NBA roundup: Magic's Paolo Banchero pours in 50 vs. Pacers
Tue Oct 29 4:30am ET
Field Level Media
Paolo Banchero became Orlando's first player with a 50-point game in 20 years and flirted with a triple-double Monday night to lead the Magic past the visiting Indiana Pacers 119-115.
Banchero finished with 50 points and matched Tracy McGrady's franchise record for points scored in a half, putting up 37 in the first. The third-year forward joined McGrady, Shaquille O'Neal and Nick Anderson as Orlando's only 50-point scorers.
Banchero shot 16 of 26 from the field and made 15 of 22 free throws. He added a game-high 13 rebounds and a team-best nine assists.
Pascal Siakam's 26 points led six Indiana scorers in double figures. Among them was Tyrese Haliburton, who posted his first double-double of the season with 19 points and 10 assists. Haliburton also had nine rebounds.
Celtics 119, Bucks 108
Payton Pritchard came off the bench to make eight 3-pointers and score 28 points in 28 minutes as Boston remained unbeaten after four games with a victory over visiting Milwaukee.
Pritchard made 10 of his 14 field-goal attempts, including 8 of 12 from long distance. He also finished the game with five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Jaylen Brown led Boston with 30 points.
Damian Lillard paced Milwaukee with 33 points and seven assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo added 30 points, 10 rebounds and six assists for the Bucks, but he also committed seven turnovers.
Nuggets 127, Raptors 125 (OT)
Nikola Jokic had seven of his 40 points in overtime and added 10 rebounds for the game as visiting Denver came back to defeat Toronto.
The Raptors were up 111-101 with 2:17 left in regulation before falling apart down the stretch. Jamal Murray drew the Nuggets even at 114 with a layup with under a second left in the fourth quarter.
Scottie Barnes had 21 points and 12 rebounds for the Raptors, who lost their second game in a row.
Heat 106, Pistons 98
Jimmy Butler scored 23 points and dished out seven assists as host Miami defeated Detroit for the seventh consecutive meeting.
The Heat also got 20 points from Terry Rozier and 19 from Tyler Herro on the day when the team celebrated the unveiling of a Dwyane Wade statue just outside their arena.
Cade Cunningham had 24 points, eight rebounds and six assists to lead the Pistons, who remain winless. However, he was held to just six points in the second half.
Cavaliers 110, Knicks 104
Darius Garland scored 15 of his game-high 34 points in the fourth quarter for visiting Cleveland, which overcame a 13-point third-quarter deficit to beat New York.
Donovan Mitchell scored 25 points and Jarrett Allen had 15 points and 15 rebounds for the Cavaliers, who improved to 4-0 for the first time since they opened 6-0 in 2016-17.
Jalen Brunson scored 21 points and Mikal Bridges put up 19 for the Knicks, who have alternated losses with wins in their first three games. Josh Hart (16 points, 13 rebounds) and Karl-Anthony Towns (13 points, 10 rebounds) each posted double-doubles.
Mavericks 110, Jazz 102
Kyrie Irving scored 23 points to lead Dallas past visiting Utah in a game marred by an injury to Jazz power forward Taylor Hendricks.
Dallas' P.J. Washington produced 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Dereck Lively II had 14 points. Klay Thompson scored 18 points, Luka Doncic contributed 15 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and Irving added a game-high nine assists.
Utah, which lost its third straight game, did not get closer than five points during the final quarter. Collin Sexton led the Jazz with 23 points. Hendricks sustained a broken right leg and dislocated ankle on a non-contact play in the third quarter.
Suns 109, Lakers 105
Devin Booker scored 33 points and Kevin Durant added 30 points, eight rebounds and four blocked shots to lead host Phoenix to a victory over Los Angeles.
Bradley Beal had 15 points and Royce O'Neale contributed 12 points and nine rebounds for Phoenix, which recovered from an 18-point first-quarter deficit to win for the third time in four games.
Anthony Davis recorded 29 points and 15 rebounds and Austin Reaves scored 23 points as Los Angeles lost for the first time this season after three straight wins. LeBron James had just 11 points on 3-of-14 shooting, though he delivered eight assists.
Wizards 121, Hawks 119
Kyle Kuzma broke out of a slump with a season-high 25 points and Jordan Poole added 26 to lead visiting Washington past Atlanta for its first win of the season.
Kuzma's previous best had been 14 points, but he came alive in the second half. He finished with 11 rebounds and seven assists, though he exited in the final two minutes due to a sore groin.
The Hawks' Jalen Johnson scored a career-high 29 points and added 12 rebounds and seven assists. Trae Young chipped in 14 points, 13 assists and eight rebounds but missed the potential game-winning 3-point attempt at the buzzer.
Bulls 126, Grizzlies 123
Zach LaVine scored 30 points and Nikola Vucevic added 22 to lead visiting Chicago to a win over Memphis, which played without injured guard Ja Morant.
Morant missed his first game of the season due to thigh soreness. Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 30 points and seven rebounds, and Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 19 points.
Memphis led by double digits for much of the game, but the Bulls recovered from a 20-point first-half deficit behind effective 3-point shooting (25-for-53).
Rockets 106, Spurs 101
Jalen Green poured in 36 points, 24 of them in the first half, as visiting Houston defeated San Antonio.
The Rockets split the teams' two-games-in-three-nights series after the host Spurs won 109-106 on Saturday. Jabari Smith Jr. added 17 points for Houston, which has alternated losses and wins through four games.
Jeremy Sochan logged 22 points while Chris Paul put up 16 points for the Spurs, who have lost two of their first three games.
Kings 111, Trail Blazers 98
De'Aaron Fox scored a game-high 24 points, DeMar DeRozan chipped in with 23 and host Sacramento broke into the win column with a victory over Portland.
Domantas Sabonis went for 16 points and game highs in rebounds (13) and assists (seven), allowing the Kings to break through after tough losses at home against the Minnesota Timberwolves and on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers.
Deandre Ayton had 20 points and 11 rebounds to pace the Trail Blazers, who were coming off a Sunday home win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
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Washington Wizards guard/forward Corey Kispert (ankle) will miss his first game of the season on Thursday against Dallas. He has been ruled out with a left ankle sprain, joining Kyle Kuzma (ribs) and Kyshawn George (ankle) on the shelf. These three have all averaged at least 26 minutes of action per game this season. This leaves a lot of minutes to be filled for the rest of the gang. Carlton Carrington and Jared Butler should getter a bigger workload on Thursday, with Johnny Davis also in the mix for an expanded role.
Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (ankle) has been ruled out for Thursday's matchup against San Antonio. A left ankle sprain will keep him out for a second consecutive game. Lonzo Ball (knee) is also out on Thursday, and Josh Giddey (ankle) is regarded as questionable, meaning there might be a lot of minutes available for Chicago's reserves. Talen Horton-Tucker has done well lately and could be in line for a larger role in the rotation. He has reached double figures in scoring in five consecutive outings. Jevon Carter should get a decent amount of action as well, as the Bulls will be short of playmakers if Giddey doesn't make it.
Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (thigh) will miss a third straight game on Thursday against New Orleans. The Bosnian big man is nursing a thigh contusion and is expected to be re-evaluated on Monday, meaning he will also sit out the weekend's back-to-back against Miami and Orlando. Oso Ighodaro and Mason Plumlee have shared starts during Nurkic's absence. Both players have had quiet outings, although Plumlee averaged double-double numbers as a starter earlier in the campaign. Centers have typically feasted against the Pelicans this season, with only six teams allowing more fantasy points to opposing fives.
Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball (knee) will not be in the lineup for Thursday's clash against San Antonio. Following his lengthy battle with a knee injury, Ball hasn't been cleared for back-to-backs, and the team has decided to keep him out from Thursday's game. We should see him back in action in Friday's matchup against Indiana. Considering he had a 33-month break from basketball, Ball has played well this season, averaging 4.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.2 steals in 16.2 minutes. With Coby White (ankle) also out and Josh Giddey (ankle) questionable, Jevon Carter might get a decent workload in the rotation.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (calf) is considered questionable for Thursday's meeting with Phoenix. However, it appears likely that he will return from a five-game absence, as Ingram went through full practice on Wednesday. The team also hopes to get Herb Jones (shoulder) back against the Suns. The return of the two would be a nice boost for an injury-depleted team. Ingram is having a fine campaign and tends to do especially well in home outings, averaging 26.8 points at the Smoothie King Center compared to 17.9 points on the road.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (calf) is listed as probable on the injury report ahead of Thursday's game against Cleveland. Following a 10-game absence, Gordon has played in both of Denver's games, and it looks like it's safe to assume he will be out there again on Thursday. The veteran forward stood out with 15 points, nine rebounds, and five assists in the previous game against Golden State. He logged 33 on the night, so Gordon should also be free of any minute restrictions on Thursday.
Orlando Magic center Goga Bitadze (ankle) will return to action in Wednesday's matchup against Philadelphia. He's back after missing Tuesday's game against the Knicks with an ankle sprain. The Georgian big man opened the month with a 12-point, 13-rebound double-double against Brooklyn and has performed well since November. Last month, he averaged 9.4 points and 7.8 rebounds with 1.9 blocks. Philadelphia is tied for the second-lowest rebounding rate in the league, putting Bitadze in a solid position to produce another double-double on Wednesday.
Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis (foot) will play against Miami on Wednesday. The team has upgradEd Davis from probable to available. The star big man will look to produce a bounce-back performance after being limited to 12 points on 4-for-14 shooting against Minnesota on Monday. It's not a good matchup for Davis, as he will go head to head against All-Defense First Team member Bam Adebayo. Last season, Davis averaged only 19.0 points and 11.5 rebounds against Adebayo and the Heat.
San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (back) won't play in Thursday's game against the visiting Bulls. The 20-year-old has a case of lower back soreness. But the Spurs also play on Friday against Sacramento, so the team may just be playing it safe. As expected, Wembanyama has had a quality year, averaging 23.5 points, 10.4 rebounds, 3.4 blocks, and 1.3 steals. As a result, there will be plenty of shots up for grabs, with Chris Paul, Stephon Castle, and Jeremy Sochan potentially on tap to get more scoring opportunities. Zach Collins should also slide into Wemby's spot in the rotation and is worth streaming in all fantasy formats.
According to Brooklyn Nets beat reporter Erik Slater, guard Ben Simmons (back) is available to play against the Indiana Pacers on Wednesday. Simmons sat out Monday's game against the Bulls for back-injury management. In his most recent appearance against the Orlando Magic on Sunday, the veteran guard logged 12 minutes, collecting five assists, two rebounds, and one steal. However, he was held scoreless in the contest.
Brooklyn Nets forward Cameron Johnson (ankle) is available for Wednesday's meeting with the Indiana Pacers. The former Phoenix Sun has been plagued by injuries throughout his career. However, his absence in Monday's loss to Chicago was only his first of the 2024-25 campaign. Johnson has also averaged a career-high 18.1 points while shooting 42.2% from deep. With Cam Thomas (hamstring) sidelined, Johnson should continue to get more scoring opportunities than usual against an Indiana team that has allowed 119.1 points per game this season, the third-worst mark in the National Basketball Association.
Miami Heat forward/center Kevin Love (back) will suit up for Wednesday's contest against the Lakers. Battling back spasms, Love sat out the second leg of a back-to-back on Monday versus Boston. Love's contributions have been limited to 6.6 points and 5.6 rebounds this season. He only plays around 12 minutes per game, so Love remains a good per-minute performer, but the veteran doesn't have a big enough role on the team to be relevant in fantasy basketball on most nights.
Brooklyn Nets forwardDorian Finney-Smith(ankle) is unavailable for Tuesday's matchup with the Indiana Pacers due to a sprained left ankle. The 31-year-old will miss his fourth consecutive game. This season, he has been a key rotational piece for the Nets, averaging 10.7 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.8 assists across 29 minutes per contest. With Finney-Smith sidelined, Jalen Wilsonis expected to remain in the starting lineup.
According to Philadelphia 76ers head coach Nick Nurse, the team isn't planning on keeping center Joel Embiid (knee) out beyond what is necessary. The 30-year-old has appeared in only four games this season. However, there hasn't been much update regarding his health, so fantasy managers remain in the dark regarding when they can expect to see him back on the court. With Andre Drummond (ankle) sidelined, Philadelphia will likely continue to rely on Guerschon Yabusele, who has averaged 10.3 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists in six starts during the 2024-25 campaign. Adem Bona should also continue to see more minutes.
Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is good to go for Wednesday's clash against Atlanta. Per Eric Nehm of The Athletic, Bucks head coach Doc River has confirmed Antetokounmpo will be available for the contest after the team listed him as probable on the injury report. The former MVP is coming off a 28-point performance against Detroit on Tuesday night, which included seven rebounds, eight assists, and one block in 28 minutes. Antetokounmpo didn't play his full minutes against the Pistons and, thus, should be fresh for Wednesday's contest. Last season, the Hawks had no idea what to do against Antetokounmpo, who averaged 31.3 points, 12.7 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 2.0 steals in the matchup.
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (knee) will play against the Lakers on Wednesday. Miami gets its veteran star back after Butler sat out Monday's clash against Boston. He started to feel soreness in his right knee during Sunday's meeting with Toronto and was rested for the second night of a back-to-back. Butler's recent performances have been inconsistent, but there are two 30-point efforts among his most recent five appearances. The Lakers are ranked 24th in defensive efficiency, giving Butler another opportunity to fill it up on Wednesday.
Miami Heat forward/center Nikola Jovic (ankle) will rejoin the lineup for Wednesday's clash against the Lakers. He's missed five games with an ankle sprain and was also ruled out for Wednesday's contest on the initial injury report, but Jovic has apparently made big progress in his recovery over the last 24 hours. The 21-year-old has an inconsistent role with the Heat, averaging 18.2 minutes with eight starts in 14 appearances this season. He has notched 7.7 points and 3.7 rebounds.
Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (knee) will remain sidelined for a second consecutive game on Wednesday versus Detroit. This opens an opportunity for Payton Pritchard to play a major role in the contest. He finished with 25 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block as Boston defeated Miami 108-89 on Monday. At the same time, Drew Peterson has been a fresh face in the Celtics rotation lately and might be looking at another opportunity to log 25-plus minutes. However, he hasn't been very impactful for Boston.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (ankle) has been ruled out for Wednesday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. Middleton, who is 33 years old, has yet to make his season debut, though he has been cleared for 5-on-5 scrimmaging. The team has not provided a specific timeline for his return, but his next opportunity to play will be Friday against the Boston Celtics. Fantasy managers are eager for Middleton to rejoin the lineup, as he remains a valuable all-around contributor despite a slight decline in scoring. Last season, he averaged 15.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 5.3 assists while shooting 49.3% from the field.
According to ESPN reporter Ohm Youngmisuk, Los Angeles Clippers guard/forwardNorman Powell(hamstring) will be unavailable Wednesday against the Minnesota Timberwolves. After recently missing six games with a left hamstring strain, Powell has the night off for the second half of a back-to-back set. He scored 30 points one day ago in Tuesday's 127-105 victory over the Trail Blazers. Terance Mann(finger) andKevin Porter(back) will also be sidelined on Wednesday.
