By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Anthony Edwards put up 44 points, including a game-tying bucket to force overtime, and the Minnesota Timberwolves outlasted the New Orleans Pelicans, 149-142, in Smoothie King Center on Tuesday.
Similar to his teammate, French Rudy Gobert netted a new personal best in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season with 26 points, including eight behind 4/4 two-pointers in the extra five minutes. Thirteen rebounds shaped a double-double to go with two assists, one block, and one steal in 38:03.
“It’s about us. It’s just our mindset. It’s not about us not being able to guard. We have great defenders on this team. Just having the mindset to come out, to compete with ourselves, and not look at the team record. All that stuff doesn’t matter. In the NBA, everybody is talented. Almost every guy can give you 30 on a given night, if you let them get confident,” the 33-year-old center said on team defense.
“If we do that, we get rewarded. We are still going to make mistakes. That’s part of the game. But that’s who we have to be. That’s a championship mindset that we need to have,” the four-time Defensive Player of the Year continued in a postgame media session.
Fellow starter, Italian Donte DiVincenzo, tallied 15 points, but French Joan Beringer did not get on the court. For the hosts, Croatian Karlo Matkovic (right calf strain) remained sidelined.
Avdija falls in Toronto
Overcoming a near triple-double by Deni Avdija, the Toronto Raptors held on to beat the Portland Trail Blazers, 121-118, in Scotiabank Arena. The Israeli forward finished with 25 points, 14 assists, and eight rebounds, with Belgian Toumani Camara connecting six triples en route to 21 points, and fellow starter, French Sidy Cissoko, at three points, but French reserve Rayan Rupert was limited to five quiet minutes. For the team coached by Serbian Darko Rajakovic, Austrian Jakob Poeltl chipped in 11 points, and Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili added six.
Behind Jaylen Brown’s 42 points, the Boston Celtics defeated the New York Knicks, 123-117, in TD Garden. Portuguese Neemias Queta returned from left ankle sprain injury management with eight points, and Spanish Hugo Gonzalez added four points, but British Amari Williams was held to six seconds, Bosnian Luka Garza stayed on the bench, and Ukrainian Max Shulga did not suit up.
For the team coached by Mike Brown, French Guerschon Yabusele had one point in just under eight minutes. French Mohamed Diawara played only seven seconds, French Pacome Dadiet and German Ariel Hukporti did not check in, British Tosan Evbuomwan was left out of the lineup, and British O.G. Anunoby (left hamstring strain) stayed on the injury list.
Thunder survive
Without injured Stephen Curry and with Jimmy Butler III leaving due to a sore left knee, the Golden State Warriors stormed back from a 22-point deficit, but the Oklahoma City Thunder recovered for a 124-112 victory in Chase Center. Belgian Ajay Mitchell started and went for ten points, but French Ousmane Dieng did not play, with German Isaiah Hartenstein (right soleus strain) and Serbian Nikola Topic (testicular cancer treatment) unavailable. On the wrong end, Dutch Quinten Post registered three points off the bench.
Turkish Adem Bona put in four points for the Philadelphia 76ers in a win, 121-102, against the Washington Wizards in Xfinity Mobile Arena. On the losing end, Serbian Tristan Vukcevic tallied 16 points off the bench, with French starter Bilal Coulibaly at two points. Fellow French import, Alex Sarr (right adductor soreness), remained out.
Improving to 6-2 without French Victor Wembanyama (left calf strain) in recent games, the San Antonio Spurs overpowered the Memphis Grizzlies, 126-119, in Frost Bank Center. Polish reserve Jeremy Sochan threw in 11 points. On the team coached by Finnish Tuomas Iisalo, Spanish Santi Aldama had four points.
Tuesday results
Philadelphia 76ers – Washington Wizards 121-102
Toronto Raptors – Portland Trail Blazers 121-118
Boston Celtics – New York Knicks 123-117
New Orleans Pelicans – Minnesota Timberwolves 142-149 OT (129-129)
San Antonio Spurs – Memphis Grizzlies 126-119
Golden State Warriors – Oklahoma City Thunder 112-124
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 17-4
2. Toronto Raptors 15-7
3. Miami Heat 14-7
4. New York Knicks 13-7
5. Orlando Magic 13-8
6. Cleveland Cavaliers 13-9
7. Atlanta Hawks 13-9
8. Boston Celtics 12-9
9. Philadelphia 76ers 11-9
10. Chicago Bulls 9-11
11. Milwaukee Bucks 9-13
12. Charlotte Hornets 6-15
13. Brooklyn Nets 4-16
14. Indiana Pacers 4-17
15. Washington Wizards 3-17
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 21-1
2. Los Angeles Lakers 15-5
3. Houston Rockets 13-5
4. Denver Nuggets 14-6
5. San Antonio Spurs 14-6
6. Minnesota Timberwolves 13-8
7. Phoenix Suns 13-9
8. Golden State Warriors 11-11
9. Memphis Grizzlies 9-13
10. Portland Trail Blazers 8-13
11. Utah Jazz 7-13
12. Dallas Mavericks 7-15
13. Los Angeles Clippers 5-16
14. Sacramento Kings 5-16
15. New Orleans Pelicans 3-19
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins