Headline: Thunder Triumphs as Sabonis Faces Challenges and Jovics Status Shifts to Day-to-Day

In the final quarter, the Oklahoma City Thunder surged ahead to secure a 121-105 victory against the Sacramento Kings at Golden 1 Center, marking their 60th win of the 2024-25 NBA regular season.

Despite injuries sidelining French player Ousmane Dieng (left calf strain), Belgian Ajay Mitchell (right toe surgery), and Serbian Nikola Topic (left knee surgery), the Thunder’s remaining European representative, German Isaiah Hartenstein, managed to make an impact while playing through a nasal fracture with four points, ten rebounds, five assists, and two blocks across 27 minutes as the starting center. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the team with an impressive 32 points, securing the Thunder’s seventh consecutive win.

“It’s been a hectic month. I’m still working on my energy and conditioning while trying to find my rhythm again,” commented Lithuanian Domantas Sabonis regarding his recent injury woes and the formidable defense he faced on Tuesday. He concluded the game with eight points on 3-of-12 shooting, along with 12 rebounds, seven assists, one block, and one steal. His compatriot, Jonas Valanciunas, managed just two points, two rebounds, and one assist.

Serbian Nikola Jovic (right hand fracture) was cleared for play and listed as day-to-day, but he did not participate as the Miami Heat comfortably defeated the Golden State Warriors, 112-86, at Kaseya Center, aided by Jimmy Butler’s performance. In just three minutes, Swedish Pelle Larsson contributed five points, while Dutch Quinten Post, playing a reduced role for the Warriors, had three points, three assists, and one rebound.

In a game against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center, German Franz Wagner showcased his skills with 26 points, eight rebounds, and four assists to help the Orlando Magic secure a 111-104 victory. Georgian Goga Bitadze added two points, nine rebounds, and two assists, while German Tristan da Silva did not see action and Moritz Wagner (left knee surgery) remained out.

The team coached by Charles Lee saw three European players come off the bench. French Tidjane Salaun logged over 25 minutes with eight points and seven rebounds, while Bosnian Jusuf Nurkic recorded five points, five rebounds, three assists, and two blocks in under 20 minutes. Frenchman Moussa Diabate had a brief appearance totaling just eight seconds.

In Toyota Center, the Houston Rockets narrowly clinched a victory against the Atlanta Hawks, 121-114, despite having built a 25-point lead. Turkish Alperen Sengun contributed 18 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and one block, while Jalen Green stood out with a double-double of 32 points and 11 rebounds.

Maintaining his starting role for the Hawks, French Zaccharie Risacher scored 18 points, along with four rebounds and one assist, in 23 minutes. Czech Vit Krejci added five points, one block, one assist, and one rebound in nearly 12 minutes off the bench. Swiss player Clint Capela (left fourth metacarpal ligament sprain) was not in the lineup.

Spanish Santi Aldama started for the Memphis Grizzlies, amassing nine points, five rebounds, and three assists in a decisive 140-103 win against the Utah Jazz at Delta Center. Ukrainian Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk managed one rebound and one assist for the Jazz, while Finnish Lauri Markkanen missed his second consecutive game due to illness.

Tensions flared between Grizzlies teammates Desmond Bane and Santi Aldama during a timeout, showcasing the high stakes of their competitive spirit.

The Portland Trail Blazers faced defeat at home against the Eastern Conference-leading Cleveland Cavaliers, losing 122-111. Israeli Deni Avdija recorded a double-double with 17 points and 10 rebounds, complemented by six assists and one steal, while fellow starter Belgian Toumani Camara contributed 13 points, four rebounds, three steals, and one assist.

**Recent Game Results:**
– Charlotte Hornets 104 – 111 Orlando Magic
– Detroit Pistons 122 – 96 San Antonio Spurs
– Miami Heat 112 – 86 Golden State Warriors
– New York Knicks 128 – 113 Dallas Mavericks
– Houston Rockets 121 – 114 Atlanta Hawks
– Utah Jazz 103 – 140 Memphis Grizzlies
– Portland Trail Blazers 111 – 122 Cleveland Cavaliers
– Sacramento Kings 105 – 121 Oklahoma City Thunder

**Eastern Conference Standings:**
1. p-Cleveland Cavaliers 58-14
2. p-Boston Celtics 53-19
3. New York Knicks 45-26
4. Indiana Pacers 42-29
5. Milwaukee Bucks 40-31
6. Detroit Pistons 41-32
7. Atlanta Hawks 35-37
8. Orlando Magic 35-38
9. Chicago Bulls 32-40
10. Miami Heat 31-41
11. Toronto Raptors 25-47
12. Brooklyn Nets 23-49
13. Philadelphia 76ers 23-49
14. e-Charlotte Hornets 18-54
15. e-Washington Wizards 15-56

**Western Conference Standings:**
1. p-Oklahoma City Thunder 60-12
2. Houston Rockets 47-26
3. Denver Nuggets 45-28
4. Memphis Grizzlies 44-28
5. Los Angeles Lakers 43-28
6. Golden State Warriors 41-31
7. Los Angeles Clippers 40-31
8. Minnesota Timberwolves 41-32
9. Sacramento Kings 35-37
10. Phoenix Suns 35-37
11. Dallas Mavericks 35-38
12. Portland Trail Blazers 32-41
13. San Antonio Spurs 31-40
14. e-New Orleans Pelicans 20-53
15. e-Utah Jazz 16-57

*The top six teams from each conference secure a playoff spot, while teams ranked seventh through tenth will participate in the Play-In tournament.*