NBA roundup: Rockets edge Thunder in battle of top 2 West teams
Mon Dec 2 2:18am ET
Field Level Media
Fred VanVleet scored a game-high 38 points and Dillon Brooks nailed a midrange jumper to beat the shot clock and give Houston the lead for good as the host Rockets eked out a 119-116 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder on Sunday in a matchup between the top two seeds in the Western Conference.
VanVleet sank four free throws in the final 4.6 seconds as the Rockets squared the season series at a game apiece and closed to within a half-game of the Thunder atop the West. Brooks' jumper with 33.6 seconds left followed a wild scramble and gave the Rockets a 115-113 lead.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paced the Thunder with 32 points while Jalen Williams added 22 points, including a 3-pointer with 2.4 seconds left that sliced the deficit to one. Isaiah Hartenstein added a double-double (19 points, 13 rebounds) while Cason Wallace tallied 14 points, including two 3-pointers to match 3s from VanVleet down the hectic waning moments.
The fourth quarter featured seven ties but the Rockets, who trailed 93-85 late in the third after Gilgeous-Alexander led a 16-4 run, didn't take their first lead in the fourth until VanVleet hit a buzzer-beating 3 with 1:29 left.
Alperen Sengun (20 points, 14 rebounds) and Jabari Smith Jr. (15 points, 14 rebounds) registered double-doubles for Houston. Sengun added nine assists.
Spurs 127, Kings 125
Devin Vassell and Chris Paul combined for three 3-pointers down the stretch, Victor Wembanyama posted the third triple-double of his budding career and San Antonio came on late for a win over host Sacramento.
Wembanyama finished with game highs of 34 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists. Vassell finished with 21 points, Julian Champagnie had 19, Keldon Johnson supplied 17 and Paul chipped in 13 to go along with 10 assists for the Spurs, who won for the fifth time in their past six games.
Domantas Sabonis used 10 offensive boards as the foundation for a 25-point, 13-rebound double-double for Sacramento, which lost for the sixth time in its past seven games. DeRozan paced the Kings with 28 points to go along with eight assists and three steals, while De'Aaron Fox had 23 points and nine assists, Malik Monk totaled 19 points and Isaac Jones posted 12.
Clippers 126, Nuggets 122
James Harden had 39 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds to lead Los Angeles to a win over Denver in Inglewood, Calif.
Harden hit six 3-pointers for the game and played all 24 minutes of the second half while Norman Powell flourished in his first game back after missing the past six due to a hamstring injury. Powell hit five treys and finished with 28 points in 25 minutes of action. The win was the Clippers' eighth in a row at home, soured slightly by an injury to Amir Coffey, who had 13 points before limping off the court after knocking knees with teammate Ivica Zubac about midway through the third quarter.
Nikola Jokic posted 28 points, 14 boards and 11 assists to move into a tie for third place on the all-time triple-doubles list. It was Jokic's eighth triple-double of the season and the 138th of his career, drawing him level with Magic Johnson in the record books.
Lakers 105, Jazz 104
Anthony Davis and LeBron James had double-doubles and Los Angeles survived a late rally by Utah to escape Salt Lake City with a victory.
Davis finished with 33 points and 11 rebounds and LeBron James scored 27 points with 14 assists to lift the Lakers to their second win in six games.
Lauri Markkanen led Utah with 22 points and John Collins scored 21 with nine rebounds in the Jazz's fourth consecutive defeat. Walker Kessler had 13 points and 11 rebounds, and Sexton netted 15 points.
Mavericks 137, Trail Blazers 131
Luka Doncic excelled in his return from injury with 36 points, 13 assists and seven rebounds to lead Dallas to a victory over host Portland.
Doncic was 15 of 24 from the floor after missing the previous five games with a wrist injury. He guided the Mavericks to their eighth victory in the past nine games. Quentin Grimes was 5 of 7 from 3-point range while scoring a season-best 28 points for Dallas.
Anfernee Simons scored 27 points, Shaedon Sharpe had 22 and Deni Avdija added 21 for Portland, which lost for the fifth time in seven games.
Grizzlies 136, Pacers 121
Memphis Grizzlies recovered from a disastrous opening quarter to defeat visiting Indiana for the Grizzlies' sixth straight victory.
