By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Victor Wembanyama went for 26 points on 8/17 from the field, including two three-pointers, pushing the San Antonio Spurs to a 126-113 win over the Golden State Warriors in Chase Center. The 22-year-old French center added nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and one steal over 33:29 in a sixth win in a row for the team coached by Mitch Johnson in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season, just before the All-Star break, and shortly following the official departure of Polish Jeremy Sochan. For the hosts, Quinten Post scored 12 points, but fellow Dutch import Malevy Leons was inactive, and Latvian Kristaps Porzingis (left Achilles tendon injury management) remained sidelined.
Punishing his former team, Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic posted a 19-point, 11-rebound double-double as the Boston Celtics topped the Chicago Bulls, 124–105, at the TD Garden. Portuguese starter Neemias Queta was initially cleared from a right ankle sprain, but then hurt his left ankle and returned to finish with eight points. Off the bench, Spaniard Hugo Gonzalez and Bosnian Luka Garza did not get on the board, while Ukrainian Max Shulga was with the affiliate, the Maine Celtics. Starting for the Bulls, Lithuanian Matas Buzelis and French Guerschon Yabusele ended up with 15 and 13 points, respectively, with French Noa Essengue (left shoulder sprain) out.
Frenchman Ousmane Dieng tucked in 17 points for the Milwaukee Bucks in a 116–108 win over the Orlando Magic at the Kia Center. Greek superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo (right calf strain) remained sidelined, while his brothers’ roles ranged from Thanasis staying on the bench to Alex at the G League’s Wisconsin Herd. For the hosts, German imports ranged from Moritz Wagner’s 12 points to Franz Wagner and Tristan da Silva finishing with five points apiece, but French Noah Penda fell shy of scoring, and Georgian Goga Bitadze did not play.
With Julius Randle reaching 41 points, French Rudy Gobert threw in 17 more for the Minnesota Timberwolves in a 133–109 win against the Portland Trail Blazers at the Target Center. Fellow starter, Italian Donte DiVincenzo, was limited to three points, and Frenchman Joan Beringer added two. Starting for the Blazers, Israeli Deni Avdija was held to 11 points and Belgian Toumani Camara tallied nine. Czech reserve Vit Krejci scored 17 and Frenchman Rayan Rupert added two, but Frenchman Sidy Cissoko was inactive.
A fadeaway jumper by Kawhi Leonard sent the Los Angeles Clippers to a 105–102 win over the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center. Despite dealing with a left lower leg contusion, Turk Alperen Sengun piled up 16 points, nine rebounds, six assists, and three blocks for the hosts. With Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic out of the rotation and Frenchman Nicolas Batum (rest) sidelined, Swiss Yanic Konan Niederhauser did not score for the Clippers, though fellow countryman Clint Capela recorded three points for the Rockets.
Finnish Lauri Markkanen poured in 19 points and fellow starter, Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic, got eight for the Utah Jazz in a 121–93 victory over the Sacramento Kings at the Delta Center. However, Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk fell out of the rotation on Wednesday. On the opposite side, the Kings sidelined Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis (left knee injury management) for a fourth consecutive game, which kept French Maxime Raynaud in the starting lineup, and the rookie center settled with seven points.
In his first appearance since early December, Austrian Jakob Poeltl (lower back strain) lasted 20 minutes and scored nine points, but his Toronto Raptors fell to the Detroit Pistons, 113–95, at Scotiabank Arena. Georgian reserve Sandro Mamukelashvili sustained a chest injury after putting up seven points for the team coached by Serbian Darko Rajakovic. For the visitors, Swede Bobi Klintman logged 3:51 and recorded one steal.
Despite missing Frenchman Moussa Diabate (league suspension), the Charlotte Hornets edged out the Atlanta Hawks, 110–107, at the Spectrum Center. Fellow French option Tidjane Salaun chipped in three points, while Briton Tosan Evbuomwan was assigned to the Greensboro Swarm. Playing through a left quad contusion, French starter Zaccharie Risacher was held to five points for the Hawks, and Serbian Nikola Djurisic was left out of the lineup.
With Swede Pelle Larsson (right forearm strain) among the unavailable players, the Miami Heat beat the New Orleans Pelicans, 123–111, at the Smoothie King Center. In a starting role, Italian Simone Fontecchio reached 15 points, with Lithuanian Kasparas Jakucionis scoring 11 and Serbian Nikola Jovic adding eight, but Russian Vladislav Goldin did not play. For the Pels, Croat Karlo Matkovic registered three points.
British OG Anunoby (right toe toenail avulsion) missed a fourth straight game, but the New York Knicks routed the Philadelphia 76ers, 138–89, at the Xfinity Mobile Arena. French Mohamed Diawara put in 14 points, while German Ariel Hukporti reached two, but French Pacome Dadiet remained with the Westchester Knicks. Entering the starting lineup for the Sixers, Turk Adem Bona recorded six points.
German Dennis Schroder contributed seven points and Dutchman Tristan Enaruna added two for the Cleveland Cavaliers in a 138–113 victory over the Washington Wizards at the Rocket Arena. Frenchman Alex Sarr (right hamstring tightness) and Serbian Tristan Vukcevic (illness) sat out for the visitors, but French Bilal Coulibaly overcame right heel soreness to produce 13 points as a starter.
Storming back from an 18-point deficit, the Indiana Pacers beat the Brooklyn Nets, 115–110, at the Barclays Center, despite missing Croat Ivica Zubac (left ankle sprain). European starters for Spanish play-caller Jordi Fernandez included French Nolan Traore’s 20 points and Russian Egor Demin’s 13. Israeli reserves Danny Wolf and Ben Saraf added 14 and 12 points, respectively.
Belgian Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain) remained among several sidelined players, but the Oklahoma City Thunder dominated the Phoenix Suns, 136–109, at the Mortgage Matchup Center. German starter Isaiah Hartenstein tallied eight points, with Serbian Nikola Topic remaining on assignment with the Oklahoma City Blue.
Wednesday results
Charlotte Hornets – Atlanta Hawks 110-107
Cleveland Cavaliers – Washington Wizards 138-113
Orlando Magic – Milwaukee Bucks 108-116
Boston Celtics – Chicago Bulls 124-105
Brooklyn Nets – Indiana Pacers 110-115
Philadelphia 76ers – New York Knicks 89-138
Toronto Raptors – Detroit Pistons 95-113
Houston Rockets – Los Angeles Clippers 102-105
Minnesota Timberwolves – Portland Trail Blazers 133-109
New Orleans Pelicans – Miami Heat 111-123
Utah Jazz – Sacramento Kings 121-93
Phoenix Suns – Oklahoma City Thunder 109-136
Denver Nuggets – Memphis Grizzlies 122-116
Golden State Warriors – San Antonio Spurs 113-126
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 40-13
2. Boston Celtics 35-19
3. New York Knicks 35-20
4. Cleveland Cavaliers 34-21
5. Toronto Raptors 32-23
6. Philadelphia 76ers 30-24
7. Orlando Magic 28-25
8. Miami Heat 29-27
9. Charlotte Hornets 26-29
10. Atlanta Hawks 26-30
11. Chicago Bulls 24-31
12. Milwaukee Bucks 22-30
13. Brooklyn Nets 15-38
14. Indiana Pacers 15-40
15. Washington Wizards 14-39
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 42-13
2. San Antonio Spurs 38-16
3. Denver Nuggets 35-20
4. Houston Rockets 33-20
5. Minnesota Timberwolves 34-22
6. Los Angeles Lakers 32-21
7. Phoenix Suns 32-23
8. Golden State Warriors 29-26
9. Los Angeles Clippers 26-28
10. Portland Trail Blazers 26-29
11. Memphis Grizzlies 20-33
12. Dallas Mavericks 19-34
13. Utah Jazz 18-37
14. New Orleans Pelicans 15-41
15. Sacramento Kings 12-44
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins