Zavier Lucero registers double-double against former team
Renewed Hotshots win second win in a row
The Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots survived the grit of the import-less NorthPort Batang Pier, 105-94, to register their third win in five outings of the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup last night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Sophomore Zavier Lucero played his best game so far in a Magnolia uniform against his former team that also drafted him. He was then traded to the Hotshots in the off-season in exchange for Jio Jalalon and Abu Tratter.
Lucero lodged 16 points and 12 rebounds to earn the player of the game honors.
Hotshots import Glenn Robinson III registered a game-high 25 points and collected 11 rebounds, while Paul Lee added 20 markers, 11 assists and five boards, to enlist three Magnolia players with double-double performance.
Calvin Abueva and Jerrick Ahanmisi also produced double digit numbers by scoring 10 apiece.
On the opposite end, Cade Flores led NorthPort with his own double-double by producing 23 points and 10 rebounds to fill the void that import Venky Jois and William Navarro left as they sat out of the game due to ankle injuries.
Batang Pier star Arvin Tolentino who just scored 51 games two games prior, was just limited to 11 points on 5-of-14 shooting from the field, though he grabbed 12 rebounds to become the fifth player to have a double-double in the contest.
The scores:
Magnolia 105 – Robinson III 25, Lee 20, Lucero 16, Ahanmisi 10, Abueva 10, Sangalang 8, Barroca 8, Dionisio 5, Balanza 2, Dela Rosa 2, Laput 1, Mendoza 0, Eriobu 0.
NorthPort 94 – Flores 23, Munzon 13, Cuntapay 12, Tolentino 11, Yu 10, Onwubere 7, Jalalon 5, Bulanadi 4, Tratter 4, Nelle 3, Amores 2, Taha 0.
Quarters: 23-22; 46-46; 76-73; 105-94.
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Jimmy Butler and Stephen Curry combined for 75 points to lead the Warriors to victory.
Butler had a game-high 38 points along with seven rebounds, six assists, and three steals. Curry followed with 37 markers, knocking down 6-of-13 from beyond the arc—including two crucial treys in the closing minutes, one near the corner and another after a triple pump fake that thrilled the home crowd. He added eight rebounds, four assists, and one steal.
Gary Payton II and Quentin Post added 12 and 11 points, respectively. Draymond Green dished out a game-high 10 assists while also contributing four points, six rebounds, three steals, and a block before fouling out with 58.6 seconds left in the game.
The Orlando Magic opened the 2024–25 NBA Play-In Tournament with a bang, dismantling the Atlanta Hawks, 120–95, on Wednesday morning, April 16, (Philippine time) at the Kia Center in Orlando.
From the get-go, the Magic set the tone, dominating the first quarter, 32–17. They dropped the second by just a point but still carried a 61–47 lead into halftime.
The Hawks responded in the third canto with a 26–18 run to trim the deficit to just six, 79–73.
Come the fourth and final period, the Magic turned up the heat again, outscoring Atlanta 41–22 to secure the 25-point victory.
Cole Anthony led the charge off the bench with 26 points on 4-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc. He also added three rebounds and five assists.
Wendell Carter Jr. anchored the starting unit with 19 markers, seven boards, and two dimes, while Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner filled up the stat sheets despite their struggles from long range, going a combined 0-of-8 from downtown.
Banchero posted a near triple-double with 17 points, nine rebounds, seven assists, one steal, and one block. Wagner followed with a gritty double-double of 13 markers and 13 boards, along with three dimes, two swipes, and one rejection.
On April 20 (Philippine time), the NBA postseason officially tips off, with 16 teams vying for the coveted 2024–25 NBA Championship.
But before the Playoffs begin, four remaining spots are still up for grabs through the Play-In Tournament.
In the Western Conference, the No. 9 seed Sacramento Kings will take on the No. 10 seed Dallas Mavericks, while the No. 7 seed Golden State Warriors will battle the No. 8 seed Memphis Grizzlies.
The winner of the 9-vs-10 matchup will then face the loser of the 7-vs-8 game for the right to claim the No. 8 seed in the Playoffs, earning a showdown with the No. 1 seed Oklahoma City Thunder.
Meanwhile, the loser of the 9-vs-10 game will be eliminated from contention, while the winner of the 7-vs-8 clash will secure the No. 7 seed and go on to face the No. 2 seed Houston Rockets.
Other first-round matchups in the Western Conference include:
(4) Denver Nuggets vs. (5) LA Clippers
(3) LA Lakers vs. (6) Minnesota Timberwolves
In the Eastern Conference, the Play-In pairings are:
(9) Chicago Bulls vs. (10) Miami Heat
(7) Orlando Magic vs. (8) Atlanta Hawks
The same Play-In format applies: the 9-10 winner plays the 7-8 loser for the final playoff spot. The winner of the 7-8 game becomes the No. 7 seed and will face the No. 2 seed and defending champions, Boston Celtics. The team that claims the No. 8 seed will go up against the top-seeded Cleveland Cavaliers.