By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After blowing an 18-point advantage in the fourth quarter and a late six-point cushion in overtime, the Portland Trail Blazers edged out the Sacramento Kings, 134-133, behind two free throws by Deni Avdija with 1.5 seconds left in the extra period. The 24-year-old Israeli forward recorded a game-high 35 points on 12/19 field goals, alongside five assists, five rebounds, and one steal over 42:13. “I don’t know. I’m out of words right now. I’m just glad we got the win. That wasn’t pretty, but sometimes you have to win ugly. And that’s part of the game, part of basketball. I’m proud of the guys. I know we could have been like all sad and upset after the overtime, but we kept playing, we moved the ball, and got the win,” he reacted to the tight finish with a controversial foul leading to the deciding free throws in a postgame interview.
Fellow starter, Belgian Toumani Camara lasted 34:37, adding 17 points, eight rebounds, and five assists, with French reserves, Sidy Cissoko and Rayan Rupert between three points in 28:35 and a scoreless showing over 1:40. On the wrong end of the nail-biter in Moda Center, French starter Maxime Raynaud set new individual NBA highs with a 29-point, 11-rebound double-double, alongside two steals and two assists in 36:52. German reserve Dennis Schroder was initially listed as questionable with a right ankle sprain, but he logged 22:20 with six points, six assists, and two rebounds. Back on the court after nearly one month out of the rotation, Croatian Dario Saric logged one rebound over 10:12. Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis (left knee partial meniscus tear) stayed on the injury list for the team coached by Doug Christie.
Playing 17:18 under minutes restriction, Victor Wembanyama delivered 15 points, eight rebounds, four blocks, and four assists as the San Antonio Spurs took down the Washington Wizards, 119-94, in Frost Bank Center. Also off the bench, Polish Jeremy Sochan added two rebounds, one block, one steal, and one assist. Returning from injuries directly in the starting lineup of the Wizards, French Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly ranged from 18 points combined with four rebounds, three rebounds, and one block, to three points, four rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Limited to just under five minutes, Serbian reserve Tristan Vukcevic squeezed in six points and two rebounds.
Sengun drops 28
With Alperen Sengun missing a winning opportunity at the end of the fourth quarter, the Houston Rockets fell to the New Orleans Pelicans, 133-128, in overtime. The 23-year-old Turkish center ended up with 28 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists, two blocks, and two steals over 35:42, with his side mishandling a 25-point lead in Smoothie King Center to fall to 16-8 in the 2025-26 Regular Season. Swiss teammate, Clint Capela, logged 6:40 with three points and three rebounds. Croatian Karlo Matkovic lasted 11:07 for the Pels, chipping in three points, two rebounds, one block, and one assist.
Initially listed as questionable to play on Thursday due to a left knee contusion, OG Anunoby was cleared and made a win-clinching steal as the New York Knicks escaped, 114-113, from the Indiana Pacers in Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Lasting nearly 34 minutes, the 28-year-old British forward finished with 16 points, six rebounds, two steals, and one assist. Fellow European starters, German Ariel Hukporti and French Mohamed Diawara, tallied five and four points, respectively. French reserves, Guerschon Yabusele and Pacome Dadiet, went from three points to a scoreless showing, with British Tosan Evbuomwan staying on the bench.
Lithuanian Kasparas Jakucionis overcame left ankle soreness with his first NBA points, an early three-pointer, and the Miami Heat prevailed, 106-95, over the Brooklyn Nets in Barclays Center. Italian Simone Fontecchio threw in seven points. Russian Vladislav Goldin did not play, with Serbian Nikola Jovic (right elbow contusion/laceration) and Swedish Pelle Larsson (left ankle sprain) on the injury list. For the team coached by Spanish Jordi Fernandez, Russian Egor Demin tallied 14 points, and Israeli Danny Wolf got nine points, but French Nolan Traore and Israeli Ben Saraf were with the Long Island Nets.
Belgian Ajay Mitchell chipped in 16 points, helping the Oklahoma City Thunder bounce back from a rare loss with a 122-101 victory versus the Los Angeles Clippers in Paycom Center. French Ousmane Dieng did not check in, with German Isaiah Hartenstein (right soleus injury management) and Serbian Nikola Topic (testicular cancer treatment) out. Swiss Yanic Konan Niederhauser (left knee soreness) was sidelined by the Clippers, but Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic and Croatian Ivica Zubac were in Tyronn Lue’s starting lineup, tallying 14 points and an 11-point, 11-rebound double-double.
Overcoming 43 points by Jalen Johnson and Trae Young’s return, the Charlotte Hornets beat the Atlanta Hawks, 133-126, in Spectrum Center. Off the bench, French Tidjane Salaun and Moussa Diabate contributed ten and five points. A French starter for the visitors, Zaccharie Risacher, had five points, with Czech Vit Krejci reaching five points from a reserve role. Latvian Kristaps Porzingis (illness) remained sidelined, along with Serbian Nikola Djurisic and Spanish Eli Ndiaye, who are on G League assignments with the College Park Skyhawks.
Overtime action in American Airlines Center saw the Dallas Mavericks edge out the Detroit Pistons, 116-114. Swedish Bobi Klintman was assigned to the affiliate Motor City Cruise by the Eastern Conference leaders.
In Mortgage Matchup Center, the Phoenix Suns defeated the Golden State Warriors, 99-98. Dutch starter Quinten Post produced nine points, but fellow Dutch import Malevy Leons was inactive.
Thursday results
Charlotte Hornets – Atlanta Hawks 133-126
Indiana Pacers – New York Knicks 113-114
Brooklyn Nets – Miami Heat 95-106
Oklahoma City Thunder – Los Angeles Clippers 122-101
San Antonio Spurs – Washington Wizards 119-94
Milwaukee Bucks – Toronto Raptors 105-111
New Orleans Pelicans – Houston Rockets 133-128 OT (119-119)
Dallas Mavericks – Detroit Pistons 116-114
Denver Nuggets – Orlando Magic 126-115
Phoenix Suns – Golden State Warriors 99-98
Utah Jazz – Los Angeles Lakers 135-143
Portland Trail Blazers – Sacramento Kings 133-134 OT (115-115)
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 21-6
2. New York Knicks 19-7
3. Toronto Raptors 17-11
4. Boston Celtics 15-11
5. Philadelphia 76ers 14-11
6. Miami Heat 15-12
7. Orlando Magic 15-12
8. Cleveland Cavaliers 15-13
9. Atlanta Hawks 15-13
10. Chicago Bulls 11-15
11. Milwaukee Bucks 11-17
12. Charlotte Hornets 9-18
13. Brooklyn Nets 7-19
14. Indiana Pacers 6-21
15. Washington Wizards 4-21
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 25-2
2. Denver Nuggets 20-6
3. San Antonio Spurs 19-7
4. Los Angeles Lakers 19-7
5. Houston Rockets 16-8
6. Minnesota Timberwolves 17-10
7. Phoenix Suns 15-12
8. Memphis Grizzlies 13-14
9. Golden State Warriors 13-15
10. Portland Trail Blazers 10-16
11. Dallas Mavericks 11-17
12. Utah Jazz 10-16
13. Los Angeles Clippers 6-21
14. Sacramento Kings 6-21
15. New Orleans Pelicans 6-22
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins