By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Opening the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season, Franz Wagner shared a team-high 24 points with Paolo Banchero, leading the Orlando Magic to a win, 125-121, against the Miami Heat in Kia Center. The 24-year-old German forward made 9/17 field goals, including two triples, six assists, four rebounds, and two steals.
“Not our best game, probably especially defensively,” admitted Wagner in the postgame press conference, “We got good character as a group, good mentality in practice and stuff like that. I think that showed up, but at the end of the day, we want to play better for the majority of the game. But also understanding that you’re going to be in these situations and that you won’t play perfectly every game. So, it’s good to come out with the W.”
His brother Moritz Wagner (left knee recovery) is on the injury list, with French Noah Penda staying on the bench on Wednesday. In contrast, German Tristan da Silva finished with 16 points and Georgian Goga Bitadze threw in eight more points. Starting for the visitors, Serbian Nikola Jovic went for nine points playing through low back pain, while Italian Simone Fontecchio recorded 13 points and Swedish Pelle Larsson went scoreless over four minutes, but Russian Vladislav Goldin did not play, and Lithuanian Kasparas Jakucionis (right groin strain) was sidelined.
Finnish Lauri Markkanen tallied 20 points, six rebounds, and five assists as the Utah Jazz cruised past the Los Angeles Clippers, 129-108, in Delta Center. Fellow starter, Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, put in nine points, and Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic added eight points off the bench. On the losing end, Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic was dealing with a back injury and did not get on the court, but Croatian Ivica Zubac ended up with 19 points, Swiss Yanic Konan Niederhauser had four points, and French Nicolas Batum registered three points.
In State Farm Arena, the Toronto Raptors, guided by Serbian play-caller Darko Rajakovic, prevailed, 138-118, over the Atlanta Hawks. Austrian Jakob Poeltl contributed 14 points and Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili chipped in seven points. Starting for the Hawks, Latvian Kristaps Porzingis had 20 points, and French Zaccharie Risacher got to 16 points despite a brief exit due to a right ankle sprain, but Czech Vit Krejci did not play, with Serbian Nikola Djurisic and Spanish Eli Ndiaye left off the lineup.
British O.G. Anunoby played through a left ankle sprain to post a 24-point, 14-rebound double-double with the New York Knicks beating the Cleveland Cavaliers, 119-111, in Madison Square Garden. Earning a start in the opener, German Ariel Hukporti tallied two points, five rebounds, two assists, and one block. Guerschon Yabusele had one rebound in 12 minutes, but fellow French imports Pacome Dadiet and Mohamed Diawara stayed on the bench, with British Tosan Evbuomwan out of the lineup.
French reserves of the Charlotte Hornets, Moussa Diabate and Tidjane Salaun threw in 13 and ten points in a 136-117 victory versus the Brooklyn Nets in Spectrum Center. On the wrong end, Russian Egor Demin netted 14 points, Israeli Ben Saraf had eight points, and French Nolan Traore registered three points, but Israeli Danny Wolf was ruled out by the team coached by Spanish Jordi Fernandez due to a left ankle sprain.
Vucevic and Buzelis dominate
In United Center, the Chicago Bulls knocked down the Detroit Pistons, 115-111. Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic posted a 28-point, 14-rebound double-double, alongside two assists and one steal, and Lithuanian Matas Buzelis put in 21 points, six rebounds, three blocks, and one assist. In contrast to fellow European starters, French rookie Noa Essengue did not play for the team coached by Billy Donovan, similar to Swedish Bobi Klintman of the Pistons.
With the Philadelphia 76ers edging out the Boston Celtics, 117-116, in TD Garden, Turkish Adem Bona pulled down three rebounds in 15 minutes. For the C’s, Portuguese starter Neemias Queta had 17 points, but Bosnian Luka Garza left the game after a scary head injury, Spanish Hugo Gonzalez and Ukrainian Max Shulga did not play, and British Amari Williams did not suit up.
Without Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis (right hamstring strain), the Sacramento Kings mishandled a 20-point lead and lost, 120-116, to the Phoenix Suns in Mortgage Matchup Center. German Dennis Schroder started and put up 14 points. Off the bench, French and Croatian Dario Saric did not score.
In FedExForum, the Memphis Grizzlies overpowered the New Orleans Pelicans, 128-122. Spanish Santi Aldama chipped in five points for the team coached by Finnish Tuomas Iisalo. On the losing side, Croatian Karlo Matkovic (low back spasms) was ruled out.
Wednesday results
New York Knicks – Cleveland Cavaliers 119-111
Charlotte Hornets – Brooklyn Nets 136-117
Orlando Magic – Miami Heat 125-121
Atlanta Hawks – Toronto Raptors 118-138
Boston Celtics – Philadelphia 76ers 116-117
Chicago Bulls – Detroit Pistons 115-111
Memphis Grizzlies – New Orleans Pelicans 128-122
Milwaukee Bucks – Washington Wizards 133-120
Utah Jazz – Los Angeles Clippers 129-108
Dallas Mavericks – San Antonio Spurs 92-125
Phoenix Suns – Sacramento Kings 120-116
Portland Trail Blazers – Minnesota Timberwolves 114-118
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Chicago Bulls 1-0
2. Orlando Magic 1-0
3. Philadelphia 76ers 1-0
4. Toronto Raptors 1-0
5. Charlotte Hornets 1-0
6. Milwaukee Bucks 1-0
7. New York Knicks 1-0
8. Boston Celtics 0-1
9. Detroit Pistons 0-1
10. Miami Heat 0-1
11. Cleveland Cavaliers 0-1
12. Washington Wizards 0-1
13. Brooklyn Nets 0-1
14. Atlanta Hawks 0-1
15. Indiana Pacers 0-0
Western Conference
1. San Antonio Spurs 1-0
2. Golden State Warriors 1-0
3. Minnesota Timberwolves 1-0
4. Utah Jazz 1-0
5. Memphis Grizzlies 1-0
6. Phoenix Suns 1-0
7. Oklahoma City Thunder 1-0
8. Houston Rockets 0-1
9. Portland Trail Blazers 0-1
10. Sacramento Kings 0-1
11. New Orleans Pelicans 0-1
12. Los Angeles Lakers 0-1
13. Los Angeles Clippers 0-1
14. Dallas Mavericks 0-1
15. Denver Nuggets 0-0
Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins