NBA roundup: Hawks' Trae Young puts up 45 vs. Spurs
Fri Dec 1 1:34am ET
Field Level Media
Trae Young poured in a season-high 45 points and dished out 14 assists and Dejounte Murray added 24 points as the visiting Atlanta Hawks rallied for a 137-135 victory over the reeling San Antonio Spurs on Thursday.
Bogdan Bogdanovic added 14 points off the bench for the Hawks, with Saddiq Bey scoring 13 and De'Andre Hunter and Clint Capela tallying 12 each.
Jeremy Sochan scored a career-high 33 points for the Spurs, who have dropped 13 straight games and finished 1-13 in November. Vassell hit for 25, Keldon Johnson added 22 points and 11 rebounds and Victor Wembanyama racked up 21 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks for San Antonio.
The Spurs led by 15 points in the first quarter, by 12 in the third and by eight in the fourth. The Hawks took the lead for good on two Young free throws with 3:22 to go.
Timberwolves 101, Jazz 90
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 32 points and grabbed 11 rebounds and Minnesota pulled away to beat Utah in Minneapolis.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker finished with 20 points on 8-for-16 shooting for Minnesota, which played without top scorer Anthony Edwards as he recovers from a hip pointer injury. Rudy Gobert posted a double-double with 15 points and 13 rebounds.
Simone Fontecchio scored 16 points to lead Utah, which did not have Lauri Markkanen because of a hamstring strain. Collin Sexton scored 14 points and Ochai Agbaji had 13. Utah has lost two straight games and six of its past eight.
Hornets 129, Nets 128
Terry Rozier scored a season-high 37 points and hit the go-ahead 3-pointer with 2:38 remaining to lift visiting Charlotte over Brooklyn in New York.
Missing LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller due to sprained ankles, the Hornets had their highest point total this season and hit a season-high 21 3-pointers. Rozier hit seven of those 3s, including two clutch triples in the final three-plus minutes. Miles Bridges added 23 points, and Gordon Hayward contributed 22.
Cam Thomas scored 26 points in his return from missing eight games with an ankle sprain, but the Nets' three-game winning streak was stopped. Bridges added 22 points and Nic Claxton collected 20 points and 14 rebounds.
Knicks 118, Pistons 112
Jalen Brunson scored 42 points, Julius Randle finished with 29 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists and New York recovered after giving up a 16-point lead to hand visiting Detroit a 16th consecutive loss.
RJ Barrett scored 15 points in the win despite a 1-of-6 shooting performance from 3-point range.
Cade Cunningham scored 18 of his 31 points in the first half for Detroit, and Killian Hayes added 23 points. Marcus Sasser scored 17.
Heat 142, Pacers 132
Jimmy Butler tied his season high with 36 points as host Miami rallied past Indiana.
The Heat lost two-time All-Star center Bam Adebayo in the second quarter due to an aggravated hip injury. Butler drew a season-high 12 fouls and made 18 of 20 free throws. He also sank 9 of 18 from the floor as the Heat snapped a three-game losing streak. Miami also got 24 points from rookie Jaime Jaquez Jr.
Indiana lost despite a career-high 44 points from Tyrese Haliburton, who also had 10 assists, three steals, one block and just two turnovers. Obi Toppin scored 25 points on 10-of-15 shooting.
Warriors 120, Clippers 114
Stephen Curry had a team-high 26 points, Jonathan Kuminga led a difference-making bench performance with 17 and short-handed Golden State topped Los Angeles in San Francisco.
Playing without injured Chris Paul, Andrew Wiggins and Gary Payton II, the Warriors rode a balanced attack to a third straight home win. Klay Thompson scored 22 points, and Curry added eight assists and seven rebounds.
Kawhi Leonard scored 23 points, Ivica Zubac posted 18 points and 13 rebounds and James Harden also had 18 points for the Clippers, who won the previous night at Sacramento.
Trail Blazers 103, Cavaliers 95
Shaedon Sharpe recorded his first double-double with 29 points and 10 rebounds as visiting Portland rallied from a 16-point, first-half deficit to beat Cleveland.
Jerami Grant and Duop Reath scored 13 points apiece for the Trail Blazers, who have won three of their past four games.
Donovan Mitchell led Cleveland with 23 points. Evan Mobley added 20 points, Darius Garland scored 15 points and Jarrett Allen had 12 points and 10 rebounds.
Bulls 120, Bucks 113 (OT)
Nikola Vucevic had 29 points and 10 rebounds and Coby White scored 23 points to help short-handed Chicago beat visiting Milwaukee in overtime to stop a five-game losing streak.
DeMar DeRozan (ankle) and Zach LaVine (foot), the Bulls' top two scorers, missed the game. Still, Chicago stuck around behind eight double-figure scorers. Andre Drummond finished with 10 points and 14 rebounds.
Giannis Antetokounmpo notched 26 points and 14 boards for the Bucks, while Brook Lopez followed with 20 points. Damian Lillard scored 18, but he had only one point after halftime.
Thunder 133, Lakers 110
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points to lead host Oklahoma City to a win over Los Angeles.
Gilgeous-Alexander was 11 of 18 from the floor and made all 10 of his free throws as the Thunder finished 53.2 percent from the floor. Jalen Williams added 21 points for the Thunder while Chet Holmgren scored 18. Anthony Davis led the Lakers with 31 points on 11-of-18 shooting while LeBron James added 21.
The win snapped a two-game losing streak for Oklahoma City, which has won seven of nine overall. The loss was the third in five games for the Lakers, who have given up at least 130 points in two of their past three outings.
- Russell Westbrook joins Nuggets on 2-year deal
- Warner Bros. sues NBA over media rights deal
- 76ers, Flyers need new sponsor for arena
- NBA denies TNT's attempt to be part of new TV rights deal
- Thunder 1st-round pick Nikola Topic has surgery for torn ACL
- Knicks, coach Tom Thibodeau agree to 3-year extension
- Hawks rookie Nikola Durisic undergoes foot surgery
- Andrew Nembhard, Pacers agree to 3-year, $59M deal
- 76ers introduce Paul George, celebrate ‘patient’ Tyrese Maxey
- Reggie Jackson to join 76ers after clearing waivers
- WBD, parent of TNT Sports, matches Amazon’s bid for NBA rights
- Mavs signing G Spencer Dinwiddie
- Bulls sign G DJ Steward to two-way contract
- Celtics' Sam Hauser agrees to 4-year, $45M extension
- Cavs F/C Evan Mobley lands 5-year, $224M extension
- Nets acquire F Ziaire Williams, draft pick from Grizzlies
- Kevin Durant practices with Team USA, targets exhibition game
- Clippers trade G Russell Westbrook to Jazz
- Raptors to host Wizards in preseason game in Montreal
- Magic co-founder Pat Williams dies at 84
The Phoenix Suns traded forward David Roddy to Atlanta in exchange for forward EJ Liddell. The 23-year-old began his career in Memphis but was traded to Phoenix ahead of last season's deadline. He played sparingly in Phoenix, averaging only 1.3 points in 17 games. With that in mind, Roddy likely won't see much action with the Hawks. However, he could be worth adding to fantasy rosters if Atlanta needs to put him on the floor during the 2024-25 campaign.
The Pelicans claimed center Trey Jemison off waivers. He was recently waived by the Grizzlies after spending time with the team last season. In 23 games in Memphis, Jemison averaged 7.4 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks. While the 24-year-old will likely spend time in the G League, the Pelicans may require his services at some point during the 2024-25 campaign, so the streaming potential is there for fantasy managers.
The San Antonio Spurs have signed guard David Duke Jr. to a two-way contract. The young guard signed a two-way deal with the organization last December. However, Duke only ended up playing in four games with the Spurs. Before that, Duke spent two seasons with the Brooklyn Nets. This is looking more like a depth move than anything else. The assumption is that Duke will spend a majority of his time in the G-League.
The Dallas Mavericks have signed forward Kessler Edwards to a two-way contract for the upcoming season. Edwards didn't make much of an impact on the court last season. He averaged 5.1 minutes per game across 54 appearances with the Sacramento Kings. Edwards started his career with the Brooklyn Nets but has played each of the last two seasons in Sacramento. He's a decent depth option but will likely spend most of his time in the G-League with the Mavs.
