By Johnny Askounis/ [email protected]
With the Spaniard Santi Aldama leading the way, the Memphis Grizzlies overcome the Portland Trail Blazers119-96, in FedExForum. The 24-year-old Spanish forward/center recorded a game-high 22 points with 7/11 baskets, seven rebounds, two steals and an assist, lasting just over 28 minutes off the bench and helping Finnish head coach Tuomas Iisalo prevail over Tiago Splitter in a clash between the two previous Parisian players. Starting for the visitors, Israeli Deni Avdija totaled 17 points plus seven assists, seven rebounds, three steals and one block, Belgian Toumani Camara had 13 points, six rebounds, three steals and one rebound, and Frenchman Sidy Cissoko finished with six points, four rebounds and one block, but French reserve Rayan Rupert was limited to one rebound in ten minutes.
Earlier at Madison Square Garden, Germany’s Franz Wagner was forced into an early withdrawal due to injury. after collecting seven points in seven minutes, and the Magic of Orlando lost, 106-100, to the New York Knicks. Frenchman Noah Penda and Georgian Goga Bitadze scored two points each, but German Tristan da Silva did not score and German Moritz Wagner (recovering from a left knee injury) remained on the sidelines. For the Knicksthe British OG Anunoby scored 21 points, the Frenchman Guerschon Yabusele and the German Ariel Hukporti adding eight and six points, but the Frenchman Mohamed Diawara and the British Tosan Evbuomwan did not enter the picture, and the Frenchman Pacome Dadiet was on assignment with the Westchester Knicks.
Dutch starter Quinten Post scored 19 points behind 7/14 baskets, including five three-pointers, while the Warriors of the Golden State added to the losing streak of Chicago Bulls with a 123-91 victory at United Center. “I’ve definitely had some struggles throughout the start of the season, so seeing the ball go in feels really good,” » commented the 25-year-old center during a post-match press conference. For the hosts, Lithuanian Matas Buzelis had 19 points, Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic stopped at nine points and Frenchman Noa Essengue (left shoulder contusion) was absent.
Serbian head coach Darko Rajakovic and the Toronto Raptors did not succeed against Boston Celtics with a 121-113 loss at Scotiabank Arena. The Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili and the Austrian Jakob Poeltl finished with 14 and 10 points respectively. Portugal’s Neemias Queta had a double-double of 11 points and 11 rebounds for the winning side, Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez five points, but Bosnian Luka Garza did not play, and Ukraine’s Max Shulga and Britain’s Amari Williams were limited to G League action with Maine. Celtics on Sunday.
Up 23-1 with a 15th straight victory in the 2025-26 NBA regular season, the Oklahoma City Thunder shook the Utah Jazz131-101, at the Delta Center. Frenchman Ousmane Dieng contributed 14 points and Belgian Ajay Mitchell seven points, but German Isaiah Hartenstein (right soleus strain) and Serbian Nikola Topic (testicular cancer treatment) remained on the sidelines. On the bad side, Finland’s Lauri Markkanen (illness) was ruled out, but his European compatriots, Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic and Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk, scored seven and six points.
Sunday results
New York Knicks – Magic of Orlando 106-100
Toronto Raptors – Boston Celtics 113-121
Charlotte Frelons – Denver Nuggets 106-115
Memphis Grizzlies – Portland Trail Blazers 119-96
Chicago Bulls – Warriors of the Golden State 91-123
Philadelphia 76ers – Los Angeles Lakers 108-112
Utah Jazz – Oklahoma City Thunder 101-131
Ranking
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 19-5
2. New York Knicks 16-7
3. Boston Celtics 15-9
4. Toronto Raptors 15-10
5. The magic of Orlando 14-10
6. Miami Heat 14-10
7. Philadelphia 76ers 13-10
8. Cleveland Cavaliers 14-11
9. Atlanta Falcons 14-11
10. Milwaukee Bucks 10-16
11. Chicago Bulls 9-14
12. Charlotte Frelons 7-17
13. Brooklyn fillets 6-17
14. Indiana Pacers 5-18
15. Wizards of Washington 3-19
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 23-1
2. Denver Nuggets 17-6
3. Los Angeles Lakers 17-6
4. Houston Rockets 15-6
5. San Antonio Spurs 15-7
6. Minnesota Timberwolves 15-8
7. Phoenix Suns 13-10
8. Golden State Warriors 13-12
9. Memphis Grizzlies 11-13
10. Portland Trail Blazers 9-15
11. Dallas Mavericks 9-16
12. Utah Jazz 8-15
13. Kings of Sacramento 6-17
14. Los Angeles Clippers 6-18
15. New Orleans Pelicans 3-21
-The top 6 teams in each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth in each conference advance to the Play-Ins
