The New York Knicks delivered the cleanest statement of the night, beating the Atlanta Hawks 126-97 in the most lopsided NBA result on Wednesday’s 11-game international slate.
Elsewhere, Real Madrid had to work through a four-point finish against Hapoel Tel-Aviv, Gran Canaria edged Unicaja by one in the ACB, and Liga Uruguaya produced two 28-point wins before Nacional survived Hebraica y Macabi 81-79.
NBA: Knicks Set the Tone, Cavaliers Win a Shootout
New York controlled Atlanta from the scoreboard, turning a marquee NBA matchup into a 29-point home win. The 126-97 result stood out not just for the margin, but for the Knicks’ ability to keep the Hawks from matching their pace offensively.
San Antonio also handled business at home, defeating Portland 114-95. The Spurs’ 19-point win was another decisive NBA result on a night when several teams created separation early enough to avoid late-possession pressure.
Detroit beat Orlando 116-109 in a tighter contest, holding off the Magic by seven. Cleveland needed even more scoring to get through Toronto, outlasting the Raptors 125-120 in the highest-scoring NBA finish of the night.
Euroleague: Real Madrid Holds Off Hapoel Tel-Aviv
Real Madrid earned an 86-82 win over Hapoel Tel-Aviv in the Euroleague, a result defined by its narrow margin. Madrid did enough late to protect its home floor, but Hapoel stayed within striking distance throughout the finish.
In a slate filled with double-digit decisions, Madrid’s four-point win carried a different texture: possession-by-possession pressure, limited margin for error and a final score that reflected how little separated the sides.
ACB: Gran Canaria Escapes Unicaja
The sharpest finish of the night came in Spain, where Gran Canaria beat Unicaja 101-100. It was the only one-point game on the schedule and one of just two games decided by two points or fewer.
Unicaja reached 100 points at home and still came up short, a result that underlined the pace and shot-making required just to stay level. Gran Canaria’s 101 points were enough to claim the road win in the ACB’s highest-drama result of the night.
Liga Uruguaya: Penarol, Defensor Cruise; Nacional Survives
Liga Uruguaya featured two emphatic home wins. Penarol beat Malvin 96-68, while Defensor defeated Aguada 88-60. Both games ended with identical 28-point margins, giving the league’s Wednesday slate a pair of clear-cut results.
Nacional had a far more difficult route, edging Hebraica y Macabi 81-79. That two-point result sat in sharp contrast to the other Liga Uruguaya games, where Penarol and Defensor created separation and never left the final outcome in doubt.
NBA W: Sun and Dream Win on the Road
Connecticut Sun W beat Toronto Tempo W 83-78, claiming a five-point road win in NBA W action. Atlanta Dream W followed with an 87-78 victory over Chicago Sky W, giving the road teams a sweep of the night’s two women’s games.
Atlanta’s nine-point margin was the more comfortable of the two, while Connecticut had to close out a tighter finish to get past Toronto.
Wednesday’s Results
Liga Uruguaya
Penarol 96, Malvin 68
Defensor 88, Aguada 60
Nacional 81, Hebraica y Macabi 79
NBA
New York Knicks 126, Atlanta Hawks 97
San Antonio Spurs 114, Portland Trail Blazers 95
Detroit Pistons 116, Orlando Magic 109
Cleveland Cavaliers 125, Toronto Raptors 120
Euroleague
Real Madrid 86, Hapoel Tel-Aviv 82
NBA W
Connecticut Sun W 83, Toronto Tempo W 78
Atlanta Dream W 87, Chicago Sky W 78
ACB
Gran Canaria 101, Unicaja 100