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Kevin Durant scored 34 points, leading the Phoenix Suns in an impressive comeback from a 23-point deficit to secure a 119-117 victory over the Los Angeles Clippers at PHX Arena.
This late-game surge overshadowed Ivica Zubac’s career-best performance, where he tallied 35 points on Tuesday. The 27-year-old Croatian center outdid his previous high of 32 points against the Denver Nuggets in 2022, converting 15 of his 19 two-point attempts and 5 of 6 from the charity stripe in nearly 37 minutes of play. Despite contributing ten points in the final quarter, his efforts were not enough to maintain the lead. He also recorded a double-double with ten rebounds and added three assists, a block, and a steal to his tally.
In the starting role under head coach Tyronn Lue, Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 13 points, making 5 of 7 shots from the field, including three three-pointers. He logged close to 37 minutes on the court, with four rebounds and three assists to his name. French player Nicolas Batum contributed with three points, three rebounds, and two assists, while Vasilije Micic from Serbia did not leave the bench for the Suns.
At the Target Center, the Minnesota Timberwolves managed to win against the Philadelphia 76ers, 126-112, despite the absence of Frenchman Rudy Gobert (who is managing a low back injury). Jesse Edwards from the Netherlands recorded his first career assist in just three minutes of play, while Bosnian Luka Garza had one turnover during his short stint. On the other side, Frenchman Guerschon Yabusele delivered an impressive 18 points, seven rebounds, and two steals, and Turkish Adem Bona contributed with one point, a steal, an assist, and a rebound.
The San Antonio Spurs, playing without French Victor Wembanyama (diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right shoulder), defeated the Brooklyn Nets 127-113 at Frost Bank Center, thanks to a career-high 37 points from 24-year-old Devin Vassell. Polish player Jeremy Sochan added two points, three assists, two rebounds, and a block, while Georgian Sandro Mamukelashvili had one rebound. British player Tosan Evbuomwan did not participate under the guidance of Spanish coach Jordi Fernandez.
Meanwhile, British O.G. Anunoby scored a game-leading 29 points, along with three rebounds and three assists, but it wasn’t enough as the New York Knicks lost 114-102 to the Golden State Warriors at Madison Square Garden. French player Pacome Dadiet did not see any action, and German Ariel Hukporti was sidelined due to left knee surgery. Dutch Quinten Post managed to contribute three points, three rebounds, and a block for the Warriors.
Final scores included: Indiana Pacers defeating the Houston Rockets 115-102, Orlando Magic falling to the Toronto Raptors 113-114, Atlanta Hawks losing to the Milwaukee Bucks 121-127, New York Knicks faced the Golden State Warriors 102-114, Chicago Bulls lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers 117-139, Minnesota Timberwolves overcoming the Philadelphia 76ers 126-112, San Antonio Spurs beating the Brooklyn Nets 127-113, Phoenix Suns edging out the Los Angeles Clippers 119-117, and Los Angeles Lakers convincingly winning over the New Orleans Pelicans 136-115.
Standings show the Cleveland Cavaliers leading at 51-10, followed by the Boston Celtics at 43-18, New York Knicks at 40-21, Milwaukee Bucks at 35-25, Indiana Pacers at 35-25, and Detroit Pistons at 35-27. The Miami Heat are at 29-31, Orlando Magic at 29-34, and Atlanta Hawks at 28-34.
In the Western Conference, the Oklahoma City Thunder sit at the top with a record of 50-11, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers at 39-21, Denver Nuggets at 39-22, Memphis Grizzlies at 38-23, Houston Rockets at 37-25, and Golden State Warriors at 34-28. The Minnesota Timberwolves are also at 34-29, Sacramento Kings at 32-28, and Los Angeles Clippers at 32-29.
– The top six teams from each conference secure a playoff spot, while teams ranked seventh to tenth advance to the Play-In round.
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