Trade on the horizon

Surprise move of Jakob Pöltl to the NBA?

Pöltl had to be substituted against the Knicks due to injury. The Viennese could still move to another team.

(Bild: Getty Images/APA/Getty Images via AFP/GETTY IMAGES/Cole Burston)

Jakob Pöltl's working day in the National Basketball Association (NBA) ended prematurely on Tuesday (local time). The Viennese player was forced to retire at half-time due to a bruised hip in the 115-121 victory of the Toronto Raptors over the New York Knicks. By then, he had collected five points, two rebounds and two assists and one steal in 14:49 minutes of action. Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Lakers expressed their interest in Pöltl before the end of the transfer deadline on Thursday (21:00 CET).

The Canadians were already trailing 58:81 in the third quarter against New York. A comeback brought them back to 111:112 with 3:17 minutes remaining, but they were unable to turn the game around. As a result, they also lost their fourth encounter of the season against the playoff contenders from Manhattan, which was also their 34th in their 50th game of the season. Jalen Brunson scored 28 points for the visitors, whose outstanding player was once again Karl-Anthony Towns with 27 points and 20 rebounds.

Raptors want first-round pick for Pöltl
Toronto was led by Scottie Barnes (23). The Canadians will host the Memphis Grizzlies, the third-placed team in the Western Conference, on Wednesday. The 29-year-old Vienna native's participation seems questionable. Should the Raptors agree to a transfer of the center to the club of superstar LeBron James, they want a first-round pick in the NBA draft in return, according to media reports. Pöltl is averaging 14.2 points and 10.1 rebounds per game this season.

The Boston Celtics won the day's top game at the Cleveland Cavaliers 112:105. The defending champions had been 20 points ahead at one stage in the duel between the second and first-placed teams in the Eastern Conference. All-Stars Jayson Tatum (22) and Donovan Mitchell (31) were the best scorers.

Doncic and Davis still on the sidelines
Even without their new signing Luka Doncic, who was injured in the calf, the Lakers won the derby at the LA Clippers by a clear 122:97. LeBron James came close to a triple-double with 26 points, eight rebounds and nine assists. His son Bronny converted a three-pointer for the first time in his 16th appearance in the world's strongest basketball league. Like Doncic, Anthony Davis, who is suffering from an abdominal muscle strain, watched his new club Dallas Mavericks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 116:118 from the sidelines. Kyrie Irving's 34 points were not enough. Joel Embiid came up trumps for the home side in his first outing after a month off due to a knee injury. The center scored in triple figures with 29 points, 11 rebounds and ten assists.