By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After missing the previous six games of the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season with low back injury management, Israel’s Deni Avdija went for 18 points on 6/16 field goals, eight assists, five rebounds, and three blocks in 25 minutes, pushing the Portland Trail Blazers to a 131-111 victory versus the Indiana Pacers in Moda Center on Sunday. “I was just focusing on not having any back pain, and kind of like being smooth with my game,” he noted in a postgame interview. Fellow starter, Belgian Toumani Camara, grabbed 11 rebounds with seven points, while Czech Vit Krejci also put in seven points, and French Sidy Cissoko went scoreless. For the visitors, Croatian Ivica Zubac (left ankle sprain) was out.
With Greek superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo (right calf injury management) sitting out the second half of a back-to-back, the Milwaukee Bucks surrendered, 130-91, to the Orlando Magic in Fiserv Forum. His brothers ranged from Thanasis registering four points to Alex staying with the Wisconsin Herd, while French starter Ousmane Dieng was held to two points. Back in the Magic’s starting lineup, Germany’s Tristan da Silva chipped in five points, with European reserve options featuring France’s Noah Penda at eight points, Georgia’s Goga Bitadze at seven points, and Germany’s Moritz Wagner at three points, but the latter’s brother, Franz (left high ankle injury management), remained sidelined.
Russell Westbrook posted his 208th career triple-double, and French starter Maxime Raynaud put up a 26-point, 11-rebound double-double to go with three blocks, two assists, and one steal as the Sacramento Kings topped the Chicago Bulls, 126-110, in Golden 1 Center. France’s Killian Hayes added two points with Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis (left knee meniscus repair) on the injury report. Returning from an ankle sprain for the Bulls, Lithuanian Matas Buzelis recorded a team-high 20 points, while fellow starter, French Guerschon Yabusele had four, and France’s Noa Essengue (left shoulder surgery) remained out.
Portuguese starter Neemias Queta paired four points with 11 rebounds as the Boston Celtics topped the Cleveland Cavaliers, 109-98, in Rocket Arena. Bosnian Luka Garza threw in seven points, but Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez did not score, Great Britain’s Amari Williams did not play, Ukraine’s Max Shulga was out of the lineup, and Montenegro’s Nikola Vucevic (right ring finger fracture) was on the injury list. For the Cavs, German Dennis Schroder got two points, but Dutch Tristan Enaruna stayed on the bench, and French Olivier Sarr was reduced to G League action.
Lithuania’s Kasparas Jakucionis reached 12 points, and Swedish starter Pelle Larsson contributed ten for the Miami Heat in a 121-110 win over the Detroit Pistons in Kaseya Center. Russian Vladislav Goldin was limited to a brief scoreless showing, with Italian Simone Fontecchio (left groin strain) and Serbian Nikola Jovic (low back injury management) still out. On the wrong end, Sweden’s Bobi Klintman netted three points.
Austrian starter Jakob Poeltl made 8/9 field goals en route to a 16-point, 10-rebound double-double, and Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili added 13 points for the Toronto Raptors as Serbian head coach Darko Rajakovic led the Canadian franchise to a 122-92 win over the Dallas Mavericks in Scotiabank Arena. On the opposite side, Greek John Poulakidas was with the Texas Legends.
Returning from a hamstring strain, France’s Alex Sarr produced seven points in 18 minutes, while fellow French starter Bilal Coulibaly got five points as the Washington Wizards lost, 138-118, to the New Orleans Pelicans in Smoothie King Center. However, Serbia’s Tristan Vukcevic (left thigh contusion) remained out. On the winning end, Croatian Karlo Matkovic chipped in five points.
Finally, the Phoenix Suns took down the Charlotte Hornets, 111-99, in Mortgage Matchup Center. On the losing side, French starter Moussa Diabate was held to two points, while French teammate Tidjane Salaun (left calf strain) stayed on the injury report, and British Tosan Evbuomwan remained with the Greensboro Swarm.
Sunday results
Cleveland Cavaliers – Boston Celtics 98-109
Los Angeles Lakers – New York Knicks 110-97
Miami Heat – Detroit Pistons 121-110
Toronto Raptors – Dallas Mavericks 122-92
New Orleans Pelicans – Washington Wizards 138-118
Milwaukee Bucks – Orlando Magic 91-130
San Antonio Spurs – Houston Rockets 145-120
Portland Trail Blazers – Indiana Pacers 131-111
Sacramento Kings – Chicago Bulls 126-110
Phoenix Suns – Charlotte Hornets 111-99
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 45-18
2. Boston Celtics 43-21
3. New York Knicks 41-24
4. Cleveland Cavaliers 39-25
5. Toronto Raptors 36-27
6. Orlando Magic 35-28
7. Miami Heat 36-29
8. Philadelphia 76ers 34-29
9. Atlanta Hawks 33-31
10. Charlotte Hornets 32-33
11. Milwaukee Bucks 27-36
12. Chicago Bulls 26-38
13. Brooklyn Nets 16-47
14. Washington Wizards 16-47
15. Indiana Pacers 15-49
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 50-15
2. San Antonio Spurs 47-17
3. Minnesota Timberwolves 40-24
4. Houston Rockets 39-24
5. Denver Nuggets 39-25
6. Los Angeles Lakers 39-25
7. Phoenix Suns 37-27
8. Golden State Warriors 32-31
9. Los Angeles Clippers 31-32
10. Portland Trail Blazers 31-34
11. Memphis Grizzlies 23-39
12. Dallas Mavericks 21-43
13. New Orleans Pelicans 21-45
14. Utah Jazz 19-45
15. Sacramento Kings 15-50
-Top 6 teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference advance to the Play-Ins