Iowa basketball duo enjoy career regular-season finales with Celtics, Thunder
On the final day of the 2025-26 NBA regular season, Iowa basketball icons Luka Garza and Payton Sandfort each registered career-high performances for their respective franchises. As for Garza, who has been a vital depth force for the Boston Celtics ' rise to the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, he dazzled in their 113-108 victory over the Orlando Magic from Boston's TD Garden.
In the game, the former Hawkeye finished with 27 points on 10-for-18 from the floor, 3-for-6 from 3-point territory, and 4-for-4 at the free-throw stripe, to go along with 12 rebounds, one assist, and one steal in 38 minutes. "A DIFFERENT KIND OF LUKA MAGIC! " Luka Garza in the clutch, Mark Jones on the call š„ pic.
twitter. com/DRwhGPfkSy ā ESPN (@espn) April 13, 2026 After being selected with the No. 52 overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons, Garza would make stops with the Portland Trail Blazers (2022 Summer League only) and the Minnesota Timberwolves before signing a two-year contract with the Celtics prior to this season.
While Garza's 27-point performance was spectacular in its own right, Oklahoma City rookie Payton Sandfort put on a show of his own by posting 23 points on 9-for-13 from the field and 5-for-9 from 3-point land, with four rebounds and one steal in 28 minutes during the Thunder's 135-103 loss to the Phoenix Suns at Oklahoma City's Paycom Center. For both Garza and Sandfort, each will be operating in different roles for their respective teams as they enter the 2026 NBA Playoffs. However, the two former Hawkeyes represented Iowa basketball well on the league's final regular-season day, as each enters the 2026 NBA Playoffs with the possibility of an NBA Finals matchup if certain scenarios unfold.
Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes, and opinions. Follow Scout on X: @SpringgateNews This article originally appeared on Hawkeyes Wire: Iowa basketball duo enjoy career regular-season finales with Celtics, Thunder