By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Connecting 20 three-pointers, the New York Knicks secured a win, 128-116, against the Chicago Bulls in Madison Square Garden on Sunday.
British O.G. Anunoby tucked in three triples and ended up with 21 points, trailing only Jalen Brunson’s 31 points. However, French Guerschon Yabusele and Pacome Dadiet did not score in brief showings, and German Ariel Hukporti did not leave the bench. On the first Bulls loss in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season, Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic posted a 17-point, 14-rebound double-double, and Lithuanian Matas Buzelis tallied 14 points, but French Noa Essengue was on assignment with the Windy City Bulls.
A 17-point, 12-rebound double-double by French Moussa Diabate featured in a 126-103 victory for the Charlotte Hornets opposite the Utah Jazz in Spectrum Center. Fellow French import Tidjane Salaun was limited to three fruitless minutes. For the visitors, Finnish Lauri Markkanen shared a game-high 29 points, but fellow starters, Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic and Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, stopped at three points.
In Rocket Arena, Latvian Kristaps Porzingis posted a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double, but the Cleveland Cavaliers rocked the Atlanta Hawks, 117-109. French Zaccharie Risacher went for eight points, and Czech Vit Krejci had three points, but Serbian Nikola Djurisic and Spanish Eli Ndiaye were inactive.
Sunday results
Oklahoma City Thunder – New Orleans Pelicans 137-106
Brooklyn Nets – Philadelphia 76ers 105-129
Charlotte Hornets – Utah Jazz 126-103
Cleveland Cavaliers – Atlanta Hawks 117-109
Toronto Raptors – Memphis Grizzlies 117-104
New York Knicks – Chicago Bulls 128-116
Phoenix Suns – San Antonio Spurs 130-118
Los Angeles Lakers – Miami Heat 130-120
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Philadelphia 76ers 5-1
2. Chicago Bulls 5-1
3. Milwaukee Bucks 4-2
4. Detroit Pistons 4-2
5. Cleveland Cavaliers 4-3
6. Miami Heat 3-3
7. New York Knicks 3-3
8. Toronto Raptors 3-4
9. Atlanta Hawks 3-4
10. Orlando Magic 3-4
11. Charlotte Hornets 3-4
12. Boston Celtics 3-4
13. Indiana Pacers 1-5
14. Washington Wizards 1-5
15. Brooklyn Nets 0-6
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 7-0
2. San Antonio Spurs 5-1
3. Los Angeles Lakers 5-2
4. Portland Trail Blazers 4-2
5. Los Angeles Clippers 3-2
6. Denver Nuggets 3-2
7. Houston Rockets 3-2
8. Golden State Warriors 4-3
9. Minnesota Timberwolves 3-3
10. Memphis Grizzlies 3-4
11. Phoenix Suns 3-4
12. Sacramento Kings 2-4
13. Utah Jazz 2-4
14. Dallas Mavericks 2-4
15. New Orleans Pelicans 0-6
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins