NBA roundup: Cavs edge Bucks, improve to 7-0
Sun Nov 3 3:17am ET
Field Level Media
Donovan Mitchell buried a jumper with 0.3 seconds remaining as the Cleveland Cavaliers extended their unbeaten run with a 114-113 win over the host Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.
Mitchell had 30 points for the Cavaliers, who recorded their seventh successive victory, their best start to a season since Bill Fitch coached them to a franchise-record 8-0 start in 1976-77.
Sam Merrill contributed 17 points off the bench, including five 3-pointers, Jarrett Allen had 15 points and 12 rebounds, Evan Mobley had 14 points and seven boards and Darius Garland finished with 11 points and 10 assists.
Damian Lillard notched 41 points -- including 10 3-pointers -- and nine assists, Giannis Antetokounmpo piled on 34 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists and Taurean Prince scored 16 for the Bucks.
Celtics 113, Hornets 103
Jayson Tatum pumped in 29 points and Payton Pritchard hit six 3-pointers on the way to 22 points off the bench as Boston defeated host Charlotte.
Luke Kornet's 19 points and Derrick White's 18 helped the Celtics to their sixth win in seven games to open the season, and Jrue Holiday's triple with 3:44 to go polished off his 13-point evening.
LaMelo Ball racked up 36 points for the Hornets, who went 1-3 during a four-game homestand.
Grizzlies 124, 76ers 107
Jay Huff scored a career-high 20 points in 14 minutes to highlight a balanced attack by the Grizzlies in defeating host Philadelphia.
A 27-year-old journeyman, Huff was playing under a two-way contract until signing a four-year deal with Memphis on Monday. He shot 7 of 10 from the floor and 5 of 7 from 3-point range off the bench and was one of seven Grizzlies who scored in double figures. Jaren Jackson Jr. led with 27 points.
Tyrese Maxey scored 23 points and rookie Jared McCain had a career-high 19 to pace the Sixers, who continued to play without stars Joel Embiid and Paul George. Both players practiced fully on Friday, including five-on-five scrimmages.
Raptors 131, Kings 128 (OT)
RJ Barrett scored 31 points, including five in overtime, and had nine rebounds as Toronto defeated visiting Sacramento.
Hall of Famer Vince Carter had his No. 15 jersey retired by the Raptors in a halftime ceremony. Chris Boucher added a season-best 24 points for the Raptors, who ended a four-game losing streak. Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick each scored 22 points, and Jakob Poeltl had 13 points and nine rebounds before fouling out late.
Domantas Sabonis had 17 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists for the Kings, who had a three-game winning streak end. DeMar DeRozan scored a season-best 33 points, De'Aaron Fox scored 24 points and Keegan Murray added 16 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out. Malik Monk scored a season-best 21 points off the bench.
Warriors 127, Rockets 121 (OT)
Buddy Hield scored 27 points off the bench and Jonathan Kuminga added six of his 23 points in overtime as Golden State scraped past host Houston, which erased a 31-point deficit.
Kuminga scored twice in the post before adding a driving layup with 1:18 left in overtime to seal the victory. The Warriors received 15 points from Andrew Wiggins and 14 points and 11 rebounds from Draymond Green before he fouled out. Golden State played without Stephen Curry (ankle) for the third straight game.
Tari Eason spearheaded the Houston comeback with 27 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks off the bench. Amen Thompson paired 18 points with 11 rebounds off the bench while Jabari Smith Jr. added 21 points and seven boards.
Heat 118, Wizards 98
Bam Adebayo scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead Miami to a win over Washington in Mexico City.
Tyler Herro added 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting. He and Adebayo combined for 30 of Miami's 56 first-half points. Jimmy Butler chipped in with 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists while Alec Burks added 15 points off the bench. Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored eight points off the bench.
Bilal Coulibaly had 22 points and Jordan Poole chipped in with 21 points for the Wizards, whose starting lineup included rookies Alexandre Sarr, Carlton Carrington and Kyshawn George. Sarr scored 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field and added six rebounds and three assists. Carrington and George combined for 10 points as all three rookies each played over 27 minutes.
Suns 103, Trail Blazers 97
Devin Booker recorded 28 points, nine rebounds and nine assists to help Phoenix beat visiting Portland.
Kevin Durant registered 21 points and nine rebounds and Grayson Allen scored 18 points off the bench for Phoenix. Bradley Beal and Tyus Jones added 15 points apiece for the Suns.
Jerami Grant and Anfernee Simons scored 20 points apiece for the Trail Blazers, who have lost five of their first seven games this season.
Spurs 113, Timberwolves 103
Keldon Johnson poured in a season-high 25 points off the bench and Jeremy Sochan and Chris Paul amassed double-doubles as San Antonio Spurs defeated visiting Minnesota.
Sochan added 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs, with Victor Wembanyama hitting for 17 points. Chris Paul racked up 15 points and 13 assists.
Julius Randle and Anthony Edwards scored 21 points apiece to lead the Timberwolves, who were playing the second game of a home-road back-to-back and didn't arrive in San Antonio until 4:45 a.m. on Saturday.
Thunder 105, Clippers 92
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 25 points and nine assists as visiting Oklahoma City remained unbeaten with a victory over Los Angeles.
Oklahoma City has opened the season 6-0 for the first time in franchise history. The Thunder are the last unbeaten team in the Western Conference. Luguentz Dort scored 16 points, Jalen Williams added 15, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe had 12 apiece and Chet Holmgren netted 10 for the Thunder, who have won all six games by at least 12 points.
Norman Powell led the Clippers with 24 points, while James Harden had 12 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists. Terance Mann and Kris Dunn scored 11 points apiece for Los Angeles, which remained winless in four games at the new Intuit Dome this season.
Nuggets 129, Jazz 103
Nikola Jokic scored 18 of his 27 points in the third quarter, and host Denver defeated Utah for its first home win of the season.
Jokic added 16 rebounds and nine assists to finish just shy of a triple-double for the second straight night. He was a rebound shy of the mark at Minnesota on Friday night. Michael Porter Jr. scored 20 points, Julian Strawther had a season-high 19 and Christian Braun added 17.
The Jazz, who remain the only winless team in the NBA, had six players score in double figures, led by Walker Kessler's 18 points to go with 14 rebounds. Johnny Juzang had 17 points and Keyonte George had 16 with eight assists.
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Golden State Warriors guard/forward Gary Payton II (knee) has received the green light to play on Friday against Minnesota. He has been upgraded from probable to available ahead of tip-off. The defensive specialist will play despite dealing with knee inflammation. The 32-year-old has been limited to 12.5 minutes per game this season, averaging 4.7 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists. Fantasy managers should have far better options available to them.
Golden State Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga will make a third consecutive start on Friday versus Minnesota. With Draymond Green (calf) back in the fold, it looked likely that the 22-year-old would have to relinquish his starting role, but Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has decided to integrate Green back into the team as a member of the second unit. Kuminga is fresh off a career night after racking up 33 points on 13-for-22 shooting in Thursday's 99-93 win against Houston. He has averaged 15.8 points with 4.3 rebounds in six total starts this season.
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (back) will not suit up for Friday's meeting with Portland. He has been ruled out for low back injury management purposes. Svi Mykhailiuk will fill in for Markkanen in the starting lineup. This is an interesting move, as the Jazz have so far used the Ukrainian in only four games this season. He's averaged 4.3 points in 12.3 minutes. With Markkanen unavailable, Brice Sensabaugh and Johnny Juzang should also have more opportunities to play. The latter has built up momentum ahead of Friday's action by scoring 10-plus points in back-to-back games.
Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (ankle) will play on Friday against Minnesota. This is the second leg of a back-to-back for the Warriors, and Wiggins was initially listed as questionable for the game. However, he's good to go for the meeting with his former team. Wiggins is coming off one of his best offensive outings of the season, as he shot 9-for-15 from the field en route to 23 points in Thursday's 99-93 win over Houston.
Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (knee) will be in the lineup on Friday against Minnesota. The former MVP returns to action after sitting out Thursday's game against Houston because of a knee issue. Curry went close to a triple-double in his last outing against Denver, but he faces a difficult matchup on Friday. The Timberwolves have limited opposing point guards to 43.5 percent shooting from the field, allowing the fifth-fewest points per 48 minutes to the position.
Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green (calf) will return to work on Friday versus Minnesota. The veteran has missed the first two games of the week with a calf issue. Green continues to do a little bit of everything for the Warriors, averaging 8.2 points, 7.4 rebounds, and 6.6 assists across his last five appearances. His return on Friday is bad news for Jonathan Kuminga's fantasy value. He's set to land back on the bench despite going off for a career-high 33 points in Thursday's 99-93 victory over Houston.
Washington Wizards forward Kyle Kuzma (ribs) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Denver Nuggets, marking his fourth straight absence due to a sprained left rib. With Kuzma struggling to match his strong numbers from last season, this injury adds to his challenges. He's averaging 27.4 minutes, 15.8 points, and 5.6 rebounds per game this year, and his next opportunity to play will come Sunday against Memphis. In the meantime, Bilal Coulibaly, Carlton Carrington, and Johnny Davis are expected to step up and fill the void.
Washington Wizards forward Corey Kispert (ankle) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Denver Nuggets due to a left ankle sprain. This will mark his second consecutive game missed. With multiple players on the injury list, younger players like Carlton Carrington, Johnny Davis, and Jared Butler are expected to see increased playing time. Kispert has been averaging 27.8 minutes per game, so there will be plenty of minutes available for others to step up. His next chance to return is set for Sunday's matchup against Memphis.
Washington Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon (hamstring) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Denver Nuggets. The veteran guard had been playing well, recording two double-doubles in his last seven games, so his absence is a setback. He is dealing with inflammation in his left hamstring, and fantasy owners are hoping it's not a long-term issue. With Brogdon sidelined, Carlton Carrington is expected to see an increased role. Brogdon's next opportunity to play will be Sunday against Memphis.
Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy (ankle) has been listed as doubtful on the injury report ahead of Saturday's encounter with Toronto. Hardy is battling a right ankle sprain and has logged only 10 total minutes across the previous two games. His role has been minuscule lately, so the Mavericks' rotation won't change much without Hardy on Saturday. Spencer Dinwiddie and Quentin Grimes will continue to play big roles off the bench, especially with Naji Marshall (illness) still sidelined at the weekend.
Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George (ankle) has been ruled out for Saturday's game against the Denver Nuggets due to a sprained left ankle. This will be George's second consecutive game missed. In his absence, Carlton Carrington, Johnny Davis, and Jared Butler are expected to see more playing time. George has been a bit inconsistent this season but has averaged 26.2 minutes per game as part of the young Wizards squad. His next opportunity to return will be Sunday's game against Memphis.
Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall (illness) will not be ready to return to the lineup on Saturday against Toronto. An illness will keep him out of action for a fourth straight game. Quentin Grimes and Spencer Dinwiddie have larger roles in the rotation with Marshall out. Both players have enjoyed strong stretches lately. Grimes has averaged 16.7 points for the month with 4.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals, while Dinwiddie has produced 16.0 points with 3.7 assists in December.
Toronto Raptors guard Davion Mitchell (hip) is listed as questionable for Saturday's matchup against the Dallas Mavericks due to right hip stiffness. This injury could cause him to miss his first game of the season. While his scoring has been modest at 6.8 points per game, his value lies in his playmaking and defense. Averaging 5.2 assists per game, Mitchell is an important part of Toronto's rotation, distributing the ball and setting up plays. If he's unable to play on Saturday, Jamal Shead could see more playing time and step up in Mitchell's absence.
Portland Trail Blazers point guard Scoot Henderson (quadriceps) will remain out of the lineup for Friday's matchup against Utah. He's sitting out a fourth consecutive contest after the team initially listed him as questionable for Friday's game. Portland's starting backcourt of Anfernee Simons and Shaedon Sharpe should be in for another busy night, with Dalano Banton seeing additional action off the bench due to Henderson's absence. Banton is a streaky scorer but appears to be in a good spot on Friday, as the Jazz have the leakiest defense in the Western Conference, with 118.6 points allowed per contest.
Detroit Pistons forward Ausar Thompson (groin) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the New York Knicks due to left adductor soreness. Thompson missed Wednesday's game against the Celtics due to illness, and now his groin issue is putting his availability for Saturday in doubt. In his five games this season, Thompson has averaged 15.2 minutes, 6.0 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists. If he's unable to play, Ron Holland and Simone Fontecchio are likely to see more minutes off the bench. Fantasy managers will be hoping Thompson can stay healthy and consistently contribute moving forward.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Isaac Okoro (knee) has been listed as questionable for Saturday's matchup against Charlotte. The three-and-d wing hurt his left knee in Thursday's game against Denver and might have to sit out the meeting with the Hornets entirely. If that's the case, Caris LeVert, Georges Niang, and Dean Wade should share Okoro's minutes. LeVert is the best fantasy option of the three. He had his second-best offensive outing on Thursday with 21 points and six assists.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Marcus Smart (ankle) is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the Boston Celtics. Smart reportedly sprained his right ankle during the Grizzlies' game against the Kings, and his availability for Saturday's contest is now in doubt. If Smart is unable to play, Scotty Pippen Jr. and Jake LaRavia could see an uptick in playing time off the bench. Smart has been averaging 21.5 minutes per game, with 9.8 points and 1.5 steals, but his most significant impact for Memphis comes on the defensive end. He's also been playing well recently, especially with his playmaking, registering five straight games with five or more assists. Fantasy managers should check back for updates on his status.
Charlotte Hornets center Nick Richards is listed as questionable for Saturday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers due to an ankle injury. Richards rolled his ankle during Thursday's game against the Knicks but was able to finish the contest. The injury may have flared up since then, leaving his availability for Saturday in doubt. If Richards is unable to play, Mark Williams is expected to take on a larger role, with Moussa Diabate potentially seeing increased minutes as the backup center. Despite only appearing in eight games this season, Richards has been productive, averaging 11.9 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. Fantasy managers will be hoping for his return to the court soon.
San Antonio Spurs forward/center Zach Collins will re-enter the starting lineup on Friday against Sacramento. He will replace Jeremy Sochan, who filled in for Victor Wembanyama (back) on Thursday. Sochan has just returned from injury, and it looks like the team wants to manage his load after he had a 36-minute outing Thursday night against Chicago. He should still play a significant role in Friday's game. Collins has averaged 16.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks in three previous starts this season. He faces a tough matchup against Domantas Sabonis on Friday, which might limit Collins' offensive contributions.
Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (knee) will play against Chicago on Friday. He's back in the lineup after missing Wednesday's loss to Brooklyn. Nembhard only recently returned from a 12-game absence and has been far from his best in the couple of outings he's had. Fantasy managers should tame their expectations regarding Nembhard. Quenton Jackson lands back among the reserves due to Nembhard's return, but he hasn't done too well as a starter anyway.