The Denver Nuggets have signed guard Russell Westbrook to a two-year deal. The veteran guard will receive $6.8 million over the next two seasons. Westbrook officially joins the Nuggets after being waived by the Utah Jazz following a trade from the Los Angeles Clippers. This was expected to happen after Utah waived the star guard. The assumption is that Westbrook is going to see significant minutes off the bench in Denver. He should immediately upgrade this bench that struggled to produce last season.
According to Milwaukee Bucks general manager Jon Horst, the team doesn't plan on trading center Brook Lopez. "Brook is so core to who we are," said Horst during an interview. "Of course, he has value around the league. That's a credit to him. But we've not engaged in any real conversations about trading Brook. I hope Brook retires as a Milwaukee Buck." The 36-year-old has been with the Bucks since the 2018-19 campaign. Since then, he's appeared in at least 68 games in all but one season. While Lopez's production has decreased over the years, he remains a double-double threat and one of the most durable big men in the National Basketball Association, giving him value for fantasy managers heading into the 2024-25 season. His abilities from deep and as a shot-blocker also give him a higher ceiling for category participants.
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green has been instrumental to the team's success over the years. It's known his career is nearing an end. Yet, he added some clarity recently, stating during an interview he's "probably got two more" seasons left before he hangs it up. The 34-year-old has spent his entire career with the Warriors since entering the National Basketball Association, averaging 8.7 points, 7.0 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.3 steals, and 1.0 blocks. He's also a four-time All-Star, four-time NBA champion, and the 2017 Defensive Player of the Year. Without question, Green has a Hall of Fame resume. While he should have more than a few quality showings for fantasy managers on the horizon, his days of consistent production are likely over, even with Klay Thompson now in Dallas.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry wants to finish his career with the team. While it's hard to envision the multi-time NBA champion playing for another club, he seemingly hasn't ruled it out. "I've always said I want to be a Warrior for life," Curry said during an interview with Marc J. Spears. "I'm taking it one step at a time, to be honest. I want to win. Let's put it this way, it's a long-winded way of saying that if it is a situation where you're a bottom feeder and it's just because you want to stay there, I'd have a hard time with that." The 36-year-old is entering the final phase of his Hall of Fame career. However, he's still playing at an All-Star level, most recently averaging 26.4 points and 5.1 assists while shooting 40.8% from deep during the 2023-24 campaign. It's a new era in Golden State, with Klay Thompson now a member of the Dallas Mavericks. But Curry has a chance to remain productive for fantasy managers, so he has a good chance of remaining a top-20 option in nearly every format imaginable.
Free-agent guard Josh Christopher agreed to a two-way deal with the Miami Heat. The 22-year-old spent the last two years with the Rockets. In 138 games in Houston, he averaged 6.9 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists. With that said, he likely won't see much work with the big club during the 2024-25 campaign. However, even if Christopher gets his chance with the main unit, he probably won't play often enough to be a relevant fantasy option.
Free-agent forward Anthony Gill re-signed with the Washington Wizards. The terms of the deal haven't been disclosed. The 31-year-old has spent his entire career with the Wizards. However, he hasn't done much, averaging 3.6 points in 179 regular season contests. Gill was decent in his three starts in 2023-24, averaging 13.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 1.0 blocks. Yet, he'll presumably spend most of his time at the end of the bench this season, making him nearly irrelevant for fantasy purposes.
Free-agent guard Killian Hayes agreed to a one-year, non-guaranteed contract with the Brooklyn Nets. It's an Exhibit 10 deal, so he'll have a chance to compete for a roster spot during training camp. The 2020 No. 7 overall pick has spent his entire four-year career with the Pistons. In 210 games, he averaged 8.1 points, 5.2 assists, and 1.2 steals. With the Nets recently commencing a rebuild, there's a chance Hayes could get minutes and even start, giving him streaming value for fantasy managers. However, he'll need to make the team first.
Cleveland Cavaliers center Jarrett Allen is drawing trade interest from teams around the NBA. This isn't anything new. However, Allen's name resurfaced in trade rumblings after Evan Mobley signed a five-year extension with the Cavs. The 2017 No. 22 overall pick has two years left on his current deal. But he's coming off the best year of his career, finishing 2023-24 by averaging a career-high 16.5 points with 10.5 rebounds and 1.1 blocks. Allen has a relationship with new head coach Kenny Atkinson dating back to their days in Brooklyn, so that could be enough to keep him on the roster. With that in mind, he's expected to remain a top fantasy producer no matter where he plays moving ahead.
The Grizzlies waived center Trey Jemison on Wednesday. The 24-year-old appeared in 23 games for Memphis last season. He showed promise, averaging 10.0 points, 7.1 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in 14 starts. There are still teams around the National Basketball Association who have two-way spots available, so there's a chance Jemison will link up with a new team. However, he's far from being a relevant fantasy option, and that's not expected to change in the near future. Memphis signed center Jay Huff to a two-way contract in a corresponding move.
Free-agent center Jay Huff agreed to a two-way contract with Memphis. The 26-year-old has spent time with the Lakers, Wizards, and Nuggets during his career. However, his most significant contributions came in the G League, most recently averaging 18.1 points, 8.5 rebounds, and 3.1 blocks with the Greensboro Swarm last season. The Nuggets have Nikola Jokic in the middle, with Dario Saric, Peyton Watson, and DeAndre Jordan behind him on the depth chart. As a result, Huff isn't expected to be a relevant fantasy option anytime soon.
Free-agent center Orlando Robinson agreed to a one-year deal to join the Sacramento Kings. He spent the last two seasons with the Miami Heat. However, Robinson averaged only 3.2 points and 3.1 rebounds in 67 appearances for the team. His statistical contributions likely won't improve in Sacramento, especially with Domantas Sabonis being one of the most durable players in the National Basketball Association.
According to ESPN's Brian Windhorst, Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant has resumed practicing with Team USA ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics. However, Durant's playing status remains a mystery, with Team USA head coach Steve Kerr stating there will be a "big collaboration" regarding when he will play. Fortunately, it appears the multi-time All-Star is moving in the right direction. While Durant likely won't suit up versus Serbia on Sunday, it appears he has a chance to get on the floor soon.
Free-agent center DeAndre Jordan re-signed with the Denver Nuggets. The 36-year-old averaged a career-low 3.9 points and 4.4 rebounds last season. While his presence adds depth to a team looking to capture another NBA championship, he will likely spend most of his time on the bench, especially with Dario Saric, Peyton Watson, and Zeke Nnaji on the roster. With that in mind, Jordan did average 16.0 points, 10.5 rebounds, 1.5 steals, and 1.0 blocks in two starts during the 2023-24 campaign, so there is streaming potential for fantasy managers if Nikola Jokic misses time.
Free-agent forward James Johnson agreed to a one-year, $3.3 million contract to return to Indiana. The 37-year-old has played for 10 teams throughout his decade-plus tenure in the National Basketball Association. He spent the last two seasons with the Pacers, most recently averaging 0.9 points during the 2023-24 campaign. Johnson's leadership is his biggest asset for Indiana. However, it won't do much for his fantasy value.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Nikola Topic (knee) underwent successful surgery to repair a partially torn ACL. He's still expected to miss the entire 2024-25 campaign. While teams around the National Basketball Association were aware of the injury, that didn't stop OKC from selecting him with the No. 12 pick of the 2024 NBA Draft. With that said, Topic won't have any value in redraft leagues this season. However, patient dynasty managers can draft the 18-year-old accordingly, although it may take him a few seasons to find his rhythm.
Toronto Raptors guard/forward Bruce Brown continues to draw interest from several teams around the National Basketball Association. The 27-year-old is entering the final season of his current deal, making him an attractive commodity, especially for teams looking to make a deep postseason run. After signing with the Pacers before the 2023-24 campaign, he was traded to Toronto ahead of the deadline. However, Brown averaged just 9.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists. His fantasy outlook isn't promising as long as he remains with the Raptors. Yet, it could increase significantly if Brown gets consistent minutes with a new team.