-107 over the New Orleans Pelicans.
The victory brought the Mavericks closer to a direct playoff spot in the Western Conference, while the loss eliminated the Pelicans from being in the entry tournament and saying goodbye to the playoffs.
In addition to Doncic, Latvian center Kristaps Porzingis, who returned recovered from knee problems that had prevented him from playing previous games, added 19 points.
The Mavericks (41-29) can clinch at least sixth place in the Western Conference with a win in either of their two remaining regular-season road games against a pair of teams eliminated from the playoffs against the Toronto Raptors and Minnesota Timberwolves. .
Dallas also avoided the play-in tournament with a loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
The Pelicans were eliminated from the postseason while playing without four starters.
Point guard Lonzo Ball was scratched with a sprained right thumb, joining forward Zion Williamson (broken left hand), power forward Brandon Ingram (sprained left ankle) and New Zealand center Steven Adams (sprained toe) on the ball. lateral line.
Point guard Eric Bledsoe and center Jaxson Hayes each scored 15 points as leaders for the Pelicans, whose hopes were hit hard last week when the club announced that Williamson was out indefinitely. Williamson and Ingram have averaged a combined 51 points per game.
The Spanish center Willy Hernangómez, who has gone from less to more in the season, as he received more minutes, was once again the best of the Pelicans in the inside game by achieving a double-double of 12 points and 10 rebounds in the 26 minutes played.
The eldest of the Hernangómez brothers scored 3 of 5 shots from the field and 6 of 8 from the personnel line, in addition to distributing three assists, he recovered a ball, lost another and committed two personal fouls.
The elimination of the Pelicans and the Timberwolves from the playoffs left Spanish basketball with just two players who will be in the playoff competition, such as the Spanish Congolese center Serge Ibaka (Los Angeles Clippers) and the center Marc Gasol ( Los Angeles Lakers.
The point guard Ricky Rubio and power forward Juancho Hernangómez, who play for the Timberwolves, have also already been eliminated from the ” playoffs.
(c) EFE Agency