Headline: Lonnie Walker IV and Adem Bona Shine with Double-Doubles in 76ers Narrow Victory Over Jazz

In a swift return to the NBA after playing with Zalgiris, Lonnie Walker IV contributed a notable double-double of 25 points and 11 rebounds for the Philadelphia 76ers, helping them secure a 126-122 victory over the Utah Jazz at Wells Fargo Center.

“I was in Europe,” said the former Miami NCAA star, mentioning his time spent competing in the Turkish Airlines EuroLeague and Lithuania’s Betsafe LKL before rejoining the NBA and signing with the Sixers in late February. “I was just trying to find my rhythm, and adjusting to the time zones was quite the challenge. It really took a toll on me in the first few days.”

“Let’s not misrepresent it; the EuroLeague is an incredible league. The enthusiasm and the style of play over there are absolutely magnificent, something that’s truly special. I always carry a sense of gratitude for the chance to return to the best league in the world and showcase my skills,” he expressed during a postgame press conference on Sunday.

In addition to Walker’s first double-double of his career, Turkish player Adem Bona, another reserve for head coach Nick Nurse, also had a strong performance with 14 points, 15 rebounds, and impressive defensive stats, including five blocks and two steals in 31 minutes. Meanwhile, French starter Guerschon Yabusele played only 11 minutes, managing two rebounds.

For the Jazz, coached by Will Hardy, Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk recorded one steal, one rebound, and one assist over 19 minutes of play. Finnish player Lauri Markkanen missed his eighth consecutive game for the 2024-25 NBA Regular Season due to managing a low back injury.

In other NBA Sunday action, the Los Angeles Clippers edged out the Sacramento Kings in a close overtime matchup, finishing 111-110 thanks to a last-second shot from Kawhi Leonard, marking the team’s third consecutive victory under Tyronn Lue’s leadership.

Croatian Ivica Zubac delivered an impressive double-double as well, with 22 points and 14 rebounds, adding two assists, one block, and one steal to his performance. French player Nicolas Batum contributed nine points, four rebounds, and one block, while Serbian Bogdan Bogdanovic recorded nine points, four assists, two rebounds, and one block.

With Domantas Sabonis (left hamstring strain) expected to remain sidelined, fellow Lithuanian Jonas Valanciunas continued as a starter, achieving nine points, 17 rebounds, seven assists, one block, and one steal.

Over at Moda Center, the Detroit Pistons triumphed over the Portland Trail Blazers, winning 119-112. German Dennis Schroder added 12 points along with four assists and four rebounds, while Italian Simone Fontecchio contributed five points, three rebounds, and two assists.

For Portland, Belgian Toumani Camara accumulated seven points, five assists, five rebounds, and two steals, while Israeli player Deni Avdija missed his second consecutive game due to a left quad contusion.

In other matchups, the Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Denver Nuggets 127-103, the Dallas Mavericks fell to the Phoenix Suns 116-125, the New Orleans Pelicans lost to the Memphis Grizzlies 104-107, and the Milwaukee Bucks were defeated by the Cleveland Cavaliers 100-112. The Minnesota Timberwolves beat the San Antonio Spurs 141-124, while the Portland Trail Blazers lost to the Detroit Pistons 112-119, and the Los Angeles Clippers narrowly beat the Sacramento Kings 111-110 in overtime (after a tie at 97-97).

**Current Standings:**
Eastern Conference:
1. Cleveland Cavaliers 54-10
2. Boston Celtics 46-18
3. New York Knicks 40-23
4. Milwaukee Bucks 36-27
5. Indiana Pacers 35-27
6. Detroit Pistons 36-29
7. Atlanta Hawks 30-34
8. Orlando Magic 30-35
9. Miami Heat 29-34
10. Chicago Bulls 26-38
11. Philadelphia 76ers 22-41
12. Brooklyn Nets 21-42
13. Toronto Raptors 21-43
14. Charlotte Hornets 15-48
15. Washington Wizards 13-49

Western Conference:
1. Oklahoma City Thunder 53-11
2. Los Angeles Lakers 40-22
3. Denver Nuggets 41-23
4. Memphis Grizzlies 40-24
5. Houston Rockets 39-25
6. Golden State Warriors 36-28
7. Minnesota Timberwolves 37-29
8. Los Angeles Clippers 35-29
9. Sacramento Kings 33-30
10. Dallas Mavericks 32-33
11. Phoenix Suns 30-34
12. Portland Trail Blazers 28-37
13. San Antonio Spurs 26-36
14. New Orleans Pelicans 17-48
15. Utah Jazz 15-49

– The top six teams from each conference secure a spot in the playoffs, while those ranked seventh to tenth compete in the Play-Ins.

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