By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Alperen Sengun posted a 26-point, 11-rebound double-double, pushing the Houston Rockets to a win, 110-102, against the Dallas Mavericks in Toyota Center. Lasting almost 40 minutes on Monday, he set up a winning distance by making a clutch bucket with 1:30 remaining in the fourth quarter en route to 10/22 field goals, including 10/20 two-pointers. His contributions included six assists and one steal.
“We lost two close games, the first two games. We know now who we need to get the ball to. We are just learning. We have a lot of time. We have a new team. KD came. A lot of things changed. So, we’ve got to figure out some stuff, and it’s going to get easier and easier for us,” the 23-year-old Turkish center talked about bouncing back to a 4-2 record in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season with a fourth straight win.
Coming off the bench for the Rockets, Swiss Clint Capela put in four points, eight rebounds, and two blocks.
Anunoby, Fontecchio, Gobert
British O.G. Anunoby scored 16 points for the New York Knicks in a win, 119-102, over the Washington Wizards in Madison Square Garden. French Guerschon Yabusele lasted nearly 14 minutes but was held to one point. French teammates Mohamed Diawara and Pacome Dadiet did not score, similar to German Ariel Hukporti, and British Tosan Evbuomwan remained inactive. Starting for the visitors, French Alex Sarr tallied 19 points, and Swiss Kyshawn George and French Bilal Coulibaly went for 15 points apiece, with Serbian reserve Tristan Vukcevic at four points.
In Intuit Dome, the Miami Heat edged out the Los Angeles Clippers, 120-119. Italian Simone Fontecchio threw in 11 points off the bench, with Swedish starter Pelle Larsson and Serbian reserve Nikola Jovic reaching seven points apiece, but Lithuanian Kasparas Jakucionis (right groin strain) and Russian Vladislav Goldin remained out. For the hosts, Croatian Ivica Zubac combined nine points with 18 rebounds, but French Nicolas Batum went scoreless in seven minutes, and Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic and Swiss Yanic Konan Niederhauser stayed on the bench.
Besides a triple-double by Julius Randle, Italian Donte DiVincenzo dropped 25 points with a face mask, and French Rudy Gobert posted a 15-point, 12-rebound double-double as the Minnesota Timberwolves topped the Brooklyn Nets, 125-109, in Barclays Center. French Joan Beringer logged three minutes with one rebound. For the team coached by Spanish Jordi Fernandez, Israeli Ben Saraf had five points, and Russian Egor Demin got two points, but Israeli Danny Wolf and French Nolan Traore did not score.
With Ja Morant returning from a one-game team suspension and admitting afterward to lacking his usual joy of basketball, the Memphis Grizzlies lost, 114-106, to the Detroit Pistons in FedExForum. Spanish reserve Santi Aldama went for 15 points for the team coached by Finnish Tuomas Iisalo. On the winning side, Swedish Bobi Klintman did not play.
Monday results
Brooklyn Nets – Minnesota Timberwolves 109-125
Indiana Pacers – Milwaukee Bucks 115-117
Boston Celtics – Utah Jazz 103-105
New York Knicks – Washington Wizards 119-102
Houston Rockets – Dallas Mavericks 110-102
Memphis Grizzlies – Detroit Pistons 106-114
Denver Nuggets – Sacramento Kings 130-124
Portland Trail Blazers – Los Angeles Lakers 115-123
Los Angeles Clippers – Miami Heat 119-120
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Philadelphia 76ers 5-1
2. Chicago Bulls 5-1
3. Milwaukee Bucks 5-2
4. Detroit Pistons 5-2
5. Miami Heat 4-3
6. New York Knicks 4-3
7. Cleveland Cavaliers 4-3
8. Toronto Raptors 3-4
9. Atlanta Hawks 3-4
10. Orlando Magic 3-4
11. Charlotte Hornets 3-4
12. Boston Celtics 3-5
13. Indiana Pacers 1-6
14. Washington Wizards 1-6
15. Brooklyn Nets 0-7
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 7-0
2. San Antonio Spurs 5-1
3. Los Angeles Lakers 6-2
4. Denver Nuggets 4-2
5. Houston Rockets 4-2
6. Minnesota Timberwolves 4-3
7. Portland Trail Blazers 4-3
8. Golden State Warriors 4-3
9. Los Angeles Clippers 3-3
10. Phoenix Suns 3-4
11. Utah Jazz 3-4
12. Memphis Grizzlies 3-5
13. Sacramento Kings 2-5
14. Dallas Mavericks 2-5
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