By Johnny Askounis/ [email protected]
Circumventing a 25-point display from Britain’s OG Anunoby, the Warriors of the Golden State beat the New York Knicks126-113, at Chase Center. With Jimmy Butler III and Stephen Curry combining for 59 points, Dutch starter Quinten Post scored five points, but fellow Dutchman Malevy Leon remained with G League affiliate Santa Cruz. Warriors. Beyond Anunoby who scored 10/20 on the field with four rebounds, an interception and an assist, coming off the bench of the team coached by Mike Brown, the French Pacome Dadiet got two points, the German Ariel Hukporti one point and the French Guerschon Yabusele and Mohamed Diawara did not score.
Without Israeli Deni Avdija (lower back pain) for a second consecutive game of the 2025-26 NBA regular season, the Portland Trail Blazers overcome the Atlanta Falcons117-101, at the Moda Center. The remaining European starters, Belgian Toumani Camara and Frenchman Sidy Cissoko, collected 11 and six points respectively, while French reserve Rayan Rupert scored 13 points. Among the visitors, Czech Vit Krejci had eight points, but Frenchman Zaccharie Risacher (left knee bone contusion) and Latvian Kristaps Porzingis (left Achilles tendonitis) remained sidelined, with Serbian Nikola Djurisic assigned to the College Park Skyhawks.
Belgian Ajay Mitchell collected 17 bench points with the Oklahoma City Thunder predominant, 111-91, on the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center. Frenchman Ousmane Dieng remained scoreless in a brief performance, along with German Isaiah Hartenstein (right soleus strain) and Serbian Nikola Topic (recovering from testicular surgery). On the bad side, Turkey’s Alperen Sengun had a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds, but Switzerland’s Clint Capela did not play.
In a comeback winning streak spanning two continents on Thursday, the Boston Celtics came from a 19-point deficit to overcome the Miami Heat119-114, at Kaseya center. Portuguese starter Neemias Queta had nine points, with Bosnian Luka Garza reaching 11 points and Spaniard Hugo Gonzalez two points, but Ukrainian Max Shulga and Briton Amari Williams did not enter the rotation.
Playing through an injured left middle finger and starting for the Heatthe Swede Pelle Larsson obtained seven points. Coming off the bench, Lithuanian Kasparas Jakucionis has 12 points. Serbian Nikola Jovic overcame a sore right knee with a three-point performance, matching that of his fellow reserve, Italian Simone Fontecchio. On the other hand, the Russian Vladislav Goldin remained in the Sioux Falls Skyforce.
Following Commissioner Adam Silver’s press conference, largely focused on the NBA Europe project, THE Magic of Orlando fought their way out of a 20-point hole to defeat the Memphis Grizzlies118-111, in the Uber Arena in Berlin. Returning from a long period of absence due to an ankle injury, Germany’s Franz Wagner contributed 18 points.
Among the European reserves, his brother Moritz added seven points, fellow German Tristan Da Silva eight points, Frenchman Noah Penda nine points and Georgian Goga Bitadze five points. For the team coached by the Finn Tuomas Iisalo, the Spaniard Santi Aldama reached 18 points with his country and Grizzlies legend, Marc Gasol, present.
Coming back from a 16-point deficit, the Detroit Pistons beat the Phoenix Suns108-105, at Little Caesars Arena. The only European option on both sides, Swede Bobi Klintman, remained with the Pistons‘ minor team, Motor City Cruise.
At the American Airlines Center, the Dallas Mavericks mastered the Utah Jazz144-122. The visitors ruled out Finland’s Lauri Markkanen (illness) for a second straight game, with Ukraine’s Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk and Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic left out of the rotation.
Thursday results
Magic of Orlando – Memphis Grizzlies 118-111
Detroit Pistons – Phoenix Suns 108-105
Miami Heat – Boston Celtics 114-119
Houston Rockets – Oklahoma City Thunder 91-111
San Antonio Spurs – Milwaukee Bucks 119-101
Dallas Mavericks – Utah Jazz 144-122
Portland Trail Blazers – Atlanta Falcons 117-101
Golden State Warriors – New York Knicks 126-113
Los Angeles Lakers – Charlotte Frelons 117-135
Ranking
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 29-10
2. Boston Celtics 25-15
3. New York Knicks 25-16
4. Toronto Raptors 25-17
5. Philadelphia 76ers 22-17
6. The magic of Orlando 23-18
7. Cleveland Cavaliers 23-19
8. Miami Heat 21-20
9. Chicago Bulls 19-21
10. Atlanta Falcons 20-23
11. Milwaukee Bucks 17-24
12. Charlotte Frelons 15-26
13. Brooklyn fillets 11-27
14. Wizards of Washington 10-29
15. Indiana Pacers 9-32
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 35-7
2. Denver Nuggets 28-13
3. San Antonio Spurs 28-13
4. Minnesota Timberwolves 27-14
5. Los Angeles Lakers 24-15
6. Houston Rockets 23-15
7. Phoenix Suns 24-17
8. Golden State Warriors 23-19
9. Portland Trail Blazers 20-22
10. Los Angeles Clippers 17-23
11. Memphis Grizzlies 17-23
12. Dallas Mavericks 16-26
13. Utah Jazz 14-27
14. Kings of Sacramento 11-30
15. New Orleans Pelicans 10-33
-The top 6 teams in each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth in each conference advance to the Play-Ins
