By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Turkish center Alperen Sengun dominated the Smoothie King Center on Sunday, powering the Houston Rockets to a 134-102 blowout victory over the New Orleans Pelicans. The 23-year-old starter flirted with a triple-double, racking up 36 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks while shooting 12/23 from the floor. Sengun notably flashed improved range by sinking five three-pointers, later reflecting on his evolving offensive versatility during a postgame media session. “I don’t want to be like, ‘I can kill it’, and all that, but I just open my game because I can dribble inside too and I can create some plays. Hopefully, I improve my three-point next season, so it can open my game and help my teammates,” he explained. Swiss teammate Clint Capela chipped in six points and 14 rebounds, while Croatian Karlo Matkovic managed two points for the Pels.
In a 114-99 win over the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center, Portuguese center Neemias Queta fueled the Boston Celtics with 17 points and eight rebounds after being cleared from a thumb injury. Bench contributions came from Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez and Bosnia’s Luka Garza with three and two points, respectively, though British Amari Williams and Ukrainian Max Shulga remained scoreless, and Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic was sidelined with a finger fracture. For the hosts, French starter Moussa Diabate scored four points, while fellow countryman Tidjane Salaun and Brit Tosan Evbuomwan were unavailable.
Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the New York Knicks 111-100 at Madison Square Garden, led by Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s 30-point performance. German Isaiah Hartenstein paired six points with 13 rebounds and Belgian Ajay Mitchell scored eight, while Serbian Nikola Topic did not play. British Knicks starter OG Anunoby got ten points, but France’s Mohamed Diawara did not score, Poland’s Jeremy Sochan and France’s Pacome Dadiet did not play, and Germany’s Ariel Hukporti suited up for the Westchester Knicks.
Elsewhere in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season, Belgian Toumani Camara and Israeli Deni Avdija combined for 43 points at Moda Center as the Portland Trail Blazers dismantled the Washington Wizards 123-88. French reserve Sidy Cissoko added one point, while Czechia’s Vit Krejci missed the game due to a contusion. For the visitors, Serbian Tristan Vukcevic scored ten points and France’s Bilal Coulibaly added four, but French Alex Sarr sat out with a toe injury.
The Indiana Pacers beat the Miami Heat 135-118 at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, despite the absence of Croatian Ivica Zubac. Sweden’s Pelle Larsson returned to the starting lineup and put up 15 points for the losing side, with Lithuanian Kasparas Jakucionis and Italian Simone Fontecchio at five and one points, respectively, off the bench. Serbian Nikola Jovic did not play, and Russian Vladislav Goldin was assigned to the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
French starter Nolan Traore scored 17 points at Barclays Center, lifting Spanish Jordi Fernandez and the Brooklyn Nets over the Sacramento Kings 116-99. Israeli reserve Ben Saraf added eight, but Russian Egor Demin and Danny Wolf remained sidelined. On the wrong end, French starter Maxime Raynaud went for 13 points, and French reserve Killian Hayes was limited to one point but dished out seven assists, with Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis out.
Finally, the Milwaukee Bucks fell 127-113 to the Los Angeles Clippers at Fiserv Forum without injured Greek star Giannis Antetokounmpo. While his brothers Thanasis and Alex were unavailable, French starter Ousmane Dieng got seven points. On the winning side, France’s Nicolas Batum finished with seven points, but Serbia’s Bogdan Bogdanovic did not play, and Switzerland’s Yanic Konan Niederhauser remained sidelined.
Sunday results
Milwaukee Bucks – Los Angeles Clippers 113-127
Indiana Pacers – Miami Heat 135-118
Brooklyn Nets – Sacramento Kings 116-99
Charlotte Hornets – Boston Celtics 99-114
Toronto Raptors – Orlando Magic 139-87
Portland Trail Blazers – Washington Wizards 123-88
New Orleans Pelicans – Houston Rockets 102-134
Oklahoma City Thunder – New York Knicks 111-100
Denver Nuggets – Golden State Warriors 116-93
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. x-Detroit Pistons 54-20
2. x-Boston Celtics 50-24
3. New York Knicks 48-27
4. Cleveland Cavaliers 46-28
5. Toronto Raptors 42-32
6. Atlanta Hawks 42-33
7. Philadelphia 76ers 41-33
8. Orlando Magic 39-35
9. Miami Heat 39-36
10. Charlotte Hornets 39-36
11. o-Milwaukee Bucks 29-45
12. o-Chicago Bulls 29-45
13. o-Brooklyn Nets 18-57
14. o-Washington Wizards 17-57
15. o-Indiana Pacers 17-58
Western Conference
1. x-Oklahoma City Thunder 59-16
2. x-San Antonio Spurs 56-18
3. Los Angeles Lakers 48-26
4. Denver Nuggets 48-28
5. Minnesota Timberwolves 45-29
6. Houston Rockets 45-29
7. Phoenix Suns 41-33
8. Los Angeles Clippers 39-36
9. y-Portland Trail Blazers 38-38
10. y-Golden State Warriors 36-39
11. o-Memphis Grizzlies 25-49
12. o-New Orleans Pelicans 25-51
13. o-Dallas Mavericks 24-50
14. o-Utah Jazz 21-54
15. o-Sacramento Kings 19-57
-Top six teams from each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth from each conference enter the Play-Ins
x-clinched playoff berth
y-clinched play-in berth
o-eliminated