By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Leading from start to finish in Frost Bank Center, the San Antonio Spurs overpowered the Oklahoma City Thunder, 116-106. Logging 28:21 on Wednesday, French Victor Wembanyama produced a 22-point, 12-rebound double-double to go with two blocks and two assists, but Polish teammate Jeremy Sochan (left quad strain) sat out a fourth straight game of the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season. With Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (abdominal strain) ruled out through the upcoming All-Star break and thus expected to miss the annual All-Star Game, the Thunder also missed German Isaiah Hartenstein (right eye corneal abrasion), Belgian Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain), and Serbian Nikola Topic (testicular surgery recovery) in San Antonio. Despite falling to 40-12, the defending champions are still leading the race for homecourt advantage throughout the Playoffs 2026 with a distance of six games from the Spurs, sitting second in the Western Conference, and 1.5 games from the Detroit Pistons, leaders of the Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, the team coached by Mitch Johnson created a separation of two games from the third-seeded Denver Nuggets in the West table.
With Turkish Alperen Sengun tossed after two technical fouls for heated complaints to the referees in the fourth quarter, following a similar ejection for head coach Ime Udoka in the third quarter, the Boston Celtics pulled away to defeat the Houston Rockets, 114-93, in Toyota Center. Bosnian starter Luka Garza chipped in 19 points, six rebounds, two steals, and two assists in 33:47, and Portuguese starter Neemias Queta added a ten-point, 19-rebound double-double to go with five blocks, two assists, and two steals in 38:55. Spanish Hugo Gonzalez threw in two points and three rebounds, lasting 15:19, with Ukrainian Max Shulga logging 1:41 without getting on the board, but British Amari Williams was assigned to the G League’s Maine Celtics, and Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic has yet to formally complete his move to the C’s. On the wrong end, 23-year-old Sengun finished with 13 points, nine rebounds, three assists, two steals, and one block in 31:02, and Swiss backup Clint Capela had four points, five rebounds, and one block in 14:53.
Digging their way out of an 18-point hole, the Minnesota Timberwolves edged out the Toronto Raptors, 128-126, in Scotiabank Arena. With Anthony Edwards at 30 points, fellow starters in Italian Donte DiVincenzo went for 15 points, six rebounds, and five assists over 31:00, and in French Rudy Gobert posted a 10-point, 12-rebound double-double plus two assists, one block, and one steal over 32:54. In contrast, French Joan Beringer did not play. For the team coached by Serbian Darko Rajakovic, Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili produced 14 points, four rebounds, two assists, and one block in 31:34, but Austrian Jakob Poeltl (lower back strain) remained sidelined.
In Intuit Dome, the Cleveland Cavaliers rocked the Los Angeles Clippers, 124-91. In his debut, German Dennis Schroder contributed 11 points, six assists, three steals, and two rebounds in 19:13, and Dutch Tristan Enaruna put in two points, three rebounds, and one assist in 6:58. For the hosts, Swiss Yanic Konan Niederhauser reached ten points, eight rebounds, and two blocks in 24:55, with Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic at two points, one assist, and one rebound over 11:56, but French Nicolas Batum was quiet for 5:48 and Croatian Ivica Zubac (personal reasons) was inactive.
Back from right knee injury management and directly in the starting lineup for Finnish head coach Tuomas Iisalo, Spanish Santi Aldama tallied 12 points, six rebounds, two blocks, and one steal in 24:08, with the Memphis Grizzlies prevailing, 129-125, over the Sacramento Kings in Golden 1 Center. Returning from lower back soreness, Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis combined a start with a 24-point, 15-rebound double-double plus three assists and one steal over 24:04 for the visitors, with French backup Maxime Raynaud playing 20:47 for six points and five rebounds.
Overcoming a 44-point effort by Trey Murphy III in Fiserv Forum and the latest absence of Greek superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo (right calf strain), the Milwaukee Bucks outlasted the New Orleans Pelicans, 141-137, in overtime. The Freak’s brothers went from Thanasis staying on the bench to Alex remaining on his assignment with the affiliate, the Wisconsin Herd. For the visitors, Croatian Karlo Matkovic logged 15:17 for seven points, three rebounds, and one assist.
Wednesday results
New York Knicks – Denver Nuggets 134-127 2OT (119-119, 108-108)
Toronto Raptors – Minnesota Timberwolves 126-128
Houston Rockets – Boston Celtics 93-114
Milwaukee Bucks – New Orleans Pelicans 141-137 OT (128-128)
San Antonio Spurs – Oklahoma City Thunder 116-106
Sacramento Kings – Memphis Grizzlies 125-129
Los Angeles Clippers – Cleveland Cavaliers 91-124
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 37-12
2. Boston Celtics 33-18
3. New York Knicks 33-18
4. Cleveland Cavaliers 31-21
5. Philadelphia 76ers 29-21
6. Toronto Raptors 30-22
7. Miami Heat 27-25
8. Orlando Magic 25-24
9. Atlanta Hawks 25-27
10. Chicago Bulls 24-27
11. Charlotte Hornets 23-28
12. Milwaukee Bucks 20-29
13. Brooklyn Nets 13-36
14. Washington Wizards 13-36
15. Indiana Pacers 13-38
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 40-12
2. San Antonio Spurs 34-16
3. Denver Nuggets 33-19
4. Houston Rockets 31-18
5. Minnesota Timberwolves 32-20
6. Los Angeles Lakers 30-19
7. Phoenix Suns 31-20
8. Golden State Warriors 27-24
9. Los Angeles Clippers 23-27
10. Portland Trail Blazers 23-28
11. Memphis Grizzlies 20-29
12. Dallas Mavericks 19-31
13. Utah Jazz 16-35
14. New Orleans Pelicans 13-40
15. Sacramento Kings 12-40
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins