By Johnny Askounis/ [email protected]
Anthony Edwards scored 44 points, including a game-tying basket to force overtime, and the Minnesota Timberwolves survived the New Orleans Pelicans149-142, at the Smoothie King Center on Tuesday.
Similar to his teammate, Frenchman Rudy Gobert scored a new personal best in the 2025-26 NBA regular season with 26 points, including eight behind 4/4 two-pointers in the five overtime minutes. Thirteen rebounds fashioned a double-double with two assists, a block and a steal in 38:03.
“It’s about us. It’s just our mindset. It’s not about not being able to defend. We have great defenders on this team. It’s just about having the mindset to go out there, compete with ourselves, and not look at the team record. None of that matters. In the NBA, everyone is talented. Almost every guy can give you 30 on a given night, if you let them take it trust”, » said the 33-year-old center about the team’s defense.
“If we do that, we will be rewarded. We will still make mistakes. It’s part of the game. But that’s what we have to be. It’s a championship mindset that we have to have,” the four-time Defensive Player of the Year continued during a postgame media session.
His fellow starter, Italian Donte DiVincenzo, had 15 points, but Frenchman Joan Beringer did not enter the field. For the hosts, Croatian Karlo Matkovic (right calf) remained sidelined.
Avdija falls in Toronto
Overcoming a near triple-double from Deni Avdija, the Toronto Raptors held on to beat the Portland Trail Blazers121-118, at the Scotiabank Arena. The Israeli forward finished with 25 points, 14 assists and eight rebounds, Belgium’s Toumani Camara stringing together six triples en route to 21 points, and fellow starter Frenchman Sidy Cissoko with three points, but French reserve Rayan Rupert was limited to five quiet minutes. For the team coached by Serbian Darko Rajakovic, Austrian Jakob Poeltl scored 11 points and Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili added six.
Behind Jaylen Brown’s 42 points, the Boston Celtics defeated the New York Knicks123-117, in TD Garden. Portugal’s Neemias Queta returned from managing a sprained left ankle with eight points, and Spain’s Hugo Gonzalez added four points, but Britain’s Amari Williams was limited to six seconds, Bosnian Luka Garza remained on the bench and Ukraine’s Max Shulga did not play.
For the team coached by Mike Brown, Frenchman Guerschon Yabusele scored a point in just under eight minutes. Frenchman Mohamed Diawara played only seven seconds, Frenchman Pacome Dadiet and German Ariel Hukporti did not check in, Britain’s Tosan Evbuomwan was left out of the lineup and Britain’s OG Anunoby (left hamstring strain) remained on the injured list.
Thunder survives
Without Stephen Curry, injured and with the departure of Jimmy Butler III due to left knee pain, the Warriors of the Golden State came back from a 22-point deficit, but the Oklahoma City Thunder recovered for a 124-112 victory at Chase Center. Belgian Ajay Mitchell started and scored ten points, but Frenchman Ousmane Dieng did not play, with German Isaiah Hartenstein (right soleus strain) and Serbian Nikola Topic (testicular cancer treatment) unavailable. On the bad side, the Dutchman Quinten Post scored three points coming off the bench.
Turkey’s Adem Bona scored four points for the Philadelphia 76ers in a victory, 121-102, against the Wizards of Washington in the Xfinity mobile arena. On the losing side, Serbian Tristan Vukcevic had 16 points coming off the bench, while French starter Bilal Coulibaly scored two points. His French compatriot Alex Sarr (right adductor pain) remained absent.
Improving to 6-2 without Frenchman Victor Wembanyama (left calf strain) in recent matches, the San Antonio Spurs mastered the Memphis Grizzlies126-119, at Frost Bank Center. Polish reserve Jeremy Sochan scored 11 points. In the team coached by the Finn Tuomas Iisalo, the Spaniard Santi Aldama totaled four points.
Tuesday results
Philadelphia 76ers – Wizards of Washington 121-102
Toronto Raptors – Portland Trail Blazers 121-118
Boston Celtics – New York Knicks 123-117
New Orleans Pelicans – Minnesota Timberwolves 142-149 overtime (129-129)
San Antonio Spurs – Memphis Grizzlies 126-119
Warriors of the Golden State – Oklahoma City Thunder 112-124
Ranking
Eastern Conference
1. Detroit Pistons 17-4
2. Toronto Raptors 15-7
3. Miami Heat 14-7
4. New York Knicks 13-7
5. Magic of Orlando 13-8
6. Cleveland Cavaliers 13-9
7. Atlanta Falcons 13-9
8. Boston Celtics 12-9
9. Philadelphia 76ers 11-9
10. Chicago Bulls 9-11
11. Milwaukee Bucks 9-13
12. Charlotte Frelons 6-15
13. Brooklyn fillets 4-16
14. Indiana Pacers 4-17
15. Wizards of Washington 3-17
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 21-1
2. Los Angeles Lakers 15-5
3. Houston Rockets 13-5
4. Denver Nuggets 14-6
5. San Antonio Spurs 14-6
6. Minnesota Wolves 13-8
7. Phoenix Suns 13-9
8. Golden State Warriors 11-11
9. Memphis Grizzlies 9-13
10. Portland Trail Blazers 8-13
11. Utah Jazz 7-13
12. Dallas Mavericks 7-15
13. Los Angeles Clippers 5-16
14. Kings of Sacramento 5-16
15. New Orleans Pelicans 3-19
-The top 6 teams in each conference advance directly to the Playoffs
-Teams seventh through tenth in each conference advance to the Play-Ins
