By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Spoiling the return of German star Franz Wagner, the Portland Trail Blazers routed the Orlando Magic, 101-79, in Kia Center on Thursday.
Lasting 24 minutes after missing 20 games in the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season with a right oblique tear, Wagner tallied a team-high 20 points behind 9/19 field goals, besides recording four rebounds and one block. Coming off the bench, German Tristan da Silva had 16 points, five rebounds, two assists, and one steal. Georgian Goga Bitadze (concussion) and German Moritz Wagner (left knee surgery) remained sidelined.
Belgian Toumani Camara recovered from an illness and pushed the Blazers to a third straight win with 16 points, six rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and two steals. Fellow starter, Israeli Deni Avdija threw in 13 points, five assists, and five rebounds. French Rayan Rupert grabbed two rebounds.
Breaking out of a shooting slump, Bogdan Bogdanovic tucked in 8/12 from the field, including 3/5 triples, but his 23 points were not enough for Atlanta Hawks falling to fellow Serbian Darko Rajakovic and the Toronto Raptors, 122-119, in State Farm Arena. “Whatever you score it doesn’t matter,” he said focusing on a losing effort for his team, “It’s been like that my whole career. It’s never going to change anything.”
Bogdanovic tallied three rebounds and one block over 32 minutes. Czech Vit Krejci went for 13 points, two steals, two assists, and two rebounds. However, Swiss Clint Capela (right knee soreness) joined Zaccharie Risacher (left adductor strain) on the injury list. For the team coached by Rajakovic, Austrian Jakob Poeltl chipped in 17 points, nine rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and two steals.
Post scores 20, Porzingis, Zubac, Batum return
Setting his NBA-high at 20 points, Dutch Quinten Post was among the headliners in a win, 131-106, for the Golden State Warriors over the Chicago Bulls in Chase Center. In addition to 7/12 field goals, including five three-pointers, he chipped in five rebounds and three assists. German Dennis Schroder drove in 11 points, seven assists, and two rebounds. On the opposite side, Montenegrin Nikola Vucevic finished with nine points, six rebounds, four steals and four rebounds, while Lithuanian Matas Buzelis settled at three points and four rebounds.
After missing one game, Latvian Kristaps Porzingis (illness) scored a team-high 22 points, besides tallying seven rebounds and two assists, but the Boston Celtics lost, 117-96, to the Los Angeles Lakers in Crypto.com Arena. “I think we’re starting to play better, but we didn’t have a good night tonight. We had a back-to-back, that has to go into the equation,” he said. Portuguese teammate Neemias Queta registered six points, three assists, two steals, one block, and one rebound.
Returning to action, Ivica Zubac (left eye corneal abrasion) and Nicolas Batum (right finger soreness) helped the Los Angeles Clippers beat the Washington Wizards, 110-93, in Intuit Dome. The Croatian center threw in 11 points, nine rebounds and two assists, and the French forward went for three points, one steal, and one assist. James Harden netted his 79th career triple-double.
The French starters of the Wizards, Bilal Coulibaly packed 15 points alongside five rebounds, three steals and one assist, and Alex Sarr posted a 14-point, 10-rebound double-double plus two assists and one steal. Coming off the bench, Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas recorded a 12-point, 10-rebound double-double and one assist. Serbian Tristan Vukcevic had one rebound.
Thursday results
Indiana Pacers – San Antonio Spurs 110-140
Orlando Magic – Portland Trail Blazers 79-101
Atlanta Hawks – Toronto Raptors 119-122
Milwaukee Bucks – Miami Heat 125-96
Oklahoma City Thunder – Dallas Mavericks 115-121
Denver Nuggets – Sacramento Kings 132-123
Golden State Warriors – Chicago Bulls 131-106
Los Angeles Lakers – Boston Celtics 117-96
Los Angeles Clippers – Washington Wizards 110-93
Standings
Eastern Conference
1. Cleveland Cavaliers 36-7
2. Boston Celtics 31-14
3. New York Knicks 29-16
4. Milwaukee Bucks 25-17
5. Indiana Pacers 24-20
6. Detroit Pistons 23-21
7. Orlando Magic 23-23
8. Atlanta Hawks 22-22
9. Miami Heat 21-22
10. Chicago Bulls 19-26
11. Philadelphia 76ers 15-27
12. Brooklyn Nets 14-31
13. Charlotte Hornets 11-29
14. Toronto Raptors 12-32
15. Washington Wizards 6-37
Western Conference
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 36-8
2. Houston Rockets 29-14
3. Memphis Grizzlies 29-15
4. Denver Nuggets 28-16
5. Los Angeles Lakers 24-18
6. Los Angeles Clippers 25-19
7. Dallas Mavericks 24-21
8. Sacramento Kings 23-21
9. Minnesota Timberwolves 23-21
10. Phoenix Suns 22-21
11. Golden State Warriors 22-22
12. San Antonio Spurs 20-22
13. Portland Trail Blazers 16-28
14. New Orleans Pelicans 12-32
15. Utah Jazz 10-32
-The top six teams from each conference clinch a berth in the Playoffs
-Teams ranking seventh to tenth advance to the Play-Ins