By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Victor Wembanyama combined an 18-point, 18-rebound double-double with three blocks, three assists, and one steal over 32:27, pushing the San Antonio Spurs to a win, 126-119, over the New Orleans Pelicans in Frost Bank Center.
Making his first appearance in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season, De’Aaron Fox scored 24 points. Logging 20 minutes off the bench, Polish Jeremy Sochan chipped in ten points, three assists, three rebounds, two blocks, and one steal. On the losing side, Croatian Karlo Matkovic paired four points with five rebounds.
Another Croatian center in Intuit Dome, Ivica Zubac, posted a 21-point, 15-rebound double-double for the Los Angeles Clippers in a loss, 114-103, opposite the Phoenix Suns. French reserve Nicolas Batum went for nine points, but Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic did not leave the bench, and Swiss Yanic Konan Niederhauser sat out.
French Alex Sarr put up 17 points, and Swiss Kyshawn George returned from a one-game absence due to illness, but the Washington Wizards fell, 111-105, to the Dallas Mavericks in Capital One Arena. Serbian Tristan Vukcevic stayed on the bench, and French Bilal Coulibaly (lower left leg tightness) remained sidelined.
The Chicago Bulls went up by 19 points but lost, 128-122, against the Cleveland Cavaliers in Rocket Arena. Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic and Lithuanian Matas Buzelis were held to nine and four points, and French Noa Essengue did not play.
Saturday results
Washington Wizards – Dallas Mavericks 105-111
Philadelphia 76ers – Toronto Raptors 130-120
Atlanta Hawks – Los Angeles Lakers 122-102
Cleveland Cavaliers – Chicago Bulls 128-122
Miami Heat – Portland Trail Blazers 136-131
San Antonio Spurs – New Orleans Pelicans 126-119
Denver Nuggets – Indiana Pacers 117-100
Los Angeles Clippers – Phoenix Suns 103-114
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 7-2
2. Cleveland Cavaliers 7-3
3. Philadelphia 76ers 6-3
4. Milwaukee Bucks 6-3
5. Chicago Bulls 6-3
6. New York Knicks 5-3
7. Miami Heat 6-4
8. Toronto Raptors 5-5
9. Atlanta Hawks 5-5
10. Orlando Magic 4-5
11. Boston Celtics 4-6
12. Charlotte Hornets 3-6
13. Brooklyn Nets 1-8
14. Indiana Pacers 1-8
15. Washington Wizards 1-9
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 9-1
2. San Antonio Spurs 7-2
3. Denver Nuggets 7-2
4. Los Angeles Lakers 7-3
5. Houston Rockets 5-3
6. Minnesota Timberwolves 5-4
7. Portland Trail Blazers 5-4
8. Golden State Warriors 5-5
9. Phoenix Suns 5-5
10. Memphis Grizzlies 4-6
11. Utah Jazz 3-6
12. Los Angeles Clippers 3-6
13. Utah Jazz 3-6
14. Dallas Mavericks 3-7
15. New Orleans Pelicans 2-7
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins