By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Snapping an eight-game streak of the San Antonio Spurs in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season and overcoming an explosive return of Victor Wembanyama to the starting lineup of Mitch Johnson, the Utah Jazz held on for a 127-114 victory in Frost Bank Center on Saturday. Finnish Lauri Markkanen poured in a team-high 29 points on 11/16 field goals, including five triples, alongside five rebounds, three steals, one block, and one assist over 34:18. Fellow starters for head coach Will Hardy, Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic and Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk went from 16 points, seven rebounds, and six assists over 26:13, to three points, one assist, and one rebound over 14:04. On the losing side, the French superstar logged 27:42, ending up with 32 points, seven rebounds, five blocks, and three assists, with Polish reserve Jeremy Sochan limited to one assist in 5:41.
British OG Anunoby made clutch plays, from two free throws to a following steal, en route to a total of 15 points, ten rebounds, five assists, three steals, and one block for the New York Knicks in a win, 128-125, against the Atlanta Hawks in State Farm Arena. Fellow starter, French Mohamed Diawara registered five points, five rebounds, two blocks, and two assists, but French Pacome Dadiet and Guerschon Yabusele did not play, similar to German Ariel Hukporti, with British Tosan Evbuomwan out of the lineup. On the wrong end, Czech reserve Vit Krejci recorded nine points and French starter Zaccharie Risacher paired four points with four rebounds, but Latvian Kristaps Porzingis (illness) and Spanish Eli Ndiaye (left shoulder surgery) remained out, with Serbian Nikola Djurisic staying on his assignment at the G League’s College Park Skyhawks.
Back from a left hamstring strain, Cam Thomas put in 30 points, lifting the Brooklyn Nets over the Minnesota Timberwolves, 123-107, in Target Center. Israeli Danny Wolf chipped in 11 points, three rebounds, and one assist coming off the bench for the team coached by Spanish Jordi Fernandez, with Russian starter Egor Demin at seven points, three assists, two rebounds, and one steal, and French reserve Nolan Traore at four points, four assists, one steal, and one rebound. Israeli Ben Saraf was with the Long Island Nets. Starting for the Wolves, Italian Donte DiVincenzo went for 11 points, six assists, five rebounds, and two steals, and French Rudy Gobert had six points, eight rebounds, two steals, and one block, but French Joan Beringer was held to two fruitless minutes.
In their second positive showings since returning from injuries, Serbian reserve Nikola Jovic reached 19 points, seven assists, seven rebounds, and two steals, and Swedish starter Pelle Larsson added 16 points, seven assists, four rebounds, and one block for the Miami Heat in a win, 142-116, against the Indiana Pacers in Kaseya Center. Lithuanian Kasparas Jakucionis got four points, three steals, three rebounds, and two assists. Fellow European reserve, Italian Simone Fontecchio had two points, two rebounds, and one assist. Russian Vladislav Goldin was assigned to the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
French starter Maxime Raynaud went for 19 points, six rebounds, two blocks, two assists, and one steal, and German Dennis Schroder threw in ten points, five assists, three steals, and two rebounds off the bench as the Sacramento Kings beat the Dallas Mavericks, 113-107, in Golden 1 Center. In contrast, Croatian Dario Saric did not play, and Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis (left knee partial meniscus tear) remained sidelined.
Without Turkish Alperen Sengun (left calf tightness), Kevin Durant scored 30 points, leading the Houston Rockets to a 117-100 victory versus the Cleveland Cavaliers in Toyota Center. Swiss Clint Capela lasted 18:03, tallying four points, eight rebounds, two blocks, and one steal.
Saturday results
Sacramento Kings – Dallas Mavericks 113-107
Orlando Magic – Denver Nuggets 127-126
New Orleans Pelicans – Phoenix Suns 114-123
Atlanta Hawks – New York Knicks 125-128
Miami Heat – Indiana Pacers 142-116
Chicago Bulls – Milwaukee Bucks 103-112
Houston Rockets – Cleveland Cavaliers 117-100
Minnesota Timberwolves – Brooklyn Nets 107-123
San Antonio Spurs – Utah Jazz 114-127
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 24-7
2. New York Knicks 22-9
3. Boston Celtics 19-11
4. Orlando Magic 18-14
5. Toronto Raptors 18-14
6. Philadelphia 76ers 16-13
7. Miami Heat 17-15
8. Cleveland Cavaliers 17-16
9. Chicago Bulls 15-16
10. Atlanta Hawks 15-18
11. Milwaukee Bucks 13-19
12. Charlotte Hornets 11-20
13. Brooklyn Nets 10-19
14. Washington Wizards 6-23
15. Indiana Pacers 6-26
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 26-5
2. San Antonio Spurs 23-8
3. Denver Nuggets 22-9
4. Houston Rockets 19-10
5. Los Angeles Lakers 19-10
6. Minnesota Timberwolves 20-12
7. Phoenix Suns 18-13
8. Golden State Warriors 16-15
9. Memphis Grizzlies 15-16
10. Portland Trail Blazers 12-19
11. Utah Jazz 12-19
12. Dallas Mavericks 12-21
13. Los Angeles Clippers 9-21
14. Sacramento Kings 8-23
15. New Orleans Pelicans 8-25
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins