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.
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- Suns F Kevin Durant (ankle) out at least 1 week
- Wolves' ownership saga to face arbitrator in January
- NBA roundup: Bucks cap 4-0 run in NBA Cup group
- Bucks, Knicks charge into NBA Cup quarters with perfect marks
- Kevin Durant exits Suns' win with sprained ankle
- Four-time All-Star Paul Millsap officially retires
- Return on hold for Lakers F Jarred Vanderbilt
- NBA roundup: Wolves limit Lakers to 80 points
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- 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
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- NBA roundup: Anthony Edwards, Wolves edge Clippers
- NBA roundup: Hawks send Cavs to first home loss
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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.
