By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Rallying in the fourth quarter, the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Houston Rockets, 111-105, in Moda Center, spoiling Kevin Durant’s rise to seventh place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list over Wilt Chamberlain on Friday. Belgian Toumani Camara recorded a personal best in the league with 25 points on 9/16 field goals, including five three-pointers. Israeli Deni Avdija finished with 20 points. Fellow starter, French Sidy Cissoko, added 13 more points behind 4/4 from the field. French reserve Rayan Rupert settled with two points. Durant ended up with a 30-point, 12-rebound double-double on the wrong end, with Swiss Clint Capela held to 11 scoreless minutes and Turkish Alperen Sengun (right ankle sprain) on the injury list.
Five three-pointers en route to a 19-point display by Russian Egor Demin fell into a Brooklyn Nets loss, 121-105, to the Los Angeles Clippers in Barclays Center. Coming off the bench, Israeli Danny Wolf sank 11 points, and French Nolan Traore added five points for Spanish head coach Jordi Fernandez. In contrast, Israeli Ben Saraf (left knee soreness) was unavailable. Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic (left hamstring injury management) remained sidelined for the team coached by Tyronn Lue, with Croatian starter Ivica Zubac and French reserve Nicolas Batum at five points apiece, and Swiss Yanic Konan Niederhauser without a point.
With Stephen Curry posting a 27-point, 10-assist double-double, fellow starter, Dutch Quinten Post, chipped in 11 points for the Golden State Warriors in a blowout, 137-103, over the Sacramento Kings in Chase Center. The second Dutch player on Steve Kerr’s side, Malevy Leons, remained on a G League assignment with the Santa Cruz Warriors. Without Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis (left knee partial meniscus tear), the Kings featured German Dennis Schroder at 15 points off the bench and French starter Maxime Raynaud at eight points, but Croatian Dario Saric did not step on the court.
Elsewhere in the 2025-26 Regular Season, Serbian Tristan Vukcevic reached 15 points and blocked five shots, but the Washington Wizards lost, 128-107, to the New Orleans Pelicans in Capital One Arena. “People keep talking about my defense, but I think I’ve shown flashes and glimpses of improvement and just understanding when to be where to be,” said the 22-year-old big in a postgame press conference. French starters, Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly, finished with 14 and eight points, respectively. On the winning end, Croatian Karlo Matkovic registered two points.
Portuguese Neemias Queta put in ten points, and European reserves in Bosnian Luka Garza and Spanish Hugo Gonzalez went for six and five points, helping the Boston Celtics top the Toronto Raptors, 125-117, in TD Garden. Ukrainian Max Shulga and British Amari Williams stayed with the affiliate, the Maine Celtics. For the team coached by Serbian Darko Rajakovic, Austrian Jakob Poeltl (lower back strain) remained sidelined, but Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili hit 15 points in a start.
With Serbian Nikola Jokic (left knee bone bruise) and Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas (right calf strain) among several missing players, the Denver Nuggets fell, 110-87, opposite the Atlanta Hawks in Ball Arena. The visitors ruled out Latvian Kristaps Porzingis (left Achilles tendinitis) and French Zaccharie Risacher (left knee inflammation), and Serbian Nikola Djurisic remained on assignment with the College Park Skyhawks, with Czech Vit Krejci starting but held to 0/8 shots and zero points.
Starting for the Oklahoma City Thunder, Belgian Ajay Mitchell contributed 23 points in a comeback win, 117-116, over the Memphis Grizzlies in FedExForum. French Ousmane Dieng returned to action with three points, but German Isaiah Hartenstein (right soleus strain) and Serbian Nikola Topic (testicular surgery recovery) were out alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and others. For the team coached by Finnish Tuomas Iisalo, Spanish Santi Aldama got 15 points.
British OG Anunoby tallied 15 points but missed two late free throws as the Phoenix Suns edged out the New York Knicks, 112-107, in Mortgage Matchup Center. French Mohamed Diawara logged four fruitless minutes, French Pacome Dadiet and German Ariel Hukporti did not play, and French Guerschon Yabusele (right quad contusion) was sidelined.
Friday results
Boston Celtics – Toronto Raptors 125-117
Orlando Magic – Philadelphia 76ers 91-103
Washington Wizards – New Orleans Pelicans 107-128
Brooklyn Nets – Los Angeles Clippers 105-121
Memphis Grizzlies – Oklahoma City Thunder 116-117
Denver Nuggets – Atlanta Hawks 87-110
Phoenix Suns – New York Knicks 112-107
Golden State Warriors – Sacramento Kings 137-103
Portland Trail Blazers – Houston Rockets 111-105
Los Angeles Lakers – Milwaukee Bucks 101-105
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 28-9
2. Boston Celtics 24-13
3. New York Knicks 24-14
4. Toronto Raptors 23-16
5. Philadelphia 76ers 21-15
6. Miami Heat 20-17
7. Cleveland Cavaliers 21-18
8. Orlando Magic 21-18
9. Atlanta Hawks 19-21
10. Chicago Bulls 17-20
11. Milwaukee Bucks 17-21
12. Charlotte Hornets 13-25
13. Brooklyn Nets 11-24
14. Washington Wizards 10-27
15. Indiana Pacers 7-31
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 32-7
2. San Antonio Spurs 26-11
3. Minnesota Timberwolves 25-13
4. Denver Nuggets 25-13
5. Los Angeles Lakers 23-13
6. Houston Rockets 22-13
7. Phoenix Suns 23-15
8. Golden State Warriors 21-18
9. Portland Trail Blazers 19-20
10. Memphis Grizzlies 16-22
11. Los Angeles Clippers 14-23
12. Dallas Mavericks 14-24
13. Utah Jazz 13-24
14. New Orleans Pelicans 9-31
15. Sacramento Kings 8-30
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins