By Johnny Askounis/ [email protected]
Deni Avdija had his second triple-double of the 2025-26 NBA regular season and his fourth overall, but the Portland Trail Blazers lost, 123-115, to the defending champions Oklahoma City Thunderat the Moda Center on Sunday.
The 24-year-old Israeli forward had 31 points, 19 rebounds and ten assists, plus a steal in 37:11. “I’m just having fun and trying my best to make the right decisions, whether I’m in a double team or a triple team, but it definitely gives you a little confidence boost that you’re hurting teams. I’m happy to be able to create those passes and catches for my teammates after those double and triple teams,” he said in a post-match press conference, describing his approach to demanding challenges from opponents.
Also in interim head coach Tiago Splitter’s starting lineup, Belgian Toumani Camara scored 19 points and Frenchman Sidy Cissoko chipped in five points, while French reserve Rayan Rupert finished with three points. On the winning side, Belgium’s Ajay Mitchell had 17 points behind a 5/9 field goal in a 12th straight victory for the team coached by Mark Daigneault, with France’s Ousmane Dieng out of the rotation, and Germany’s Isaiah Hartenstein (right soleus strain) and Serbia’s Nikola Topic (testicular cancer treatment) sidelined.
Lasting 28:25 and connecting 10/15 from the field, Turkey’s Alperen Sengun combined his 27 points with five assists, four rebounds and a steal, helping the Houston Rockets prevail, 129-101, on the Utah Jazz at the Delta Center. Swiss reserve Clint Capela had six points, three rebounds, two blocks and a steal. Three European starters on the wrong side, all producing double-digit scores, with Finland’s Lauri Markkanen with 18 points, Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic with 14 points and Ukraine’s Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk with 11 points.
At Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks mastered the Toronto Raptors116-94, overcoming the latest absence of British OG Anunoby (left hamstring strain). Frenchman Guerschon Yabusele scored seven points, but German Ariel Hukporti, Frenchman Mohamed Diawara and British Tosan Evbuomwan did not score, and Frenchman Pacome Dadiet was reduced to the G League with Westchester. Knicks. For the team coached by Serbian Darko Rajakovic, Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili reached nine points, but Austrian Jakob Poeltl (lower back injury management) was absent.
A 42-point performance from Payton Pritchard and a triple-double from Jaylen Brown as the Boston Celtics held on for a 117-115 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Rocket Arena. Spaniard Hugo Gonzalez put together an incredible play for his three points, and Great Britain’s Amari Williams recorded six fruitless minutes. However, Portugal’s Neemias Queta (managing a sprained left ankle) was sidelined, while Bosnian Luka Garza and Ukrainian Max Shulga remained on the bench.
Meanwhile, the Memphis Grizzlies beat the Kings of Sacramento115-107, at Golden 1 Center, Spaniard Santi Aldama scoring seven points for the team coached by Finn Tuomas Iisalo. In contrast, Frenchman Maxime Raynaud scored nine points, but Croatian Dario Saric did not play, and German Dennis Schroder (right hip flexor sprain) and Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis (partial tear of left knee meniscus) remained on the injured list.
Without the Latvian Kristaps Porzingis (illness), the Atlanta Falcons won in double overtime, 142-134, against the Philadelphia 76ers in the Xfinity mobile arena. Frenchman Zaccharie Risacher scored 12 points and Czech Vit Krejci added five, but Serbian Nikola Djurisic and Spaniard Eli Ndiaye were on mission with the College Park Skyhawks. For the SixersTurkey’s Adem Bona collected four points.
Italian Donte DiVincenzo scored 18 points for the Minnesota Timberwolves in a victory, 125-112, against the San Antonio Spurs in the target center. His fellow starter, Frenchman Rudy Gobert, finished with eight points, and Frenchman Joan Beringer did not play. For the visitors, Pole Jeremy Sochan scored two points and Frenchman Victor Wembanyama (left calf strain) remained absent.
Sunday results
Utah Jazz – Houston Rockets 101-129
Cleveland Cavaliers – Boston Celtics 115-117
New York Knicks – Toronto Raptors 116-94
Philadelphia 76ers – Atlanta Falcons 134-142 2OT (126-126, 115-115)
Portland Trail Blazers – Oklahoma City Thunder 115-123
Minnesota Timberwolves – San Antonio Spurs 125-112
Kings of Sacramento – Memphis Grizzlies 107-115
Los Angeles Lakers – New Orleans Pelicans 133-121
Ranking
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 16-4
2. New York Knicks 13-6
3. Toronto Raptors 14-7
4. Miami Heat 13-7
5. Atlanta Falcons 13-8
6. Magic of Orlando 12-8
7. Cleveland Cavaliers 12-9
8. Boston Celtics 11-9
9. Philadelphia 76ers 10-9
10. Chicago Bulls 9-10
11. Milwaukee Bucks 9-12
12. Charlotte Frelons 6-14
13. Indiana Pacers 4-16
14. Brooklyn fillets 3-16
15. Wizards of Washington 2-16
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 20-1
2. Los Angeles Lakers 15-4
3. Houston Rockets 13-4
4. Denver Nuggets 14-17
5. San Antonio Spurs 13-6
6. Minnesota Wolves 12-8
7. Phoenix Suns 12-9
8. Warriors of the Golden State 11-10
9. Memphis Grizzlies 9-12
10. Portland Trail Blazers 8-12
11. Utah Jazz 6-13
12. Dallas Mavericks 6-15
13. Los Angeles Clippers 5-15
14. Kings of Sacramento 5-16
15. New Orleans Pelicans 3-18
-The top 6 teams in each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth in each conference advance to the Play-Ins
