By Johnny Askounis/ [email protected]
After missing three games of the 2025-26 NBA regular season due to lower back strain, Israeli Deni Avdija scored 15 points in the first quarter for a total of 30 points, along with eight rebounds, eight assists and a block, raising the score. Portland Trail Blazers on the Kings of Sacramento117-110, at the Golden 1 Center. “I felt strong physically. I’m still getting back into shape, finding my rhythm” said the 25-year-old striker in a post-match interview, after lasting almost 32 minutes. “The medical staff did a great job of really getting me ready and getting me back on the field. And the coaching staff, like I said, we’re very prepared, very well trained.”
“We had some stupid turnovers towards the end, but we stayed locked in and stayed connected. » summed up Belgian Toumani Camara after hitting 7/7 from the field en route to 17 points. Also starting for interim head coach Tiago Splitter, Frenchman Sidy Cissoko settled for eight points, while French reserve Rayan Rupert finished with four points. Leaving for the Kingsthe French Maxime Raynaud obtained six points, the Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis eight points and the German Dennis Schroder two points coming off the bench, but the Croatian Dario Saric remained outside the rotation of the team coached by Doug Christie.
In Sunday’s opener at London’s O2 Arena, Ja Morant resurfaced in the lineup and guided the Memphis Grizzlies to a 126-109 victory against the Magic of Orlando. Initially considered doubtful, Spaniard Santi Aldama started and lasted 25:10 for the team coached by Finn Tuomas Iisalo, totaling nine points. On the bad side, German holder Franz Wagner had 14 points, with European reserves ranging from Georgian Goga Bitadze’s nine points to Frenchman Noah Penda’s five points and Germany’s Tristan da Silva’s four points, with Germany’s Moritz Wagner (left knee injury management) absent.
Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic had a double-double of 17 points and 11 rebounds, and Lithuanian Matas Buzelis added 17 points. Chicago Bulls overcome the Brooklyn fillets124-102, at United Center, with Frenchwoman Noa Essengue (left shoulder surgery) sidelined. For the team coached by Spaniard Jordi Fernandez, Frenchman Nolan Traoré lost 16 points coming off the bench, while Israeli starters Danny Wolf and Russian Egor Demin have 14 and 11 points respectively, and Israeli Ben Saraf remains on his mission in the G League with affiliate Long Island. Nets.
Meanwhile, Kevin Durant passed Dirk Nowitzki for sixth place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list at the end of a game. Houston Rockets victory, 119-110, against the New Orleans Pelicans at the Toyota Center. He had 18 points, Jabari Smith Jr. scored a game-high 32 points and Turkey’s Alperen Sengun had 21 points, eight rebounds, five steals, four assists and a block. Swiss substitute Clint Capela did not play for Ime Udoka’s team. On the bad side, Croatian Karlo Matkovic reached five points.
Frenchman Tidjane Salaun had a double-double of 13 points and 11 rebounds, and French starter Moussa Diabate added four points with a right hamstring strain for the game. Charlotte Frelons in a victory, 110-87, against the Denver Nuggets in the ball arena. Serbian Nikola Jokic (left knee bruise) and Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas (right calf strain) were unavailable for the hosts.
Sunday results
Memphis Grizzlies – Magic of Orlando 126-109
Chicago Bulls – Brooklyn Nets 124-102
Houston Rockets – New Orleans Pelicans 119-110
Denver Nuggets – Charlotte Frelons 87-110
Kings of Sacramento – Portland Trail Blazers 110-117
Los Angeles Lakers – Toronto Raptors 110-93
Ranking
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 30-10
2. Boston Celtics 26-15
3. New York Knicks 25-17
4. Toronto Raptors 25-19
5. Cleveland Cavaliers 24-19
6. Philadelphia 76ers 22-18
7. Magic of Orlando 23-19
8. Miami Heat 22-20
9. Chicago Bulls 20-22
10. Atlanta Falcons 20-24
11. Milwaukee Bucks 17-24
12. Charlotte Hornets 16-27
13. Brooklyn Tenderloins 12-28
14. Wizards of Washington 10-31
15. Indiana Pacers 10-33
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 35-8
2. San Antonio Spurs 29-13
3. Denver Nuggets 29-14
4. Minnesota Timberwolves 27-16
5. Houston Rockets 25-15
6. Los Angeles Lakers 25-16
7. Phoenix Suns 25-17
8. Warriors of the Golden State 24-19
9. Portland Trail Blazers 22-22
10. Los Angeles Clippers 18-23
11. Memphis Grizzlies 18-23
12. Dallas Mavericks 17-26
13. Utah Jazz 14-28
14. Kings of Sacramento 12-31
15. New Orleans Pelicans 10-35
-The top 6 teams in each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth in each conference advance to the Play-Ins
