NBA roundup: Cavs set franchise mark with 9-0 start
Thu Nov 7 1:56am ET
Field Level Media
Donovan Mitchell scored 29 points and the visiting Cleveland Cavaliers set the record for the best start in franchise history at 9-0 with a 131-122 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.
Mitchell led a balanced attack as six players scored in double digits -- including Jarrett Allen (16 points and 14 rebounds) and Caris LeVert (16 points off the bench).
The 1976-77 Cavaliers started their season 8-0.
Zion Williamson scored 29 points to lead the Pelicans, while Jose Alvarado scored 27 and Brandon Ingram had 20.
Nuggets 124, Thunder 122
Nikola Jokic had 23 points, 20 rebounds and 16 assists, Peyton Watson made a game-sealing block with one second left, and host Denver handed Oklahoma its first loss of the season.
Russell Westbrook scored 29 points and Michael Porter Jr. and Christian Braun had 24 each as Denver ended a four-game head-to-head losing streak against Oklahoma City. Jokic logged his fourth triple-double of the season.
Jalen Williams had 29 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Thunder, who had opened with seven straight wins. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 28 points.
Warriors 118, Celtics 112
Stephen Curry amassed 27 points, nine assists and seven rebounds to help visiting Golden State stretch its winning streak to five games with a victory over Boston.
The Warriors trailed by seven in the middle of the fourth quarter but used an 16-4 run to take a 104-99 lead with 2:30 to play on a Curry layup. Boston pulled within 115-112 when Payton Prichard made three free throws with 16 seconds remaining, but the Warriors closed out the win by making 3 of 4 at the foul line the rest of the way.
Golden State, which improved to 5-0 on the road, made 12 of its 13 free-throw attempts in the final quarter. Buddy Hield and Andrew Wiggins each added 16 points for Golden State. Jayson Tatum scored a game-high 32 points for the Celtics, whose three-game winning streak ended. Derrick White made seven 3-pointers and added 26 points.
Clippers 110, 76ers 98
Norman Powell scored 26 points and James Harden added 18 as Los Angeles spoiled Paul George's return with a victory over visiting Philadelphia in Inglewood, Calif.
Ivica Zubac scored 15 points with nine rebounds and Derrick Jones Jr. added 14 points as the Clippers won their second consecutive home game after losing the first four at their new $2 billion arena, Intuit Dome.
George scored 18 points for the 76ers in his second game of the season and first against his former team after leaving as a free agent in the offseason. The 76ers activated Joel Embiid (knee) for the first time this season, but the 2022-23 MVP remained out as he started to serve a three-game suspension for an altercation with a newspaper columnist Saturday.
Suns 115, Heat 112
Kevin Durant recorded 32 points and eight rebounds and host Phoenix topped Miami to increase its winning streak to six games.
Devin Booker added 22 points and nine assists and Jusuf Nurkic collected 20 points and 18 rebounds as Phoenix won for the seventh time in eight games this season.
Tyler Herro registered 28 points and six assists and Haywood Highsmith added 19 points for the Heat. Miami had possession with a chance to tie but didn't get a shot off in the final seconds.
Hornets 108, Pistons 107
Brandon Miller's putback at the buzzer off a missed 3-point shot gave Charlotte a dramatic victory against visiting Detroit.
Miles Bridges pumped in 27 points and LaMelo Ball scored five of his 25 points in the final minute to help the Hornets end a three-game losing streak.
Miller, who missed time earlier this season with an injury, finished with 19 points by rebounding Grant Williams' missed 3-pointer and scoring just in time. Cade Cunningham posted a triple-double in the loss (20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists).
Pacers 118, Magic 111
Indiana's Bennedict Mathurin and Myles Turner each recorded double-doubles, and Tyrese Haliburton capped his 17-point performance with a late 3-pointer as Indiana held off Orlando in Indianapolis.
Orlando played without injured star Paolo Banchero -- who scored 50 points when these two teams met last week -- and the Magic lost their fifth straight.
Indiana raced to an early, 18-point lead. The Magic, however, chipped away behind Franz Wagner's game-high 28 points, and made the game competitive throughout the second half until Haliburton hit a 3-pointer to give the Pacers a five-point lead with 33 seconds left.
Mavericks 119, Bulls 99
Luka Doncic had 27 points and 13 assists to lead host Dallas past cold-shooting Chicago, handing the Bulls their third straight loss.
The Mavericks feasted on poor Chicago transition defense, scoring 21 fastbreak points, and led by as much as 30.
The Bulls, playing without All-Star Zach LaVine (adductor strain), shot just 41.9 percent from the floor and were 12-of-42 (28.6 percent) from 3-point range. Nikola Vucevic led Chicago with 14 points in 25 minutes.
Kings 122, Raptors 107
DeMar DeRozan scored 27 points, including 11 in a commanding fourth quarter, to lead Sacramento past visiting Toronto.
Keegan Murray combined 22 points with 12 rebounds, De'Aaron Fox contributed 21 points, and Domantas Sabonis notched his 61st career triple-double -- and second in five days -- with 17 points, 11 boards and 13 assists.
RJ Barrett scored 23 points and Davion Mitchell added 20 for the Raptors, who led by four points after three quarters before the were outscored 33-14 in the fourth.
Hawks 121, Knicks 116
No. 1 overall draft pick Zaccharie Risacher tallied career highs with 33 points and seven rebounds to lead Atlanta past visiting New York.
Risacher was 11-for-18 from the field, including 6-for-10 on 3-pointers, with three assists, three steals and two blocks to help the Hawks end a three-game home-court losing streak to the Knicks.
Karl-Anthony Towns led the Knicks with 34 points, 16 rebounds and three blocks. Jalen Brunson scored 21 points and Miles McBride came off the bench to add 16 points and seven assists.
Grizzlies 131, Lakers 114
Ja Morant scored 20 points before leaving the game late in the third quarter with an injury and Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jaylen Wells also contributed 20 to lead Memphis to a victory over visiting Los Angeles.
LeBron James had 39 points to lead the Lakers, who played without injured big man Anthony Davis, the NBA's leading scorer at 32.6 points per game. Austin Reaves added 19 for Los Angeles, which lost for the fourth time in five games.
Memphis was aided by its strong long-range shooting. The Grizzlies made 17- of 34 3-pointers, including 12 of 16 in the second half. Morant took a hard fall with 3:45 left in the third quarter while attempting a left-handed dunk. He walked to the locker room and did not return. He was later diagnosed with a right hamstring injury.
Rockets 127, Spurs 100
Fred VanVleet recorded his first double-double of the season while Jalen Green and Alperen Sengun combined for 37 points as Houston cruised to a victory over visiting San Antonio.
VanVleet paired 21 points with 10 assists and also grabbed seven rebounds while enjoying a remarkable shooting night. He finished 10 of 11 from the floor, including 9 for 9 from inside the arc. Houston finished 44 for 69 (63.7 percent) on 2-pointers. Green (21 points, four 3-pointers) and Sengun (16 points) totaled 10 rebounds and eight assists.
The Spurs were undone by their 20 turnovers, which Houston converted into 20 points. Victor Wembanyama scored 15 points but missed 5 of 6 3-pointers, including his first five. Chris Paul, Keldon Johnson, Malaki Branham and Sandro Mamukelashvili scored 10 points each for San Antonio.
- Cavaliers F Max Strus (ankle) to make season debut Friday
- Rockets owner up for Trump appointment; eyeing NFL's Saints
- Raptors F Scottie Barnes (ankle) out at least one week
- Raptors F Scottie Barnes (ankle) exits game vs. Knicks
- Timberwolves G Anthony Edwards fined $25K for profanity
- NBA roundup: Joel Embiid comes back to push 76ers past Bulls
- Pelicans' Brandon Ingram (ankle) out indefinitely
- NBA roundup: Wizards end skid despite Nikola Jokic's 56 points
- Magic F Franz Wagner (torn oblique) out indefinitely
- NBA roundup: Trae Young's trey in OT lifts Hawks past Lakers
- Celtics' Jaylen Brown fined $25K for gesture
- NBA roundup: Cavs beat Nuggets despite Nikola Jokic's big night
- China set to host first NBA preseason games since 2019
- Lakers' LeBron James (foot) questionable vs. Hawks
- Spurs rule out Victor Wembanyama vs. Bulls due to back soreness
- NBA fines Rockets' Ime Udoka, Tari Eason, Alperen Sengun
- Bucks F Khris Middleton to make season debut Friday
- NBA roundup: Surging Hawks cool off Bucks
- Warriors G De'Anthony Melton (knee) undergoes season-ending surgery
- Pelicans say Zion Williamson (hamstring) to miss at least two more weeks
Golden State Warriors forward Andrew Wiggins (ankle) is expected to return to the lineup on Wednesday versus Houston. He missed Sunday's matchup against Minnesota with an ankle issue. Officially, Wiggins has been listed as questionable for Wednesday's action. However, Warriors head coach Steve Kerr declared Wiggins is "ready to go" after he had a full practice session with the team on Tuesday. Wiggins' performance levels fluctuate, but he enjoyed a meeting with the Rockets last week, posting 23 points, nine rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block. Gary Payton II will likely return to a bench role with Wiggins in the lineup.
Houston Rockets point guard Fred VanVleet (knee) appears ready to rejoin the action on Wednesday versus Golden State. He missed Sunday's 117-106 win against the Clippers with a knee contusion but isn't on the injury report ahead of Wednesday's game. VanVleet's most recent appearance came against the Warriors, and it was a struggle for him with 5-for-16 shooting and 13 points in a 99-93 loss. He also had a difficult time in this season's first head-to-head meeting and was limited to 9.3 points on 21.2 percent shooting in the matchup in 2023-24, so it looks like the Warriors have worked out what stifles VanVleet offensively.
Atlanta Hawks guard/forward Bogdan Bogdanovic (quadriceps) has a questionable designation on the injury report ahead of Wednesday's NBA Cup quarterfinal against the Knicks. A quadriceps contusion might keep Bogdanovic off the court for the second straight game. Garrison Mathews and Vit Krejci get extra work with Bogdanovic out, but neither was productive in Sunday's heavy loss to Denver. The two combined for only five points and four assists off the bench despite both seeing 20-plus minutes of action.
Atlanta Hawks forward De'Andre Hunter (knee) has been labeled as probable ahead of Wednesday's NBA Cup game against the Knicks. Hunter continues to manage a knee injury, and he took a blow to the head in Sunday's loss to Denver, but the 27-year-old is set to make a 12th consecutive appearance. Atlanta has seen the best of Hunter lately, as he's finished each of the last four games with 20-plus points. Hunter took a whopping 20 shots in 24 minutes on Sunday and should get additional offensive duties again in Wednesday's game if Jalen Johnson (shoulder) and Bogdan Bogdanovic (quadriceps) remain sidelined.
New York Knicks guard/forward Josh Hart (ankle) is considered questionable for Wednesday's NBA Cup quarterfinal against Atlanta. He might miss his first game of the season because of an ankle sprain. New York's bench mob, featuring Miles McBride, Cameron Payne, and Precious Achiuwa, will likely be more involved in the game if Hart doesn't get cleared for Wednesday night. McBride offers the most fantasy value out of the three, but he's been quiet offensively in recent games, finishing back-to-back outings with eight points.
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson (shoulder) might miss a second straight game on Wednesday versus the Knicks. He's been listed as questionable on the injury report. Following back-to-back double-doubles, Johnson exited the lineup on Sunday against Denver due to a sore shoulder. This pushed Larry Nance Jr. to the starting lineup for only the second time this season. Nance Jr. hasn't played a lot for the Hawks, but the veteran forward proved that he can get the job done. He finished with 16 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a couple of steals.
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (knee) is probable heading into Wednesday's matchup versus the Atlanta Hawks. KAT wasn't available for Saturday's loss to the Detroit Pistons. However, he was back on the floor for the win over the Toronto Raptors on Monday evening, finishing with a massive 24 points, 15 rebounds, two blocks, and two steals. But if Towns suffers an unforeseen setback, Precious Achiuwa, coming off a seven-point, six-board, two-block effort, could work his way into the starting lineup.
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (Achilles) is expected to play on Wednesday in New York. The former Sooner is on the injury report because of right Achilles Tendinitis. However, this injury isn't anything new, so he should play barring a setback. Young has averaged just 20.9 points and shot 31.0% from behind the arc, both down from last season. Fortunately, he has logged a career-high 12.2 assists. Young is always a capable fantasy producer. Yet, he may be even more productive against the Knicks if Jalen Johnson (shoulder), De'Andre Hunter (knee), and Bogdan Bogdanovic (quadriceps) are sidelined.
Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (illness) won't play on Tuesday versus Oklahoma City. The former Hornet isn't feeling well, so he'll get a night off. Fortunately for Dallas, Naji Marshall (illness) is back from a four-game absence, which will help lessen the blow. Marshall will likely start in Washington's place, with the 26-year-old averaging 13.1 points in seven starts during the 2024-25 campaign.
Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall (illness) will play in Tuesday's game against OKC. He was under the weather, keeping him off the floor for the Mavs' previous five contests. But Marshall's return comes at the perfect time, with P.J. Washington (illness) and Maxi Kleber (illness) sidelined for Tuesday's meeting with the Thunder. The 26-year-old has played well in his first season in Dallas, averaging a career-high 11.6 points and 1.0 steals. Marshall will likely start, so there's a good chance he'll be even more productive.
Chicago Bulls point guard Lonzo Ball is set to play a larger part in the rotation going forward. Per Julia Poe of The Chicago Tribune, Bulls head coach Billy Donovan has said that Ball's minutes restriction has been elevated to 20 minutes. After missing 33 months because of a knee injury, Ball has been on a 16-18-minute limit this season. He has already reached the 20-minute mark a couple of times in recent games. The versatile guard has averaged 16.8 minutes during his comeback campaign, recording 4.9 points, 2.4. rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.1 steals. Ball's numbers will likely get a slight boost with the increased playing time, but his fantasy value will still be limited.
Dallas Mavericks guard Jaden Hardy (ankle) will be out of the lineup for a second straight game on Tuesday versus Oklahoma City. The 22-year-old is nursing a right ankle sprain. Hardy hasn't played a consistent role in the Mavericks rotation, and his absence will not have a big impact on Tuesday. Spencer Dinwiddie and Quentin Grimes will continue to lead the second unit. Dinwiddie has been the more consistent performer out of the two, averaging 14.8 points, 2.0 rebounds, and 2.8 assists for the month.
Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall (illness) is considered questionable for Tuesday's NBA Cup quarterfinal against Oklahoma City. He's already missed four games because of an illness. There appears to be an illness bug going around in the Mavericks locker room. P.J. Washington (illness) is also considered questionable for Tuesday's game with an illness, and Maxi Kleber (illness) has been ruled out. Marshall and Washington are both important pieces in the rotation for the team, and the Mavericks would find themselves in a tough spot if they can't play.
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns recorded a big double-double in Monday's 113-108 win over Toronto as he returned from a one-game absence. Towns initially struggled to score but finished the contest with a team-high 25 points and had the final five points in the game, including a three-point dagger. He finished 2-for-5 from behind the arc and shot 7-for-13 overall with an 8-for-10 record at the free-throw line. Towns' eighth consecutive appearance with at least 12 rebounds included 15 boards, six assists, two steals, and two blocks. The big man has fitted in superbly in New York and will look to help his team reach the NBA Cup semifinals next. The Knicks play Atlanta in the quarterfinals on Wednesday. Towns dominated with 34 points and 16 rebounds when these teams met for the first time this season.
Toronto Raptors forward Scottie Barnes (ankle) suffered his second injury of the season in Monday's 113-108 loss to the Knicks, but there was some good news: initial X-rays on Barnes' right ankle/foot came back negative. He will be further evaluated on Tuesday. Barnes missed 11 games earlier in the season due to an orbital bone fracture. Defensive specialist Davion Mitchell and rookie Ja'Kobe Walter, who scored a career-high 19 points in Monday's defeat, will likely figure more prominently in the rotation if Barnes has to miss some time.
Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (elbow) is scheduled to get more imaging done next week. It has been a month since Quickley went down with a partial torn UCL in his left elbow. The team hasn't given a timetable for his return, but there should be more information after the additional imaging is done. That being said, Jamal Shead, Davion Mitchell, and Gradey Dick should all see additional playing time. Both Shead and Mitchell have struggled, but Dick is worth rostering in most fantasy formats right now.
Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (illness) is currently listed as questionable ahead of Tuesday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Washington appears to have picked up a minor illness, so fantasy managers will likely have to wait to see how he feels closer to tip-off. The Mavs could be shorthanded for this game with Maxi Kleber (illness) already ruled out for this game. That being said, Dereck Lively II, Daniel Gafford, and even Dwight Powell could see more minutes in the rotation. Lively is the best fantasy option out of the bunch, assuming Washington is out.
Dallas Mavericks forward Maxi Kleber (illness) has been ruled out ahead of Tuesday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Kleber will miss his second game in a row due to an illness. He remains day-to-day, but his absence won't have a huge impact on the rotation. Kleber has only been playing 17 minutes per game, so the Mavs will likely use a committee approach to fill the void. P.J. Washington (illness), Dereck Lively II, and Daniel Gafford should all pick up extra playing time.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Khris Middleton (ankle) is listed as probable ahead of Tuesday's game against the Orlando Magic. Middleton made his season debut last week and is expected to appear in his third straight game. He's averaging 11 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 5.5 assists across 21 minutes per game in two games. There isn't a ton of fantasy value coming from Middleton right now, but his value will get better once he's back to full speed. The expectation is that Middleton will be out there for the NBA Cup Quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is currently listed as probable ahead of Tuesday's game against the Orlando Magic. The superstar forward has been a regular on the injury report, but has only missed two games this season. It's highly unlikely that Antetokounmpo misses this game given that it's the NBA Cup Quarterfinals. Fantasy managers should double check ahead of tip-off, but Antetokounmpo should be fine for Tuesday's game. If he sits, Bobby Portis would see increased playing time and be a strong streaming option.
