NBA roundup: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 54 in OKC's win
Thu Jan 23 2:24am ET
Field Level Media
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored a career-high 54 points to lead the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 123-114 home win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday.
Neither team led by double digits until the Thunder pulled away in the last three minutes.
Gilgeous-Alexander easily topped his previous career high of 45. He attempted a career-high 35 shots, making 17, and also went 17 of 18 from the free-throw line. The two-time All-Star added eight rebounds, five steals, three steals and two blocks.
Jalen Williams, back from a one-game injury absence, put up 25 points as the Thunder won for the 21st time in 23 games. John Collins (22 points, 12 rebounds), Walker Kessler (17 points, 15 boards) and Keyonte George (15 points, 10 assists) had double-doubles for Utah, which has lost four in a row.
Rockets 109, Cavaliers 108
Alperen Sengun sank two free throws with 4.5 seconds left and Houston survived a seven-minute scoring drought in the fourth quarter to outlast visiting Cleveland.
The Cavaliers appeared to secure the upper hand when Darius Garland was fouled on a 3-point attempt with 2.8 seconds left. However, Garland missed the first two free throws, and Donovan Mitchell missed a 3-point attempt at the buzzer as Cleveland fell to 3-3 in its past six games.
Fred VanVleet led Houston with 26 points, while Sengun (18 points, 11 rebounds) and Amen Thompson (16 points, 16 rebounds) chipped in double-doubles. Garland paced Cleveland with 26 points, Mitchell added 19 on 7-of-21 shooting, and Jarrett Allen posted 17 points and 13 boards.
Kings 123, Warriors 117
De'Aaron Fox saved eight of his 14 points for a game-ending flurry, DeMar DeRozan scored 32 points and Sacramento overcame an 18-point deficit to beat visiting Golden State.
In the last four minutes, the Kings rattled off 10 consecutive points to take a lead that turned into the 10th win in their past 11 games. Domantas Sabonis amassed 26 points and 18 rebounds for Sacramento.
Andrew Wiggins logged a team-high 25 points for the Warriors, who took their second loss in a row. Stephen Curry made just one 3-pointer on four attempts, finishing with 14 points and 12 assists.
Celtics 117, Clippers 113 (OT)
Jaylen Brown scored 25 points and Jayson Tatum added 24 as Boston edged Los Angeles in Inglewood, Calif., on a night when key players were missing from both sides.
While the Celtics won without Jrue Holiday (shoulder), Al Horford (toe) and Kristaps Porzingis (illness), the Clippers were without four starters: Kawhi Leonard (rest), James Harden (groin), Norman Powell (back) and Ivica Zubac (eye).
Derrick White delivered 20 points for Boston, which improved to 2-0 to begin a four-game road trip following a 3-4 stretch. The Celtics will remain in Los Angeles and face the Lakers on Thursday.
Pistons 114, Hawks 104
Cade Cunningham scored 29 points and Malik Beasley came off the bench to score 19 to lead Detroit over host Atlanta.
The Pistons won their second straight and improved to 10-4 since Christmas. Detroit is now 13-10 on the road and moved past the Hawks into sixth place in the Eastern Conference. Detroit broke a seven-game losing streak in Atlanta and won there for the first time since Jan. 18, 2020.
The Hawks were led by Dyson Daniels with 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Jalen Johnson with 17 points, nine rebounds, four assists and six steals. Trae Young had 13 points and nine assists.
Timberwolves 115, Mavericks 114
Jaden McDaniels scored a career-high 27 points and Anthony Edwards added 21 as Minnesota held on to beat host Dallas.
Mike Conley added a season-high 18 points for Minnesota, which snapped a two-game losing skid and won the season series against Dallas 2-1, with the road team winning all three matchups.
Kyrie Irving led Dallas with 36 points and nine assists. While P.J. Washington scored a season-high 30. The short-handed Mavericks played without several key players, including center Dereck Lively II, who is expected to miss two to three months with a stress fracture in his right foot.
Grizzlies 132, Hornets 120
Desmond Bane scored 24 points to extend his streak of 20-point games to six, leading Memphis to a wire-to-wire win over visiting Charlotte.
Reserve Luke Kennard contributed a season-high 23 points -- including 18 in the first half -- and Jaren Jackson Jr. had 22 points to help the Grizzlies win their fourth game in a row. Memphis' Ja Morant finished with 16 points and 13 assists.
Charlotte, which saw its three-game win streak end, got a career-high 38 points from Mark Williams. The center made 14 of 18 field-goal attempts and 10 of 13 free throws in addition to grabbing nine rebounds and dishing out five assists. LaMelo Ball had 22 points, eight rebounds and six assists, and Miles Bridges had 17 points and six assists.
Suns 108, Nets 84
Kevin Durant scored 24 points in three quarters against his former team and Phoenix ended a five-game road trip by never trailing in a victory over Brooklyn in New York.
Nearly two years after getting his trade request granted, Durant helped the Suns conclude a 3-2 road trip and win for the seventh time in 10 games to go back over .500 at 22-21. Devin Booker put up 12 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter for the Suns, who shot 47.7 percent and led by double digits for the entire second half.
The Nets had nine players available and saw their home losing streak reach nine games. Brooklyn also lost for the 10th time in 11 games and dropped to 5-21 since a 10-point win at Phoenix on Nov. 27. Keon Johnson led the Nets with 20 points and Jalen Wilson added 15.
Bucks at Pelicans, ppd.
The scheduled game between Milwaukee and host New Orleans was postponed due to extreme weather conditions that left roughly 10 inches of snow in the Big Easy on Tuesday. The date for the rescheduled game will be announced at a later time.
- NBA roundup: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scores 54 in OKC's win
- Heat suspending Jimmy Butler two more games
- Lakers F Jarred Vanderbilt (foot) set for season debut
- Mavs' Dereck Lively II (foot) out 2-3 months
- Bucks-Pelicans game postponed due to snow in New Orleans
- Timeline for Gregg Popovich's return to Spurs remains uncertain
- NBA roundup: Nikola Jokic, Nuggets dominate 76ers
- Suns nab three 1st-rounders from Jazz in draft-pick swap
- Hawks rookie Zaccharie Risacher (adductor) out at least 1 week
- NBA roundup: Pelicans come back from down 25, top Jazz in OT
- Warriors F Draymond Green (calf) out at least a week
- Wolves G Donte DiVincenzo (toe) out indefinitely
- NBA roundup: Clippers beat Lakers, extend success in new home
- Thunder's Mark Daigneault earns All-Star coach nod
- NBA roundup: Surging Hawks rally, top Celtics in OT
- Spurs, Heat both trying to snap losing streaks
- NBA roundup: Nuggets spoil Jimmy Butler's return to Heat
- Disgruntled Heat star Jimmy Butler back in action vs. Nuggets
- Sixers C Joel Embiid (knee) out another 7-10 days
- NBA roundup: Thunder clobber Cavs in battle of NBA’s best
Portland Trail Blazers center Deandre Ayton (knee) is questionable to play against Orlando on Thursday night. The 26-year-old has appeared on the league's official injury report for various reasons over the last few weeks. However, he's in danger of missing this one because of knee soreness. Donovan Clingan (ankle) remains out, so the Blazers need Ayton on the floor. But if he can't suit up, Robert Williams III, averaging 5.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 3.0 blocks, and 1.0 steals in two starts this season, is the favorite to fill the hole in the lineup. While those numbers haven't made him a viable fantasy contributor, his value could rise if Anfernee Simons (back) and Toumani Camara (illness) aren't available.
San Antonio Spurs forward Jeremy Sochan (back) is questionable for Thursday's meeting with the Pacers in France. He's missed the last five games. Initially, it was reported that the 21-year-old was bothered by back tightness. However, it was recently revealed he's dealing with a bone bruise in his spine. Sochan has played better than ever this season, averaging a career-high 13.4 points and 8.0 rebounds. His shooting from behind the arc needs to improve to increase his value for category managers. Still, Sochan will likely be found in most fantasy lineups if he's cleared to play. But if he isn't, Stephon Castle, averaging 14.9 points and 4.1 assists in 23 starts during the 2024-25 campaign, will presumably continue to fill the void in the rotation.
