NBA roundup: Cavs nip Bucks, remain undefeated
Wed Nov 6 12:13pm ET
Field Level Media
Darius Garland sank a 3-pointer with 45 seconds left and set up Jarrett Allen for a layup with 12.2 seconds remaining for the clincher as the Cleveland Cavaliers downed the visiting Milwaukee Bucks 116-114 on Monday.
The Cavaliers equaled a franchise record set in 1976-77 with their eighth straight win to start the season. Cleveland beat the Bucks 114-113 on Saturday when Donovan Mitchell sank a shot with 0.3 seconds left.
Garland finished 39 points to lead the Cavs, with Evan Mobley adding 17 and Jarrett Allen going for 14 points and 15 rebounds.
Milwaukee, which played without star Giannis Antetokounmpo (adductor), lost its sixth game in a row since a season-opening win. Damian Lillard scored 36 points and AJ Green had 21 off the bench for the Bucks.
Kings 111, Heat 110
Domantas Sabonis swished a short put-back in the lane with 0.7 seconds left as Sacramento defeated host Miami.
De'Aaron Fox, whose miss was rebounded by Sabonis, led the Kings with 28 points and DeMar DeRozan added 26. Sabonis had 16 points and game highs in rebounds (16) and assists (seven).
Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro each scored 27 points for the Heat while Bam Adebayo contributed 16 points and nine boards.
Suns 118, 76ers 116
Kevin Durant scored 15 of his game-high 35 points in the fourth quarter, including the decisive driving basket with 24 seconds left, as Phoenix rallied for a victory over visiting Philadelphia.
Durant shot 14-for-20 and had six assists for the Suns, who own a five-game winning streak. Durant's heroics capped a game-ending 14-3 run for Phoenix. Tyrese Maxey made six 3-pointers and scored 32 points to lead Philadelphia, which has lost five of six games to start the season.
Former Clippers star Paul George made his 76ers debut and scored 15 points on 4-of-14 shooting. George, who missed a tying 23-foot attempt with 3.4 seconds left, sat out the 76ers' first five games due to a left knee injury.
Clippers 113, Spurs 104
Norman Powell scored 23 points and Amir Coffey added 21 while leading a second-half rally as Los Angeles pulled out a victory over San Antonio for its first win at its new arena in Inglewood, Calif.
Ivica Zubac produced 17 points and 13 rebounds and James Harden added 17 points after a slow start as the Clippers came out on top for the first time in five tries at the $2 billion Intuit Dome.
Victor Wembanyama amassed 24 points, 13 rebounds and nine blocked shots as the Spurs lost without head coach Gregg Popovich, who is not with the team because of an undisclosed illness. San Antonio led by 26 at the end of the first quarter but couldn't hold on.
Thunder 102, Magic 86
Jalen Williams scored 23 points to help Oklahoma City remain undefeated with a win over visiting Orlando. The 7-0 record marks the Thunder's best start since moving to Oklahoma City in 2008.
The Thunder led from wire-to-wire and Orlando never drew closer than 10 points after the first quarter.
Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander didn't attempt a shot until nearly nine minutes into the game but still made an early impact with seven first-quarter assists, a career high for a quarter. He finished with 21 points. Franz Wagner paced the Magic with 22 points.
Celtics 123, Hawks 93
Jayson Tatum posted 28 points and nine assists as Boston breezed host Atlanta, which also lost star guard Trae Young to a rib injury.
Derrick White added 21 while Payton Pritchard scored 18 points off the bench as the Celtics won their third straight.
The injury-riddled Hawks, who lost their fifth game in six tries, were led by Jalen Johnson's 20 points and 11 rebounds. Young, who came in averaging 27 points per game, was limited to a career-low two points on 1-for-10 shooting from the field, including 0-for-6 from 3-point land. He played 23 minutes, leaving in the third quarter with a right rib sprain.
Pistons 115, Lakers 103
Jaden Ivey had 26 points and host Detroit surprised Los Angeles, snapping a seven-game losing streak against the Lakers.
Cade Cunningham notched 17 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists for the Pistons. Tim Hardaway Jr. supplied 19 points, and Tobias Harris had 15 points and seven rebounds.
Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 37 points and nine rebounds. LeBron James had 20 points, eight rebounds and 11 assists, and Austin Reaves added 17 points.
Warriors 125, Wizards 112
Stephen Curry returned from a three-game absence to score 24 points, new sidekick Buddy Hield provided 20 points and Golden State remained unbeaten on the road with a victory over Washington.
Curry, who sprained his left ankle on Oct. 27 against the Los Angeles Clippers, was 4 of 9 from 3-point range, and Hield went 3-for-8 from deep, helping the Warriors improve to 4-0 on the road.
Jordan Poole scored 24 points and Kyshawn George added 20 but the Wizards lost their second straight game.
Rockets 109, Knicks 97
Alperen Sengun posted a double-double, Fred VanVleet added 19 points and Houston held off a second-half charge from visiting New York.
Sengun paired 25 points on 11-of-15 shooting with 14 rebounds and five assists. Jalen Green had 15 points for the Rockets, who finished with a 62-38 advantage on points in the paint.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 29 points and eight assists. OG Anunoby hit 5 of 6 3-pointers and totaled 21 points while Karl-Anthony Towns produced 17 points and 19 rebounds.
Timberwolves 114, Hornets 93
Naz Reid came off the bench to score 25 points and grab nine rebounds, and Minnesota cruised past Charlotte in Minneapolis.
Anthony Edwards added 21 points on 6-for-11 shooting overall and 4-for-6 shooting from beyond the arc for the Timberwolves. Donte DiVincenzo scored 14 points off the bench.
LaMelo Ball led the Hornets with 19 points on 6-for-15 shooting. Three Charlotte players, Brandon Miller, Miles Bridges and Tre Mann, scored 10 points apiece.
Jazz 135, Bulls 126
Keyonte George matched his career high with 33 points and John Collins had 28 points and 13 rebounds as visiting Utah topped Chicago for its first victory of the season.
Outscored by 112 points during a six-game losing streak to open the campaign, the Jazz led by as many as 15 against the Bulls, who made a push in the third quarter but couldn't complete the comeback.
Coby White led Chicago with 28 points on 6-of-9 3-point shooting, Ayo Dosunmu added 25 points and Nikola Vucevic had a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds.
Nets 106, Grizzlies 104
Dorian Finney-Smith hit a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 1:13 left as Brooklyn outlasted visiting Memphis for its third win in four games.
Finney-Smith scored all 17 of his points in the second half and hit a season-high five 3-pointers. Cameron Johnson and Dennis Schroder each scored a team-high 20 points for the Nets.
Ja Morant had several highlight-reel plays and scored 25 points for the Grizzlies, who had won two straight. Rookie Zach Edey matched Morant's point total to set a career high and grabbed 12 rebounds.
Trail Blazers 118, Pelicans 100
Deandre Ayton had a double-double, Dalano Banton scored all 20 of his points in the fourth quarter and the visiting Trail Blazers pulled away to a victory against the Pelicans.
Ayton finished with 19 points and 13 rebounds, Anfernee Simons scored 24 and Jerami Grant and Toumani Camara had 16 each for Portland.
Brandon Ingram, the Pelicans' leading scorer and the only one of its top five scorers healthy enough to play, had 27 points, Brandon Boston Jr. scored 20.
Nuggets 121, Raptors 119
Nikola Jokic amassed 28 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists, Russell Westbrook scored 21 points and host Denver rallied to beat Toronto.
Michael Porter Jr. added 19 points for Denver, which played without Jamal Murray and lost Aaron Gordon to a right calf strain in the first quarter.
Gradey Dick scored 26 points and Jakob Poeltl had 24 points before fouling out for Toronto. RJ Barrett added 16 points and 10 assists but missed a 3-point attempt at the horn that would have won the game.
Pacers 134, Mavericks 127
Myles Turner made five 3-pointers and finished with season highs of 30 points and 11 rebounds as Indiana beat host Dallas.
Tyrese Haliburton had a season-high 25 points and 12 assists for the Pacers. Pascal Siakam scored 23 points.
Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 34 points, seven rebounds and a season-high 15 assists. Kyrie Irving scored 27 points, and Naji Marshall added 20.
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- Warriors G De'Anthony Melton (knee) undergoes season-ending surgery
- Pelicans say Zion Williamson (hamstring) to miss at least two more weeks
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- Suns F Kevin Durant (ankle) out at least 1 week
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- NBA roundup: Bucks cap 4-0 run in NBA Cup group
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- NBA roundup: Wolves limit Lakers to 80 points
- Hornets star LaMelo Ball (calf) out at least two weeks
- Lakers C Jaxson Hayes (ankle) out 2-3 weeks
- Nuggets' Russell Westbrook fined $35K for obscene gesture
- NBA roundup: Rockets edge Thunder in battle of top 2 West teams
- NBA roundup: Giannis Antetokounmpo's triple-double lifts Bucks to 6th straight win
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.