The Grizzlies placed seven players in double figures, led by Jaren Jackson Jr., who had 25 points and eight rebounds. Memphis also finished with 30 or more assists (36) for the fifth straight game to tie a franchise record. The Grizzlies entered the game with averaging 30.4 assists to lead the NBA.
Indiana got 19 points and eight rebounds from Bennedict Mathurin. Memphis trailed by 19 early in the second quarter but recovered to outscore the Pacers 74-46 in the second and third quarters to enter the final period with an 11-point advantage.
Magic 100, Nets 92
Franz Wagner totaled 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists while enduring a rough shooting performance as Orlando ran its winning streak to six with a choppy victory in Brooklyn.
Orlando won for the 12th time in 13 games and beat the Nets for the third time this season in a game that saw the teams combine for 60 personal fouls. Wagner shot 4 of 17 from the field but also made 12 of 14 free throws, including two after taking a shot across the face from Nic Claxton that resulted in the Brooklyn center's ejection with 18 seconds left.
Cameron Johnson led the Nets with 26 points but appeared to tweak his ankle or hamstring in the final minute. Brooklyn also lost Ben Simmons to a bruised left knee. The Nets shot 38 percent (30 of 79) and missed 23 of 31 3-point tries.
Raptors 119, Heat 116
RJ Barrett scored 37 points and Toronto staved off a late charge by visiting Miami.
Scottie Barnes added 23 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Raptors, who gained a split in back-to-back games with the Heat after losing in Miami on Friday.
Tyler Herro scored 31 points for the Heat. Bam Adebayo put up 13 points and a season-best 20 rebounds. Jimmy Butler and Terry Rozier each added 17 points.
Knicks 118, Pelicans 85
Mikal Bridges tied a career high with seven 3-pointers and scored a season-high 31 points as New York annihilated visiting New Orleans.
Karl-Anthony Towns had 14 points and 19 rebounds for the Knicks, who took control with a 23-1 first-quarter run. Jalen Brunson scored 16 points, Miles McBride had 13 off the bench and starter Josh Hart added 12.
CJ McCollum scored 13 points for the Pelicans, who have lost eight in a row and 14 of their last 15. Trey Murphy III and Yves Missi had 11 points apiece, while Dejounte Murray added 10 as New Orleans lost by at least 30 for the second time this season.
Cavaliers 115, Celtics 111
Donovan Mitchell scored a game-high 35 points, including 11 straight late in the fourth quarter, to propel Cleveland past visiting, which had a seven-game winning streak snapped.
After hitting three 3-pointers, Mitchell capped his surge with a floater that put the Cavaliers ahead for good at 103-101 with 1:07 left. Mitchell finished 12-of-21 from the field and made 6 of 11 3-pointers to go along with seven rebounds. Darius Garland added 22 points and eight assists.
Jayson Tatum led the Celtics with 33 points, while Payton Pritchard supplied 24 off the bench. Kristaps Porzingis scored 21 points and grabbed eight rebounds in his third game back from a foot injury sustained during last season's NBA Finals.
- 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
- NBA roundup: Anthony Edwards, Wolves edge Clippers
- NBA roundup: Hawks send Cavs to first home loss
- NBA roundup: Damian Lillard hoists banged-up Bucks over Heat
- NBA roundup: Kristaps Porzingis returns as Celtics club Clippers
- Suns expect Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal to play vs. Lakers
- G Ja Morant set to return Monday for Grizzlies
- Rockets G Fred VanVleet fined $50K for late-game outburst
- Pelicans G Dejounte Murray to return Wednesday
- Kristaps Porzingis to make season debut Monday
- NBA roundup: Heat turn back Mavericks in OT
- Hornets F Grant Williams (knee) out for season
- NBA roundup: LaMelo Ball scores 50 in Hornets' loss to Bucks
- Clippers leading scorer Norman Powell to miss third game
- NBA roundup: Warriors first to clinch group in NBA Cup
- NBA roundup: Magic step up late, cool off Lakers
- Paul George has bone bruise in knee, out at least 2 games
- Hubie Brown, 91, to be on call of one final NBA game
- Clippers' leading-scorer Norman Powell (hamstring) out vs. Kings
Denver's C Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double, finishing with 28 points, 11 assists and 14 rebounds in a 122-126 loss to the Clippers on Sunday, Dec. 1.
San Antonio Spurs' C Victor Wembanyama recorded a triple-double, finishing with 34 points, 11 assists and 14 rebounds in a 127-125 win over Sacramento on Sunday, Dec. 1.
Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (ankle) is considered questionable to play against Brooklyn on Monday. After dealing with a wrist injury, White hurt his left ankle against Boston on Friday. Talen Horton-Tucker has provided excellent bench scoring for the Bulls lately and might see extra action with White unavailable on Monday. At the same time, Lonzo Ball may also play a larger role in the rotation. He logged a season-high 22 minutes on Friday night. Ball was limited to two points but handed out five assists and tallied three rebounds with two steals.
Atlanta Hawks guard/forward Bogdan Bogdanovic (hamstring) is expected to rejoin the lineup on Monday versus New Orleans. The team has listed him as probable for the game. Bogdanovic sat out Saturday's contest against Charlotte as Atlanta completed a back-to-back. The veteran scorer has returned from a hamstring injury, and the Hawks don't want to overwork him. Since his return to the lineup on Nov. 18, Bogdanovic has averaged 12.2 points and 3.8 rebounds in 24.3 minutes. New Orleans gives up the fifth-most bench points in the league, so Atlanta's second unit, led by Bogdanovic, looks to be set for a good night on Monday.
Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young (Achilles) has been listed as probable on the injury report ahead of Monday's action against New Orleans. The Hawks superstar is dealing with right Achilles tendinitis but has played through the issue with no problems. Young went a bit quiet against the Hornets on Saturday but has been performing at a very high level recently and should relish the challenge of taking on former teammate Dejounte Murray in Monday's matchup.
Sacramento Kings guard/forward Kevin Huerter (ankle) will not play in Sunday's contest against San Antonio. He injured his right ankle against Portland on Friday and was previously already considered doubtful for the game. Huerter's absence should guarantee extra work for Keon Ellis and Malik Monk. The latter has far more fantasy appeal, especially as Monk is set to make his first start of the campaign. He will be looking to post a third consecutive 20-point game on Sunday.
Los Angeles Clippers point guard Kevin Porter Jr. (ankle) will sit out Sunday's tilt against Denver. He hurt his left ankle in Friday's 93-92 loss to Minnesota. Porter Jr. scored a season-high 17 points and had three steals in Friday's contest. He's carved out a decent role on the Clippers squad, averaging 8.8 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists in 18.7 minutes. Norman Powell's (hamstring) return will help the Clippers cope with the loss of Porter Jr.'s scoring ability on Sunday, while Bones Hyland might join the rotation.
Los Angeles Clippers guard/forward Norman Powell (hamstring) will return to action on Sunday against Denver. He has finally recovered from a hamstring strain, which kept Powell sidelined for six games. The 31-year-old is off to a great start to the season and has even started to sneak into All-Star conversations. Powell has averaged 23.3 points with eye-popping 48.7 percent shooting from three-point range. His return will end Amir Coffey's spell as a starter. Coffey should still play an important role in the rotation but will have far less fantasy appeal coming off the bench.
Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (knee) will return from a two-game absence against Dallas on Sunday. The team has upgraded him to available after initially listing Grant as questionable for the game with a left knee sprain, which has bothered him for a bit. The Trail Blazers continue to roll with a thin lineup, so Grant should get plenty of usage in the contest. However, fantasy managers shouldn't get too excited, as Grant has struggled with his shooting early in the campaign. He's only nailed 38.3 percent of his efforts from the field, averaging 16.1 points in 32.3 minutes.
Portland Trail Blazers forward Kris Murray (sternum) will be in the lineup on Sunday against Dallas. He's nursing a bruised sternum, but the team has upgraded Murray from probable to available. Murray has a limited role with the Trail Blazers, averaging 4.6 points and 2.5 rebounds across 13.7 minutes. Dallas allows the third-fewest bench points in the league and does well on the glass, so Murray's output on Sunday might be even smaller than usual.
Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Klay Thompson (foot) will continue to sit against Portland on Sunday, missing a fourth straight game. The former All-Star is struggling to shake off a left foot injury. Luka Doncic (wrist) will be back on Sunday, but Kyrie Irving (shoulder), Dereck Lively II (knee), and Naji Marshall (illness) join Thompson on the sidelines, opening up a lot of playing time for the rest of the gang. Thompson's next chance to return comes on Tuesday versus Memphis.
Portland Trail Blazers point guard Scoot Henderson (quadriceps) will miss Sunday's contest against Dallas. He has been available for only one of the previous five games and won't return to action on Sunday after Portland initially listed Henderson as questionable for the game. Dalano Banton will continue to benefit from Henderson's absence, though his performances are erratic, making him a risky fantasy play.
Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall (illness) will miss his first game of the season on Sunday versus Portland. He continues to battle an illness, which limited Marshall to 13 minutes against Utah on Saturday. Marshall had scored 20-plus points in four consecutive games before settling for only three points in Saturday's game. He's put in impressive work as Dallas has maneuvered through the absences of Luka Doncic (wrist) and Klay Thompson (foot). Doncic's return to the lineup on Sunday will negatively impact many of the Mavericks players. But Kyrie Irving (shoulder) won't feature against the Trail Blazers, meaning Quentin Grimes, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Jaden Hardy should still play significant roles in the rotation.
Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Doncic (wrist) will return to the lineup for Sunday's matchup against Portland. The team has upgraded Doncic from questionable to available, marking the end of a five-game absence for the Slovenian superstar. Kyrie Irving (shoulder) will exit the lineup on Sunday, meaning this should fully be the Doncic show. Only three teams have allowed more fantasy points to opposing point guards than the Trail Blazers in 2024-25.
Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving (shoulder) has been ruled out for Sunday's contest against Portland. The veteran star will sit out his second game of the season. Irving has carried a big workload lately and almost posted a 30-point double-double on Saturday versus Utah. Dallas hopes to get Luka Doncic (wrist) back on Sunday, which will be a boost for the team. Mavericks head coach Jason Kidd regards him as a game-time decision. If Doncic can't return, Jaden Hardy, Spencer Dinwiddie, and Quentin Grimes will carry the Mavericks backcourt.
Sacramento Kings forward DeMar DeRozan (back) will return to work on Sunday versus San Antonio. He's missed a couple of games due to lower back inflammation. New signing Jae Crowder made a pair of starts during DeRozan's absence and is set to land on the bench now. DeRozan's debut campaign in Sacramento has gone well, as the veteran star has averaged 22.6 points with 4.1 rebounds and 4.1 assists. He went for 21 points, eight rebounds, six assists, two blocks, and one steal in this season's first meeting with the Spurs.
Utah Jazz forward/center Kyle Filipowski (leg) will miss a fifth consecutive game on Sunday against the Lakers. He continues to nurse a left leg injury. Filipowski had a decent run as a starter before getting sidelined and might continue to make noise once he's back. John Collins and Walker Kessler will once again do the heavy lifting on the Jazz frontcourt. The Lakers have one of the lowest rebounding rates in the league, making this a decent matchup for Utah's big men. Collins and Kessler each boast three double-doubles from their last four appearances.
Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (foot) has been ruled out for Sunday's matchup against the Lakers. He'll be sitting out a fourth consecutive game. Clarkson has featured just once since Nov. 19 due to a foot problem. With him unavailable, Johnny Juzang and Isaiah Collier get to play more, but neither player has been a consistent source of fantasy value. Clarkson's absence also boosts the usage of Keyonte George and Collin Sexton. Both players are looking to produce a bounce-back performance on Sunday after combining for only 18 points in Saturday's 106-94 loss to Dallas.
Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis (foot) will play on Sunday against Utah. The Lakers star has been upgraded from probable to available. Davis has enjoyed a great campaign thus far and should crush it in Sunday's matchup, as the Jazz allow the most fantasy points in the league to opposing centers. In the first head-to-head meeting of the season, Davis recorded 26 points, 14 rebounds, six assists, and two steals with 66.7 percent shooting from the field.
Los Angeles Lakers guard/forward Cam Reddish (illness) will not suit up for Sunday's meeting with Utah. He was a late addition to the injury report with an illness and hasn't been cleared to play. Reddish has finished three consecutive games scoreless, so he shouldn't be a big loss for the Lakers. However, the 25-year-old has averaged over 20 minutes a night for the season, meaning there's going to be a nice chunk of minutes available without him on Sunday. With Austin Reaves (pelvis) and D'Angelo Russell (illness) also out, Dalton Knecht, Gabe Vincent, and Max Christie get an uptick in playing time.
