By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After sitting out three games of the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season with a lower back strain, Israeli Deni Avdija scored 15 points in the first quarter en route to a total of 30 points, alongside eight rebounds, eight assists, and one block, lifting the Portland Trail Blazers over the Sacramento Kings, 117-110, in Golden 1 Center. “I felt solid physically. I’m still getting back in shape, getting my rhythm back,” the 25-year-old forward mentioned in a postgame interview, after lasting nearly 32 minutes. “The medical staff was doing a great job of really preparing me and getting me back to the court. And the coaching staff, as I said, we’re very prepared, very well coached.”
“We had some kind of stupid turnovers towards the end, but stayed locked in and stayed connected,” summarized Belgian Toumani Camara after hitting 7/7 from the field en route to 17 points. Also starting for interim head coach Tiago Splitter, French Sidy Cissoko settled at eight points, with French reserve Rayan Rupert ending up with four points. Starting for the Kings, French Maxime Raynaud got six points, with Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis reaching eight points and German Dennis Schroder at two points off the bench, but Croatian Dario Saric remained out of the rotation for the team coached by Doug Christie.
Opening Sunday’s schedule in London’s The O2 Arena, Ja Morant resurfaced in the lineup and guided the Memphis Grizzlies to a 126-109 victory versus the Orlando Magic. Initially listed as questionable, Spanish Santi Aldama started and lasted 25:10 for the team coached by Finnish Tuomas Iisalo, packing nine points. On the wrong end, German starter Franz Wagner got 14 points, with European reserves ranging from Georgian Goga Bitadze’s nine points to French Noah Penda’s five points and German Tristan da Silva’s four points, with German Moritz Wagner (left knee injury management) out.
Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic posted a 17-point, 11-rebound double-double, and Lithuanian Matas Buzelis threw in 17 more points as the Chicago Bulls topped the Brooklyn Nets, 124-102, in United Center, with French Noa Essengue (left shoulder surgery) sidelined. For the team coached by Spanish Jordi Fernandez, French Nolan Traore dropped 16 points off the bench, with starters Israeli Danny Wolf and Russian Egor Demin at 14 and 11 points, respectively, and Israeli Ben Saraf remaining on his G League assignment with the affiliate, the Long Island Nets.
Meanwhile, Kevin Durant moved over Dirk Nowitzki into sixth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list late in a Houston Rockets win, 119-110, opposite the New Orleans Pelicans in Toyota Center. He had 18 points, Jabari Smith Jr. put up a season-high 32 points, and Turkish Alperen Sengun chipped in 21 points, eight rebounds, five steals, four assists, and one block. Swiss backup Clint Capela did not play for Ime Udoka’s side. On the wrong end, Croatian Karlo Matkovic reached five points.
French Tidjane Salaun tallied a 13-point, 11-rebound double-double, and French starter Moussa Diabate added four points playing through a right hamstring strain for the Charlotte Hornets in a win, 110-87, over the Denver Nuggets in Ball Arena. Serbian Nikola Jokic (left knee bone bruise) and Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas (right calf strain) were unavailable for the hosts.
Sunday results
Memphis Grizzlies – Orlando Magic 126-109
Chicago Bulls – Brooklyn Nets 124-102
Houston Rockets – New Orleans Pelicans 119-110
Denver Nuggets – Charlotte Hornets 87-110
Sacramento Kings – Portland Trail Blazers 110-117
Los Angeles Lakers – Toronto Raptors 110-93
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 30-10
2. Boston Celtics 26-15
3. New York Knicks 25-17
4. Toronto Raptors 25-19
5. Cleveland Cavaliers 24-19
6. Philadelphia 76ers 22-18
7. Orlando Magic 23-19
8. Miami Heat 22-20
9. Chicago Bulls 20-22
10. Atlanta Hawks 20-24
11. Milwaukee Bucks 17-24
12. Charlotte Hornets 16-27
13. Brooklyn Nets 12-28
14. Washington Wizards 10-31
15. Indiana Pacers 10-33
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 35-8
2. San Antonio Spurs 29-13
3. Denver Nuggets 29-14
4. Minnesota Timberwolves 27-16
5. Houston Rockets 25-15
6. Los Angeles Lakers 25-16
7. Phoenix Suns 25-17
8. Golden State Warriors 24-19
9. Portland Trail Blazers 22-22
10. Los Angeles Clippers 18-23
11. Memphis Grizzlies 18-23
12. Dallas Mavericks 17-26
13. Utah Jazz 14-28
14. Sacramento Kings 12-31
15. New Orleans Pelicans 10-35
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins