By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
German Franz Wagner registered a game-high 24 points behind 8/14 from the field, leading the Orlando Magic to a win, 132-125, over the New Orleans Pelicans in Kia Center.
With his side wrapping up the NBA Preseason 2025 schedule on Thursday, the 24-year-old combo forward added three assists and two steals over 25 minutes. More European action for the Magic extended to three reserves, with German Tristan da Silva putting up seven points, Georgian Goga Bitadze adding six points, and French Noah Penda at one point, but German Moritz Wagner remained sidelined.
On the wrong end, Croatian Karlo Matkovic stayed on the bench for the preseason finale.
French Zaccharie Risacher scored 24 points and Latvian Kristaps Porzingis produced a 23-point, 13-rebound double-double for the Atlanta Hawks in a loss, 133-115, to the Houston Rockets in State Farm Arena. Czech Vit Krejci had three points, but Spanish Eli Ndiaye and Serbian did not play in the last exhibition before the 2025-26 Regular Season. Turkish Alperen Sengun and Swiss Clint Capela were rested by the Rockets.
Finnish Lauri Markkanen and Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk put up 15 points each, helping the Utah Jazz edge out the Portland Trail Blazers, 132-129, in Delta Center. Off the bench, Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic chipped in 12 more points. On the losing side, Israeli Deni Avdija scored eight points before exiting due to upper back stiffness. French teammates Sidy Cissoko and Rayan Rupert had seven and three points, but Belgian Toumani Camara remained out.
French Alex Sarr closed the preseason with ten points and nine rebounds, but the Washington Wizards fell, 119-98, to the Detroit Pistons in Little Caesars Arena. Fellow starter, Swiss Kyshawn George shared a game-high 20 points, and Serbian Tristan Vukcevic tallied seven points, but French Bilal Coulibaly did not play. For the hosts, Swedish Bobi Klintman had two points.
Lithuanian Matas Buzelis dropped 19 points and Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic threw in a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double as the Chicago Bulls topped the Minnesota Timberwolves, 126-120, in United Center. French Noa Essengue added two points. For the visitors, French Rudy Gobert put up 12 points, Italian Donte DiVincenzo finished with nine points, and French Joan Beringer went for four points.