Boston Celtics center Al Horford (toe) has been ruled out ahead of Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Horford will take a seat on Wednesday which is the front end of a back-to-back set. The hope is that he's back in action on Thursday after resting here. The Celtics will be shorthanded at the center spot with Kristaps Porzingis (illness) also sidelined on Wednesday. That means, Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta will see bigger roles in the rotation. Kornet is well worth a look as a streaming choice with the Celtics shorthanded on Wednesday.
Golden State Warriors guard Gary Payton II (illness) has been cleared to play ahead of Wednesday's game against the Sacramento Kings. Payton was questionable earlier in the day and considered a game-time decision coming into this contest due to an illness. Payton is officially good to go and is going to be part of the starting five once again. That doesn't mean too much considering Payton only played 11 minutes during Monday's game. He might offer some low-end streaming appeal, but most fantasy managers can look elsewhere for help.
Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (shoulder) has been ruled out ahead of Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. It sounds like Holiday is dealing with a lingering shoulder issue, so the Celtics have decided to rest him against the shorthanded Clippers. The absence of Holiday should mean that Payton Pritchard gets an extended look in the rotation. Pritchard has scored 14 points or more in three of his last four games. He's well worth a look as a streaming option with Holiday unable to play.
Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (illness) has been ruled out ahead of Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. The big man was a late addition to the injury report due to an illness. Now, Porzingis will take a seat ahead of the first game of this back-to-back set. The Celtics will be shorthanded at the center spot with Al Horford (toe) also out. That means, Luke Kornet and Neemias Queta should both see an increased look in the rotation. Kornet normally plays minutes in the teens, but he could be worth a look as a low-end streaming choice with Porzingis and Horford sidelined.
Chicago Bulls guard Ayo Dosunmu (calf) has been downgraded to questionable ahead of Thursday's game against the Golden State Warriors. Dosunmu sat out on Monday, but was expected to suit up for Thursday's contest. Now, it seems that Dosunmu has suffered some kind of setback and is listed as questionable now. Dosunmu has only played in three of the last 14 games for the Bulls. His absence would likely free up additional playing time for Lonzo Ball and Coby White in the rotation. White is the better streaming choice, but both are worth a look if Dosunmu is unable to play.
Los Angeles Clippers guard James Harden (groin) has been ruled out ahead of Wednesday's game against the Boston Celtics. Harden will now miss his third game of the season and the front end of this back-to-back set. Hopefully, Harden will be feeling good enough to suit up for Thursday's contest against the Washington Wizards. The Clippers are going to be extremely shorthanded for this game. That means, Kevin Porter Jr., Bones Hyland, and Terance Mann should all see bigger roles in the rotation. Between the three, Porter is the best and most consistent streaming choice of them.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Nicolas Batum (finger) has been ruled out ahead of Wednesday's game against the Boston Celtics. The Clippers are going to be extremely shorthanded for this contest with a handful of players sitting out. Batum hasn't played a huge role in the rotation, but he was likely going to see more action with Kawhi Leonard (knee) and Norman Powell (back) both out as well. Now, Amir Coffey and Terance Mann should see bigger roles in the rotation. Between the two, Coffey is the better streaming choice for Wednesday's slate.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jake LaRavia (back) will miss Wednesday's contest against Charlotte. This is unsurprising, as the team listed LaRavia as doubtful on the initial injury report. LaRavia has flaws in his game, but he has featured fairly prominently in the rotation throughout the campaign, averaging 21.8 minutes a night. We may see more of GG Jackson II and Santi Aldama due to LaRavia's absence on Wednesday. Aldama has already been a regular in the rotation, while Jackson II logged 11 minutes in his season debut on Monday against Minnesota.
