By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Overcoming Stephen Curry with key plays down the stretch, the Portland Trail Blazers defeated the Golden State Warriors, 136-131, in Moda Center on Sunday. In his second showing after returning from injury, the 37-year-old guard dropped 48 points behind 16/26 from the field, including 12/19 triples, but did not enjoy a win, similar to a home loss opposite the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.
Israeli Deni Avdija put in 26 points on 6/16 field goals, eight assists, seven rebounds, and one steal for the Blazers. Fellow starter, Belgian Toumani Camara, finished with seven points, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals. French reserves ranged from Sidy Cissoko at six points, three rebounds, one steal, and one assist, to Rayan Rupert falling shy of generating a stat. Starting for the team coached by Steve Kerr, Dutch Quinten Post tallied 11 points, four assists, one steal, and one rebound, but fellow Dutch import Malevy Leons was with the G League’s Santa Cruz Warriors.
In a second consecutive team outing in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season without injured Anthony Edwards, the Minnesota Timberwolves overpowered the Sacramento Kings, 117-103, in Target Center. Italian Donte DiVincenzo went for 18 points, six assists, six rebounds, four steals, and two blocks. Fellow starter, French Rudy Gobert threw in seven points, 12 rebounds, three assists, and one block, before leaving the game due to personal reasons. On the inactive list, French teammate Joan Beringer was assigned to the Iowa Wolves.
Additional French action in the starting lineup of the visitors with Maxime Raynaud at eight points, six rebounds, and one block. Returning from a hip injury, German Dennis Schroder shared a team-high 17 points to go with three assists and one rebound. In contrast, Croatian Dario Saric remained out of the rotation, and Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis (left knee partial meniscus tear) was on the injury list.
With Latvian Kristaps Porzingis (illness) out, alongside College Park Skyhawks assignments in Serbian Nikola Djurisic and Spanish Eli Ndiaye, Czech Vit Krejci tucked in 19 points off the bench, and French starter Zaccharie Risacher added 15 points for the Atlanta Hawks in a win, 120-117, against the Philadelphia 76ers in State Farm Arena. For the Sixers, Turkish Adem Bona did not play.
In United Center, Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic and Lithuanian Matas Buzelis registered 12 and nine points, respectively, for the Chicago Bulls in a loss, 114-104, to the New Orleans Pelicans. French teammate Noa Essengue (left shoulder surgery) is out for the rest of the season. On the winning side, Croatian Karlo Matkovic put up four points.
The Charlotte Hornets shut out the Cleveland Cavaliers in overtime to prevail, 119-111, in Rocket Arena. Playing through left hip soreness, Tidjane Salaun put up six points, and Moussa Diabate added five more points in the French total.
Fellow French imports, Bilal Coulibaly (right oblique strain) and Alex Sarr (right adductor strain), remained out for the Washington Wizards, but Serbian Tristan Vukcevic had six points in a 108-89 victory versus the Indiana Pacers in Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Sunday results
Indiana Pacers – Washington Wizards 89-108
Cleveland Cavaliers – Charlotte Hornets 111-119 OT (111-111)
Atlanta Hawks – Philadelphia 76ers 120-117
Brooklyn Nets – Milwaukee Bucks 127-82
Minnesota Timberwolves – Sacramento Kings 117-103
Chicago Bulls – New Orleans Pelicans 104-114
Phoenix Suns – Los Angeles Lakers 114-116
Portland Trail Blazers – Golden State Warriors 136-131
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 20-5
2. New York Knicks 18-7
3. Boston Celtics 15-10
4. Orlando Magic 15-11
5. Toronto Raptors 15-11
6. Miami Heat 14-11
7. Philadelphia 76ers 14-11
8. Cleveland Cavaliers 15-12
9. Atlanta Hawks 15-12
10. Milwaukee Bucks 11-16
11. Chicago Bulls 10-15
12. Charlotte Hornets 8-18
13. Brooklyn Nets 7-18
14. Indiana Pacers 6-20
15. Washington Wizards 4-20
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 24-2
2. Denver Nuggets 18-6
3. Houston Rockets 16-6
4. San Antonio Spurs 18-7
5. Los Angeles Lakers 18-7
6. Minnesota Timberwolves 17-9
7. Phoenix Suns 14-12
8. Golden State Warriors 13-14
9. Memphis Grizzlies 11-14
10. Portland Trail Blazers 10-16
11. Dallas Mavericks 10-16
12. Utah Jazz 9-15
13. Los Angeles Clippers 6-19
14. Sacramento Kings 6-20
15. New Orleans Pelicans 5-22
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins