Headline: Vit Krejci Stands by Bogdan Bogdanovic During Shooting Slump: “I’m Confident He’ll Bounce Back”

The Detroit Pistons maintained a strong grip on the game, securing a 114-104 win against the Atlanta Hawks at State Farm Arena. Italian player Simone Fontecchio contributed 13 points, two rebounds, and two assists, shooting 4 for 8 from the field, including three three-pointers in 16 minutes of play. Meanwhile, Swedish teammate Bobi Klintman was on assignment in the G League.

Recently seeing diminished playing time in the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season, Swiss player Clint Capela achieved a notable double-double with 16 points and 10 rebounds, complemented by two blocks and one steal in 21 minutes of action on Wednesday. Czech starter Vit Krejci played for 22 minutes, scoring nine points, along with three assists and one rebound. Serbian guard Bogdan Bogdanovic, struggling with his shooting, failed to make a basket in nine attempts and finished with two points, three rebounds, one steal, and one assist over 19 minutes.

Krejci voiced his faith in Bogdanovic, recounting, “When I was dealing with a shooting slump at the end of last season, Bogi and I worked closely together. He really helped me build my confidence. I have no doubt he will keep shooting because he trusts his ability. I’m completely convinced he will bounce back just like I did. I’m not worried about him.”

He further added, “Having an experienced player like him on our squad is invaluable. He has faced similar challenges and knows how to keep calm. That’s the advice he shared with me, and I believe he’s applying it to himself now.”

On the injury front, French player Zaccharie Risacher remains on the injured list and is anticipated to be sidelined for at least another week due to a left adductor strain.

Meanwhile, Lauri Markkanen from Finland made a successful return to the court after recovering from low back spasms, contributing 17 points, six assists, and one block to the Utah Jazz, although they fell to the Oklahoma City Thunder 123-114 at Paycom Center. Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk finished with six points and one rebound. Leading the charge for the Thunder was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who achieved a career-high 54 points. The absence of German Isaiah Hartenstein (suffering from a left soleus strain), Belgian Ajay Mitchell (recovering from right great toe surgery), and Serbian Nikola Topic (who underwent left knee surgery) limited the European representation, with French player Ousmane Dieng contributing one rebound in nine minutes.

At the American Airlines Center, the Minnesota Timberwolves edged out the Dallas Mavericks in a nail-biting 115-114 finish. French player Rudy Gobert added 14 points, six rebounds, three blocks, and two assists to the win. In contrast, without Slovenian star Luka Doncic (left calf strain), Kyrie Irving scored 36 points while German Maxi Kleber provided ten points, two rebounds, one steal, and one assist.

Coached by Spaniard Jordi Fernandez, the Brooklyn Nets suffered a lopsided defeat against the Phoenix Suns, losing 108-84 at Barclays Center. British player Tosan Evbuomwan was the only European contributor, finishing with six points on a challenging 2-for-15 shooting night, in addition to three rebounds, two steals, and two assists.

Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis had a remarkable performance for the Sacramento Kings, registering a double-double of 26 points and 18 rebounds, along with three assists, in a comeback victory against the Golden State Warriors, 123-117, at Golden 1 Center. Ukrainian Alex Len contributed with one rebound and one assist. German Dennis Schroder, coming off the bench for the Warriors, scored seven points, dished out five assists, and grabbed three rebounds, while Dutch player Quinten Post added five points, six rebounds, one block, and one assist.

In a thrilling finish at Toyota Center, Alperen Sengun captured the win for the Houston Rockets over the Cleveland Cavaliers, 109-108, making two clutch free throws with 4.5 seconds remaining, while Darius Garland missed two of his follow-up free throws. The 22-year-old Turkish center logged 29 minutes of play, culminating in 18 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and one block on 7 of 13 shooting.

The Los Angeles Clippers were without Croatian Ivica Zubac (left eye corneal abrasion) and French Nicolas Batum (right finger soreness) as they fell to the Boston Celtics in overtime, 117-113, at Intuit Dome. Latvian Kristaps Porzingis missed the game due to an illness, while Portuguese Neemias Queta saw just 50 seconds of action.

The Memphis Grizzlies triumphed over the Charlotte Hornets, winning 132-120, though Spanish player Santi Aldama exited due to illness after contributing two points, five rebounds, one block, one steal, and one assist in 18 minutes. The Hornets featured French player Moussa Diabate for 15 minutes and Serbian Vasilije Micic for 18 minutes, while French Tidjane Salaun was assigned to the G League. Diabate achieved three points, two blocks, and two rebounds, while Micic had two assists, two rebounds, and one steal.

Lastly, the matchup between the Milwaukee Bucks and New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center was postponed due to severe weather conditions affecting the New Orleans area, with a new date yet to be announced.

Game results:

– Atlanta Hawks 104 – 114 Detroit Pistons
– Brooklyn Nets 84 – 108 Phoenix Suns
– Dallas Mavericks 114 – 115 Minnesota Timberwolves
– Houston Rockets 109 – 108 Cleveland Cavaliers
– Memphis Grizzlies 132 – 120 Charlotte Hornets
– New Orleans Pelicans vs Milwaukee Bucks – Postponed
– Oklahoma City Thunder 123 – 114 Utah Jazz
– Sacramento Kings 123 – 117 Golden State Warriors
– Los Angeles Clippers 113 – 117 Boston Celtics (OT: 103-103)

Standings:

**Eastern Conference**
1. Cleveland Cavaliers 36-7
2. Boston Celtics 31-13
3. New York Knicks 29-16
4. Milwaukee Bucks 24-17
5. Indiana Pacers 24-17
6. Detroit Pistons 23-21
7. Atlanta Hawks 22-21
8. Orlando Magic 23-22
9. Miami Heat 21-21
10. Chicago Bulls 19-25
11. Philadelphia 76ers 15-27
12. Brooklyn Nets 14-31
13. Charlotte Hornets 11-29
14. Toronto Raptors 11-32
15. Washington Wizards 6-36

**Western Conference**
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 36-7
2. Houston Rockets 29-14
3. Memphis Grizzlies 29-15
4. Denver Nuggets 27-16
5. Los Angeles Lakers 23-18
6. Los Angeles Clippers 24-19
7. Sacramento Kings 23-20
8. Minnesota Timberwolves 23-21
9. Dallas Mavericks 23-21
10. Phoenix Suns 22-21
11. Golden State Warriors 21-22
12. San Antonio Spurs 19-22
13. Portland Trail Blazers 15-28
14. New Orleans Pelicans 12-32
15. Utah Jazz 10-32

*The top six teams from each conference secure playoff spots, while teams ranked seven through ten compete in the Play-Ins.*

Stay updated with the latest news!