By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Overcoming a second straight triple-double for Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic, the San Antonio Spurs prevailed, 126-109, over the Utah Jazz in Delta Center. Scoring seven points in the fourth quarter as the visitors pulled away, French Victor Wembanyama ended up with 26 in a double-double also featuring 13 rebounds, alongside five blocks, three assists, and one steal. Initially listed as questionable with an illness, Polish Jeremy Sochan logged three fruitless minutes. For the hosts, 31-year-old Nurkic got 17 points, 14 assists, 11 rebounds, one block, and one steal, and fellow starter, Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, reached nine points plus one rebound and one assist, but Finnish Lauri Markkanen (return to competition reconditioning) remained on the injury report.
With a back issue resurfacing, after recently missing three games in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season, Israeli Deni Avdija left for precautionary reasons with the Portland Trail Blazers on the way to a 127-110 victory versus the Miami Heat. The 25-year-old combo forward previously registered 20 points, seven rebounds, and four assists over 17:47. Fellow starter, Belgian Toumani Camara, finished with 16 points, nine rebounds, and six assists, with French reserves Sidy Cissoko and Rayan Rupert ranging from six points and three rebounds to two steals and one rebound.
For the losing side in Moda Center, Italian Simone Fontecchio netted 17 points behind 7/11 field goals, including three triples, off the bench. The 30-year-old combo forward added four rebounds, three assists, and one steal. Swedish Pelle Larsson got six points, six assists, and three rebounds, and Lithuanian Kasparas Jakucionis paired three points with three assists as starters for the team coached by Erik Spoelstra, with Serbian Nikola Jovic at five points, five rebounds, and three assists. In contrast, Russian Vladislav Goldin stayed with the affiliate, Sioux Falls Skyforce.
Serbian Nikola Jokic (left knee bone bruise) sat out a 13th straight Denver Nuggets showing, but Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas (right calf strain) returned as the starting center under head coach David Adelman, tallying 16 points, nine rebounds, and two assists over 21:57 in a win, 107-97, over the Washington Wizards in Capital One Arena. Starting for the hosts, French Alex Sarr hit 15 points, eight rebounds, four assists, one block, and one steal, with French Bilal Coulibaly (lower back strain) and Serbian Tristan Vukcevic (left hamstring strain) remaining sidelined.
After a recent 16-game absence due to a sprain, German Franz Wagner (left ankle soreness) sat out Thursday due to left ankle soreness, with the Orlando Magic dominated by the Charlotte Hornets, 124-97, in Kia Center. His brother, Moritz, recorded 14 points, and French Noah Penda reached 13 points, but German starter Tristan da Silva was held to three points, and Georgian Goga Bitadze did not score. On the winning end, French Tidjane Salaun reached 13 points and five rebounds, with French starter Moussa Diabate at ten points.
Among four European starters in Target Center, Lithuanian Matas Buzelis and Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic put in 12 and ten points, respectively, for the Chicago Bulls in a win, 120-115, against the reeling Minnesota Timberwolves, with French Noa Essengue (left shoulder surgery) out. For the Wolves, French Rudy Gobert posted a ten-point, 11-rebound double-double, and Italian Donte DiVincenzo had 11 points, but French reserve Joan Beringer was limited to one rebound.
Turkish Alperen Sengun settled at 13 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and two blocks as the Houston Rockets fell to the Philadelphia 76ers, 128-122, in overtime. Swiss backup Clint Capela went for two points, seven rebounds, and one block in Xfinity Mobile Arena. For the Sixers, Turkish Adem Bona registered one point, three rebounds, and one assist.
With Jonathan Kuminga exiting in the first half with left knee soreness, the Golden State Warriors lost, 123-115, to the Dallas Mavericks in American Airlines Center, despite Stephen Curry’s 38 points. Dutch Quinten Post got two points, but fellow Dutch import Malevy Leons stayed on his G League assignment with the Santa Cruz Warriors.
Thursday results
Orlando Magic – Charlotte Hornets 97-124
Philadelphia 76ers – Houston Rockets 128-122 OT (115-115)
Washington Wizards – Denver Nuggets 97-107
Dallas Mavericks – Golden State Warriors 123-115
Minnesota Timberwolves – Chicago Bulls 115-120
Utah Jazz – San Antonio Spurs 109-126
Portland Trail Blazers – Miami Heat 127-110
Los Angeles Clippers – Los Angeles Lakers 112-104
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 32-10
2. Boston Celtics 27-16
3. New York Knicks 26-18
4. Toronto Raptors 27-19
5. Philadelphia 76ers 24-19
6. Cleveland Cavaliers 25-20
7. Orlando Magic 23-20
8. Miami Heat 23-22
9. Chicago Bulls 22-22
10. Atlanta Hawks 21-25
11. Milwaukee Bucks 18-25
12. Charlotte Hornets 17-28
13. Brooklyn Nets 12-30
14. Washington Wizards 10-33
15. Indiana Pacers 10-35
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 37-8
2. San Antonio Spurs 31-14
3. Denver Nuggets 30-15
4. Houston Rockets 26-16
5. Phoenix Suns 27-17
6. Los Angeles Lakers 26-17
7. Minnesota Timberwolves 27-18
8. Golden State Warriors 25-21
9. Portland Trail Blazers 23-22
10. Los Angeles Clippers 20-24
11. Memphis Grizzlies 18-24
12. Dallas Mavericks 19-26
13. Utah Jazz 15-30
14. Sacramento Kings 12-33
15. New Orleans Pelicans 10-36
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins