NBA roundup: Giannis Antetokounmpo nets 59 in Bucks' OT win
Thu Nov 14 2:43am ET
Field Level Media
Giannis Antetokounmpo amassed an NBA season-high 59 points as the Milwaukee Bucks overturned an 18-point deficit to defeat the visiting Detroit Pistons 127-120 in overtime on Wednesday night.
It was Antetokounmpo's ninth 50-plus outing and the second best of his career, after his 64-point effort against Indiana last season.
The two-time MVP hit 21 of 34 from the field, 16 of 17 from the foul line, and had 14 rebounds, seven assists and three blocks. Brook Lopez provided the support with 29 points.
Cade Cunningham had 35 points and 11 assists for the Pistons, while Malik Beasley hit eight 3-pointers in his 26-point, 10-rebound game.
Cavaliers 114, 76ers 106
Darius Garland scored 25 points and Donovan Mitchell took over down the stretch as Cleveland remained undefeated with a road victory over short-handed Philadelphia.
Mitchell finished with 23 points, 13 rebounds and nine assists for Cleveland (13-0), which is off to the NBA's best start since the Golden State Warriors' record-setting 24-game winning streak to begin the 2015-16 season.
Philadelphia fought hard without Joel Embiid (knee), Paul George (knee) and Tyrese Maxey (hamstring) but still lost for the ninth time in 11 games. Rookie Jared McCain took advantage of the available playing time by posting career highs in points (34) and assists (10).
Bulls 124, Knicks 123
Coby White made three free throws with 3.2 seconds left to cap his 22-point effort and Chicago rallied after squandering a 22-point lead to beat host New York.
After falling behind 90-68 late in the third quarter, New York -- playing the second leg of a back-to-back -- ended the period on a 17-0 run to set up an intense fourth quarter.
Jalen Brunson, who scored a pair of go-ahead baskets under duress in the final 38 seconds, created space for a fadeaway jumper at the buzzer, but his attempt rimmed in and out. Had the Knicks completed the comeback, it would have been the franchise's biggest second-half rally since a 26-point turnaround in March 2004.
Lakers 128, Grizzlies 123
LeBron James scored 35 points in his third consecutive triple-double as Los Angeles remained perfect at home with a victory over visiting Memphis.
James added 14 assists with 12 rebounds in his fourth triple-double of the season. Los Angeles rookie Dalton Knecht added a career-best 19 points while going 5-for-5 from 3-point range. The Lakers improved to 6-0 at home, matching the NBA-best mark also held by the Cleveland Cavaliers and Orlando Magic.
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 29 points and Scotty Pippen Jr., Santi Aldama and Marcus Smart each added 15 points as the Grizzlies saw their season-best three-game winning streak come to an end.
Kings 127, Suns 104
De'Aaron Fox poured in a game-high 29 points, Kevin Huerter backed him with 22 and Sacramento won a battle of attrition over visiting Phoenix with a late flurry that produced a victory.
Fox, who also found time for a game-high 10 assists, and Domantas Sabonis (11 points, team-high 10 rebounds) recorded double-doubles for the Kings, who beat the Suns a second straight time after winning 127-118 in overtime in Phoenix on Sunday. Fox shot 11-for-17, Huerter 9-for-16 and Keegan Murray 7-for-11 (17 points) for the Kings, who outshot the visitors 64.1 percent to 37.1 percent.
Josh Okogie had 25 points off the bench to pace the Suns. Devin Booker totaled 18 points while Ryan Dunn, Tyus Jones and Monte Morris added 10 apiece for Phoenix. Jones also had a team-high eight assists while Jusuf Nurkic grabbed a game-high 11 rebounds.
Magic 94, Pacers 90
Franz Wagner scored 29 points and Orlando benefited from a fourth-quarter surge to beat visiting Indiana and improve to 6-0 at home.
Orlando's Goga Bitadze collected 12 points and 12 rebounds to record his third double-double of the season. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope and Moritz Wagner each had 10 points in the win as the Magic outscored the Pacers by a 26-18 margin in the fourth.
Indiana's Pascal Siakam sank four 3-pointers to highlight his 25-point performance, and Bennedict Mathurin added 23 points and 12 rebounds.
Celtics 139, Nets 114
Jayson Tatum scored 15 of his 36 points in the third quarter as Boston recovered from a slow start and pulled away in the second half for a blowout of Brooklyn in New York.
Jaylen Brown added 24 points and 12 rebounds for the Celtics, who shot a season-best 53.8 percent. Payton Pritchard contributed 23 points.
Ziaire Williams scored 23 points to lead the Nets, who took their most lopsided loss of the season despite. Cam Thomas added 17 points and Dennis Schroder put up 16.
Thunder 106, Pelicans 88
Jalen Williams scored a season-high 31 points to lead host Oklahoma City past New Orleans.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 29 points two days after he posted a career-high 45 points. Williams added seven assists, six rebounds and four steals.
Brandon Ingram amassed 18 points and six assists but had eight turnovers as the Pelicans took their sixth loss in a row.
Rockets 111, Clippers 103
Jalen Green scored a game-high 21 points while Alperen Sengun chipped in a double-double and threw down a key late dunk that helped Houston fend off visiting Los Angeles.
With the Rockets up 98-79, the Clippers turned to reserves Kobe Brown, Jordan Miller and Bones Hyland to key a rally and close the deficit to 107-103. But Sengun (13 points, 11 rebounds) delivered his driving dunk before Tari Eason (18 points, 10 rebounds) added another in transition to seal the victory.
James Harden led the Clippers with 19 points and seven assists while Terance Mann added 14 points and seven rebounds off the bench.
Trail Blazers 106, Timberwolves 98
Shaedon Sharpe scored a career-best 33 points to lead Portland past visiting Minnesota, the Trail Blazers' second win over the Timberwolves in as many days.
Rookie Donovan Clingan excelled with 17 points, 12 rebounds and eight blocked shots for Portland, which beat Minnesota 122-108 on Tuesday. Dalano Banton scored 13 points off the bench for Portland, which won consecutive games for the first time this season.
Anthony Edwards scored 24 points and had four steals for the Timberwolves but missed all nine of his 3-point attempts. Last Friday in Minneapolis, he made nine treys and scored 37 points as the Timberwolves rolled to a 127-102 victory over Portland.
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Cleveland Cavaliers guardTy Jerome(illness) is in danger of missing his second straight game due to an illness for Thursday's matchup with the Denver Nuggets. Darius Garland may see additional playing time if Jerome cannot suit up. Craig Porter Jr. and Caris LeVert will likely also see an uptick in minutes. LeVert, who is already averaging 24.1 minutes per game, could see a significant increase in his fantasy value on Thursday.
Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (ankle) is questionable ahead of Thursday's matchup with the San Antonio Spurs due to a sprained right ankle. If the 23-year-old cannot play, the Bulls backcourt will be significantly depleted, with Coby White(ankle) andLonzo Ball(knee) already announced as sidelined. Players like Talen Horton-Tucker and rookie Matas Buzelis will likely see more minutes than usual. Fantasy managers will want to monitor Giddey's status closer to tip-off.
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.