Memphis Grizzlies shooting guard Luke Kennard (ankle) has been upgraded from probable to available ahead of Wednesday's clash against Charlotte. The former Duke product is ready for an eighth consecutive appearance. Kennard has finally found his shooting stroke in 2025, sinking 51.4 percent from beyond the arc to average 11.1 points. The Hornets allow the eighth-most three-point attempts in the league, making this a favorable matchup for Kennard.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Jalen Williams (hip) has received the all-clear to play in Wednesday's matchup against Utah. There was a possibility of Williams being unavailable for a second straight game when the team listed him as questionable on the initial injury report. Luckily for the Thunder, Williams has recovered from a hip strain and is ready for Wednesday's fantasy-friendly matchup. The Jazz have the second-lowest defensive rating in the league but are ranked near the top 10 in pace.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Isaiah Joe (illness) will not suit up for Wednesday's meeting with Utah. He is a late scratch for the contest due to an illness. Alex Caruso and Aaron Wiggins will have a chance to pick up extra shifts with Joe unavailable, while Jaylin Williams will be moved to the starting unit. The 22-year-old has averaged 10.3 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists over three previous starts this season. This should be another productive evening for Williams, as only Washington gives up more fantasy points to centers than Utah.
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen (back) will rejoin the action on Wednesday against Oklahoma City. He is back in the mix after missing four games due to back spasms. Markkanen has elevated his game since the turn of the year, averaging 22.6 points. John Collins (back) also returns for the Jazz on Wednesday, meaning that the likes of Svi Mykhailiuk, Drew Eubanks, and Kyle Filipowski will be less involved in the rotation.
Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (ankle) will not play on Wednesday against Oklahoma City. He must skip at least one game due to a right ankle sprain. Sensabaugh was initially considered questionable for Wednesday, so it's possible his absence will be limited to just this one contest. With a number of regulars out of the lineup, Sensabaugh has impressed, averaging 18.0 points on 40 percent three-point shooting in January. However, the Jazz welcome back John Collins (hip) and Lauri Markkanen (back) on Wednesday, meaning Sensabaugh's role may be limited when he returns to the lineup.
Utah Jazz forward/center John Collins (hip) will return from an eight-game absence on Wednesday against Oklahoma City. A hip injury knocked Collins out of the lineup after he had enjoyed a productive start to the season. The 27-year-old averages 17.9 points, 8.3 rebounds, and 1.1 steals for the campaign. However, Collins may see only limited action on Wednesday after playing just once since Dec. 21, and he faces a top defensive team, which might also hinder his productivity.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard/forward Caris LeVert (wrist) will miss a second consecutive game on Wednesday against Houston. He has been downgraded from questionable to out as LeVert is unable to play through a sprained wrist. Due to LeVert's unavailability, Georges Niang, Ty Jerome, and Sam Merrill have an opportunity to play expanded roles off the bench. Jerome has been the most reliable fantasy producer among those players. LeVert's next chance to return will be on Friday versus Philadelphia.
Orlando Magic forward Franz Wagner (oblique) has been upgraded to questionable ahead of Thursday's matchup against Portland. This indicates that Wagner is getting close to returning to action. He has been out since Dec. 6 with a right oblique tear. Before suffering the injury, Wagner was on fire at the start of the year. He has averaged 24.4 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 5.7 assists for the campaign. Fantasy managers likely won't get the same production out of Wagner in his first games back, but it shouldn't take him long to shake off any rust. Wagner's return is bad news for Tristan Da Silva, who will be bumped to the bench.
Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall (illness) is not available against Minnesota on Wednesday. He is forced to sit out the first leg of a back-to-back due to an illness. Marshall carried a questionable tag initially, so there's a chance he may hop back into the lineup on Thursday against Oklahoma City. The Mavericks are once again down to bare bones, meaning Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, and P.J. Washington will have a lot of work to do on the offensive end. Quentin Grimes (back), who is returning from a one-game absence, will likely be heavily involved right off the bat, with Olivier-Maxence Prosper seeing extra action in the rotation.
Erik Slater of ClutchPoints.comreports that Brooklyn Nets forwardZiaire Williams(ankle)has been ruled out ahead of Wednesday's game against the Phoenix Suns. Williams will miss the second consecutive contest due to an ankle sprain he suffered on Sunday against the Thunder. With several players out of action for the Nets on Wednesday, players like Keon Johnson, Tosan Evbuomwan, Tyrese Martin, and Jalen Wilson will see an uptick in minutes on the floor and plenty of scoring opportunities.
