By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
With Spanish Santi Aldama paving the way, the Memphis Grizzlies topped the Portland Trail Blazers, 119-96, in FedExForum. The 24-year-old Spanish forward/center recorded a game-high 22 points with 7/11 field goals, seven rebounds, two steals, and one assist, lasting just over 28 minutes off the bench and helping Finnish head coach Tuomas Iisalo prevail over Tiago Splitter in a clash of the two previous Paris play-callers. Starting for the visitors, Israeli Deni Avdija had 17 points plus seven assists, seven rebounds, three steals, and one block, Belgian Toumani Camara tallied 13 points, six rebounds, three steals, and one rebound, and French Sidy Cissoko finished with six points, four rebounds, and one block, but French reserve Rayan Rupert was limited to one rebound in ten minutes.
Earlier in Madison Square Garden, German Franz Wagner was forced to an early exit due to injury after tallying seven points over seven minutes, and the Orlando Magic lost, 106-100, to the New York Knicks. French Noah Penda and Georgian Goga Bitadze recorded two points apiece, but German Tristan da Silva did not score, and German Moritz Wagner (left knee injury recovery) remained sidelined. For the Knicks, British OG Anunoby chipped in 21 points, with French Guerschon Yabusele and German Ariel Hukporti adding eight and six points, but French Mohamed Diawara and British Tosan Evbuomwan did not get on the board, and French Pacome Dadiet was on assignment with the Westchester Knicks.
Dutch starter Quinten Post put in 19 points behind 7/14 field goals, including five three-pointers, as the Golden State Warriors added to the losing streak of the Chicago Bulls with a 123-91 victory in United Center. “Definitely had some struggles throughout this start of the season, so seeing the ball go in definitely feels good,” the 25-year-old center commented in a postgame press conference. For the hosts, Lithuanian Matas Buzelis had 19 points, Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic stopped at nine points, and French Noa Essengue (left shoulder contusion) was out.
Serbian head coach Darko Rajakovic and the Toronto Raptors fell short against the Boston Celtics with a 121-113 loss in Scotiabank Arena. Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili and Austrian Jakob Poeltl ended up with 14 and 10 points, respectively. Portuguese Neemias Queta produced an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double on the winning side, Spanish Hugo Gonzalez at five points, but Bosnian Luka Garza did not play, and Ukrainian Max Shulga and British Amari Williams were limited to G League action with the Maine Celtics on Sunday.
Up to 23-1 with a 15th straight win in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season, the Oklahoma City Thunder rocked the Utah Jazz, 131-101, in Delta Center. French Ousmane Dieng contributed 14 points, and Belgian Ajay Mitchell added seven points, but German Isaiah Hartenstein (right soleus strain) and Serbian Nikola Topic (testicular cancer treatment) remained sidelined. On the wrong end, Finnish Lauri Markkanen (illness) was ruled out, but fellow European starters, Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic and Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, registered seven and six points.
Sunday results
New York Knicks – Orlando Magic 106-100
Toronto Raptors – Boston Celtics 113-121
Charlotte Hornets – Denver Nuggets 106-115
Memphis Grizzlies – Portland Trail Blazers 119-96
Chicago Bulls – Golden State Warriors 91-123
Philadelphia 76ers – Los Angeles Lakers 108-112
Utah Jazz – Oklahoma City Thunder 101-131
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 19-5
2. New York Knicks 16-7
3. Boston Celtics 15-9
4. Toronto Raptors 15-10
5. Orlando Magic 14-10
6. Miami Heat 14-10
7. Philadelphia 76ers 13-10
8. Cleveland Cavaliers 14-11
9. Atlanta Hawks 14-11
10. Milwaukee Bucks 10-16
11. Chicago Bulls 9-14
12. Charlotte Hornets 7-17
13. Brooklyn Nets 6-17
14. Indiana Pacers 5-18
15. Washington Wizards 3-19
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 23-1
2. Denver Nuggets 17-6
3. Los Angeles Lakers 17-6
4. Houston Rockets 15-6
5. San Antonio Spurs 15-7
6. Minnesota Timberwolves 15-8
7. Phoenix Suns 13-10
8. Golden State Warriors 13-12
9. Memphis Grizzlies 11-13
10. Portland Trail Blazers 9-15
11. Dallas Mavericks 9-16
12. Utah Jazz 8-15
13. Sacramento Kings 6-17
14. Los Angeles Clippers 6-18
15. New Orleans Pelicans 3-21
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins