By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Portuguese starter Neemias Queta led the Boston Celtics to a 114-98 home victory over the Philadelphia 76ers, recording a new personal best in the NBA with 27 points to go with 17 rebounds, three blocks, and two assists. “Just the amount of repetitions I’ve been having with these guys every day, kind of understanding what they like, what they don’t like, the game is slowing down for me too,” he said in a postgame interview, explaining his offensive eruption. Off the bench, the Celtics also received an 11-point, 12-rebound double-double from Montenegro’s Nikola Vucevic and a two-point contribution from Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez, though Britain’s Amari Williams, Bosnia’s Luka Garza, and Ukraine’s Max Shulga did not see the floor. On the opposite side of Sunday’s game, Turkiye’s Adem Bona finished with five points.
Matas Buzelis of Lithuania scored 20 points to help the Chicago Bulls snap an 11-game losing streak with a 120-97 win against the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bulls were aided by 12 points from France’s Guerschon Yabusele, while fellow countryman Noa Essengue (left shoulder surgery) remained out following shoulder surgery. The Bucks played without Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo (right calf strain) and his brother Thanasis (illness), while their brother Alex remained in the G League. However, France’s Ousmane Dieng was active and contributed seven points.
Elsewhere in the 2025-26 Regular Season, Germany’s Dennis Schroder scored 12 points off the bench to help the Cleveland Cavaliers defeat the Nets 106-102, while the Netherlands’ Tristan Enaruna did not play in Barclays Center. For the team coached by Spanish Jordi Fernandez, French starter Nolan Traore tallied 17 points, besides the Israeli reserves Danny Wolf’s 23 points and Ben Saraf’s four points, though Russia’s Egor Demin (left plantar fascia injury management) sat out.
Despite a 19-point performance from German starter Tristan da Silva and nine points from fellow countryman Moritz Wagner, the Orlando Magic lost 106-92 to the Detroit Pistons in Kia Center. Orlando was without German star Franz Wagner (left high ankle sprain injury management) and saw no playing time for France’s Noah Penda or Georgia’s Goga Bitadze, while Sweden’s Bobi Klintman remained on assignment with Detroit’s G League affiliate.
German starter Isaiah Hartenstein contributed seven points as the Oklahoma City Thunder secured a 100-87 win over the Dallas Mavericks in American Airlines Center. The Thunder sent Serbia’s Nikola Topic to the Oklahoma City Blue and kept Belgium’s Ajay Mitchell (abdominal strain / left ankle sprain) sidelined, while the Mavericks‘ recent Greek addition, John Poulakidas, was away on a G League assignment.
The Atlanta Hawks dominated the Portland Trail Blazers 135-101, including five points from France’s Zaccharie Risacher. Struggling without Israel’s Deni Avdija (low back injury management), the visitors received 14 points from the Czechia’s Vit Krejci and nine from Belgian starter Toumani Camara, while France’s Sidy Cissoko played through illness to score six in State Farm Arena.
France’s Rayan Rupert put in 16 points for the Memphis Grizzlies, coached by Finland’s Tuomas Iisalo, in a 125-106 victory over the Indiana Pacers in Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Both teams were shorthanded, including Spain’s Santi Aldama (right knee injury management) being out for Memphis, and Croatian center Ivica Zubac (left ankle sprain) remaining sidelined for the Pacers.
Finally, the Los Angeles Clippers defeated the New Orleans Pelicans 137-111, in Intuit Dome, featuring nine points from France’s Nicolas Batum and seven from Switzerland’s Yanic Konan Niederhauser, while Serbia’s Bogdan Bogdanovic remained on the bench. In the loss, Croatia’s Karlo Matkovic provided five points.
Sunday results
New York Knicks – San Antonio Spurs 114-89
Brooklyn Nets – Cleveland Cavaliers 102-106
Chicago Bulls – Milwaukee Bucks 120-97
Denver Nuggets – Minnesota Timberwolves 108-117
Indiana Pacers – Memphis Grizzlies 106-125
Atlanta Hawks – Portland Trail Blazers 135-101
Boston Celtics – Philadelphia 76ers 114-98
Orlando Magic – Detroit Pistons 92-106
Dallas Mavericks – Oklahoma City Thunder 87-100
Los Angeles Clippers – New Orleans Pelicans 137-117
Los Angeles Lakers – Sacramento Kings 128-104
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 45-14
2. Boston Celtics 40-20
3. New York Knicks 39-22
4. Cleveland Cavaliers 38-24
5. Toronto Raptors 35-25
6. Philadelphia 76ers 33-27
7. Miami Heat 32-29
8. Orlando Magic 31-28
9. Atlanta Hawks 31-31
10. Charlotte Hornets 30-31
11. Milwaukee Bucks 26-33
12. Chicago Bulls 25-36
13. Washington Wizards 16-43
14. Brooklyn Nets 15-45
15. Indiana Pacers 15-46
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 47-15
2. San Antonio Spurs 43-17
3. Houston Rockets 37-22
4. Minnesota Timberwolves 38-23
5. Denver Nuggets 37-24
6. Los Angeles Lakers 36-24
7. Phoenix Suns 34-26
8. Golden State Warriors 31-29
9. Los Angeles Clippers 28-31
10. Portland Trail Blazers 29-33
11. Memphis Grizzlies 23-36
12. Dallas Mavericks 21-39
13. New Orleans Pelicans 19-43
14. Utah Jazz 18-42
15. Sacramento Kings 14-48
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins