By Johnny Askounis/ [email protected]
Reuniting in the fourth quarter, the Portland Trail Blazers beat the Houston Rockets111-105, at the Moda Center, spoiling Kevin Durant’s rise to seventh place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list against Wilt Chamberlain on Friday. Belgian Toumani Camara recorded a personal best in the championship with 25 points on 9/16 field goals, including five three-pointers. Israeli Deni Avdija finished with 20 points. His fellow starter, Frenchman Sidy Cissoko, added 13 more points behind 4/4 of the field. French reserve Rayan Rupert settled for two points. Durant ended up with a double-double of 30 points and 12 rebounds on the wrong side, with Switzerland’s Clint Capela held to 11 scoreless minutes and Turkey’s Alperen Sengun (sprained right ankle) on the injured list.
Five three-pointers en route to a 19-point display by Russia’s Egor Demin fell in a Brooklyn fillets defeat, 121-105, against the Los Angeles Clippers at the Barclays Center. Coming off the bench, Israeli Danny Wolf dropped 11 points and Frenchman Nolan Traoré added five points to Spanish head coach Jordi Fernandez. On the other hand, the Israeli Ben Saraf (left knee pain) was not available. Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic (managing a left hamstring injury) remained sidelined for the team coached by Tyronn Lue, with Croatian starter Ivica Zubac and French reserve Nicolas Batum with five points each, and Switzerland’s Yanic Konan Niederhauser without a point.
While Stephen Curry had a double-double of 27 points and 10 assists, fellow Dutch starter Quinten Post scored 11 points for the game. Warriors of the Golden State in an eruption, 137-103, on the Kings of Sacramento at the Chase Center. The second Dutch player on Steve Kerr’s team, Malevy Leonons, remained in the G League with Santa Cruz. Warriors. Without the Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis (partial tear of the meniscus of the left knee), the Kings They were German Dennis Schroder with 15 points coming off the bench and French starter Maxime Raynaud with eight points, but Croatian Dario Saric did not enter the field.
Elsewhere during the 2025-26 regular season, Serbian Tristan Vukcevic reached 15 points and blocked five shots, but the Wizards of Washington lost, 128-107, to New Orleans Pelicans in the Capital One Arena. “People keep talking about my defense, but I think I’ve shown flashes and glimpses of improvement and just understanding when to be, where to be,” the 22-year-old said in a post-match press conference. French starters, Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly, finished with 14 and eight points respectively. On the winning side, Croatian Karlo Matkovic scored two points.
Portugal’s Neemias Queta scored ten points, and European reserves Bosnian Luka Garza and Spaniard Hugo Gonzalez scored six and five points, helping the Boston Celtics at the top of the Toronto Raptors125-117, in TD Garden. The Ukrainian Max Shulga and the British Amari Williams remained with the Maine subsidiary Celtics. For the team coached by Serbian Darko Rajakovic, Austrian Jakob Poeltl (lower back sprain) remained on the sidelines, but Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 15 entry points.
With Serbian Nikola Jokic (left knee bruise) and Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas (right calf sprain) among several players missing, the Denver Nuggets fell, 110-87, to the Atlanta Falcons in the ball arena. The visitors excluded Latvian Kristaps Porzingis (left Achilles tendonitis) and Frenchman Zaccharie Risacher (left knee inflammation), and Serbian Nikola Djurisic remained on assignment with the College Park Skyhawks, with Czech Vit Krejci starting but held to 0/8 shots and zero points.
Leaving for the Oklahoma City ThunderBelgian Ajay Mitchell contributed 23 points in a comeback victory, 117-116, against the Memphis Grizzlies in FedExForum. Frenchman Ousmane Dieng is back in action with three points, but Germany’s Isaiah Hartenstein (right soleus strain) and Serbia’s Nikola Topic (surgical testicle recovery) were absent alongside Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and others. For the team coached by Finnish Tuomas Iisalo, Spaniard Santi Aldama obtained 15 points.
British OG Anunoby had 15 points but missed two late free throws as the Phoenix Suns anticipated the New York Knicks112-107, in the mortgage correspondence center. Frenchman Mohamed Diawara recorded four unsuccessful minutes, Frenchman Pacôme Dadiet and German Ariel Hukporti did not play, and Frenchman Guerschon Yabusele (right quad contusion) was sidelined.
Friday results
Boston Celtics – Toronto Raptors 125-117
Magic of Orlando – Philadelphia 76ers 91-103
Wizards of Washington – New Orleans Pelicans 107-128
Brooklyn fillets – Los Angeles Clippers 105-121
Memphis Grizzlies – Oklahoma City Thunder 116-117
Denver Nuggets – Atlanta Falcons 87-110
Phoenix Suns – New York Knicks 112-107
Golden State Warriors – Sacramento Kings 137-103
Portland Trail Blazers – Houston Rockets 111-105
Los Angeles Lakers – Milwaukee Bucks 101-105
Ranking
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 28-9
2. Boston Celtics 24-13
3. New York Knicks 24-14
4. Toronto Raptors 23-16
5. Philadelphia 76ers 21-15
6. Miami Heat 20-17
7. Cleveland Cavaliers 21-18
8. Magic of Orlando 21-18
9. Atlanta Falcons 19-21
10. Chicago Bulls 17-20
11. Milwaukee Bucks 17-21
12. Charlotte Frelons 13-25
13. Brooklyn Tenderloins 11-24
14. Wizards of Washington 10-27
15. Indiana Pacers 7-31
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 32-7
2. San Antonio Spurs 26-11
3. Minnesota Timberwolves 25-13
4. Denver Nuggets 25-13
5. Los Angeles Lakers 23-13
6. Houston Rockets 22-13
7. Phoenix Suns 23-15
8. Golden State Warriors 21-18
9. Portland Trail Blazers 19-20
10. Memphis Grizzlies 16-22
11. Los Angeles Clippers 14-23
12. Dallas Mavericks 14-24
13. Utah Jazz 13-24
14. New Orleans Pelicans 9-31
15. Kings of Sacramento 8am-30am
-The top 6 teams in each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth in each conference advance to the Play-Ins
