By Johnny Askounis/ [email protected]
After missing the previous six games of the 2025-26 NBA regular season due to a lower back injury, Israeli Deni Avdija scored 18 points on 6/16 baskets, eight assists, five rebounds and three blocks in 25 minutes, pushing the Portland Trail Blazers to a 131-111 victory against the Indiana Pacers at the Moda Center on Sunday. “I was just focusing on not having back pain and being kind of fluid in my game,” he noted in a post-match interview. His fellow starter, Belgian Toumani Camara, grabbed 11 rebounds with seven points, while Czech Vit Krejci also scored seven points and Frenchman Sidy Cissoko remained scoreless. Among the visitors, Croatian Ivica Zubac (sprained left ankle) was absent.
With Greek superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo (right calf injury management) out for the second straight half, the Milwaukee Bucks rendered, 130-91, at Magic of Orlando in the Fiserv forum. His brothers ranged from Thanasis recording four points to Alex staying with the Wisconsin Herd, while French starter Ousmane Dieng was held to two points. Returning to the Magic’s starting lineup, Germany’s Tristan da Silva scored five points, with European reserve options including France’s Noah Penda at eight, Georgia’s Goga Bitadze at seven and Germany’s Moritz Wagner at three, but the latter’s brother Franz (dealing with a high left ankle injury) remained sidelined.
Russell Westbrook had his 208th career triple-double and French starter Maxime Raynaud had a double-double of 26 points and 11 rebounds with three blocks, two assists and a steal. Kings of Sacramento overcome the Chicago Bulls126-110, at the Golden Center 1. Frenchman Killian Hayes added two points with Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis (left knee meniscus repair) to the injury report. Returning from a sprained ankle for the BullsLithuanian Matas Buzelis recorded a team-high 20 points, while fellow starter Frenchman Guerschon Yabusele scored four, and Frenchwoman Noa Essengue (left shoulder surgery) remained out.
Portuguese starter Neemias Queta had four points and 11 rebounds. Boston Celtics overcome the Cleveland Cavaliers109-98, at Rocket Arena. Bosnian Luka Garza scored seven points, but Spaniard Hugo Gonzalez did not score, Great Britain’s Amari Williams did not play, Ukrainian Max Shulga was out of the lineup and Montenegro’s Nikola Vucevic (fractured right ring finger) was on the injured list. For the Wine merchantsGerman Dennis Schroder got two points, but Dutchman Tristan Enaruna remained on the bench and Frenchman Olivier Sarr was reduced to the G League.
Lithuanian Kasparas Jakucionis reached 12 points and Swedish starter Pelle Larsson contributed ten for the match. Miami Heat in a 121-110 victory against the Detroit Pistons at the Kaseya Center. Russian Vladislav Goldin was limited to a brief scoreless performance, with Italian Simone Fontecchio (left groin strain) and Serbian Nikola Jovic (managing a lower back injury) still absent. On the wrong side, Swede Bobi Klintman scored three points.
Austrian starter Jakob Poeltl made 8/9 baskets en route to a double-double of 16 points and 10 rebounds, and Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili added 13 points for the game. Toronto Raptors as Serbian head coach Darko Rajakovic led the Canadian franchise to a 122-92 victory over the Dallas Mavericks at the Scotiabank Arena. On the other side, the Greek John Poulakidas was with the Texas Legends.
Returning from a hamstring injury, Frenchman Alex Sarr scored seven points in 18 minutes, while fellow French starter Bilal Coulibaly had five points while the Frenchman started. Wizards of Washington lost, 138-118, against New Orleans Pelicans at the Smoothie King Center. However, Serbian Tristan Vukcevic (left thigh contusion) remained absent. On the winning side, Croatian Karlo Matkovic scored five points.
Finally, the Phoenix Suns removed the Charlotte Frelons111-99, in the mortgage correspondence center. On the losing side, French starter Moussa Diabaté was held to two points, while French teammate Tidjane Salaun (left calf strain) remained on the injury report, and Britain’s Tosan Evbuomwan remained with the Greensboro Swarm.
Sunday results
Cleveland Cavaliers – Boston Celtics 98-109
Los Angeles Lakers – New York Knicks 110-97
Miami Heat – Detroit Pistons 121-110
Toronto Raptors – Dallas Mavericks 122-92
New Orleans Pelicans – Wizards of Washington 138-118
Milwaukee Bucks – Magic of Orlando 91-130
San Antonio Spurs – Houston Rockets 145-120
Portland Trail Blazers – Indiana Pacers 131-111
Kings of Sacramento -The Chicago Bulls 126-110
Phoenix Suns – Charlotte Frelons 111-99
Ranking
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 45-18
2. Boston Celtics 43-21
3. New York Knicks 41-24
4. Cleveland Cavaliers 39-25
5. Toronto Raptors 36-27
6. The magic of Orlando 35-28
7. Miami Heat 36-29
8. Philadelphia 76ers 34-29
9. Atlanta Falcons 33-31
10. Charlotte Hornets 32-33
11. Milwaukee Bucks 27-36
12. Chicago Bulls 26-38
13. Brooklyn fillets 16-47
14. Wizards of Washington 16-47
15. Indiana Pacers 15-49
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 50-15
2. San Antonio Spurs 47-17
3. Minnesota Timberwolves 40-24
4. Houston Rockets 39-24
5. Denver Nuggets 39-25
6. Los Angeles Lakers 39-25
7. Phoenix Suns 37-27
8. Warriors of the Golden State 32-31
9. Los Angeles Clippers 31-32
10. Portland Trail Blazers 31-34
11. Memphis Grizzlies 23-39
12. Dallas Mavericks 21-43
13. New Orleans Pelicans 21-45
14. Utah Jazz 19-45
15. Kings of Sacramento 15-50
-The top 6 teams in each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth in each conference advance to the Play-Ins
