NBA roundup: Knicks pummel Nets for historic 54-point win
Thu Jan 22 1:50am ET
Field Level Media
Jalen Brunson scored 20 points Wednesday night for the New York Knicks, who snapped out of their slump with a historic 120-66 thumping of the visiting Brooklyn Nets.
The 54-point win was the most lopsided in franchise history for the Knicks, easily surpassing a trio of 48-point wins, the most recent of which was a 130-82 rout of the Philadelphia 76ers on April 21, 1994. A 3-pointer by the Nets' Danny Wolf with 8.5 seconds left prevented New York from earning the largest-margin victory in the NBA this season. The Charlotte Hornets blew out the Utah Jazz 150-95 on Jan. 10.
The 66 points for the Nets were the fewest by an NBA team since March 16, 2015, when the Charlotte Hornets lost to the Utah Jazz 94-66. It was the fewest points allowed by the Knicks since they beat the Washington Wizards 103-65 on April 13, 2012.
Landry Shamet scored 18 points off the bench while fellow reserve Miles McBride had 14 points for the Knicks. New York ended a four-game losing streak and won for just the third time in the last 12 games a day after Brunson reportedly called a players-only meeting to make it clear the team needed to find answers for its recent struggles.
Thunder 122, Bucks 102
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 40 points, dished out 11 assists and grabbed seven rebounds, leading Oklahoma City to a dominant road victory over Milwaukee.
Ajay Mitchell and Kenrich Williams each added 18 points for the Thunder, who won their second straight in dominating fashion and have prevailed in 7 of 8.
Giannis Antetokounmpo compiled 19 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists, but the Bucks lost back-to-back games at home by 20-plus points for the first time since 2016. Milwaukee fell for the fourth time in its past five overall.
Cavaliers 94, Hornets 87
Donovan Mitchell scored 24 points as Cleveland's solid defense paved the way to beat the host Hornets.
Evan Mobley provided 14 points and 14 rebounds, Jaylon Tyson posted 14 points and Jarrett Allen had 13 points, as the Cavaliers won for the third time in their last four outings. Cleveland finished with a 60-47 rebounding advantage.
Brandon Miller's 24 points led the Hornets and teammate Kon Knueppel notched 21 points but he was 2-for-10 from 3-point range. The Hornets produced their lowest home point total of the season, and finished the matchup eight for 47 beyond the arc.
Pistons 112, Pelicans 104
Jalen Duren collected 20 points and 15 rebounds and Daniss Jenkins added 17 points while starting in place of All-Star Cade Cunningham, lifting visiting Detroit past New Orleans.
Duren sank 7 of 11 shots from the floor to power the Pistons to their fourth win in a row and their seventh victory in eight contests. Duncan Robinson drained four 3-pointers to highlight his 15-point performance for Detroit, which played without both Cunningham (left hip contusion, illness) and Caris LeVert (illness).
New Orleans' Saddiq Bey made all 11 of his free-throw attempts to finish with a team-high 20 points. Trey Murphy III and rookie Micah Peavy each scored 17 points for the Pelicans, who shot a dismal 21.9% from 3-point range (7 of 32). New Orleans star Zion Williamson scored four points in 15 minutes before exiting the contest due to an illness.
Raptors 122, Kings 109
A trio of Toronto players scored more than 20 points, and Scottie Barnes and Jamal Shead combined for 24 in a third-quarter uprising as the visiting Raptors used a balanced attack to complete a two-day Northern California sweep with a triumph over Sacramento.
Barnes and Brandon Ingram scored 23 points, Sandro Mamukelashvili added 22, Immanuel Quickley chipped in with 18 and Shead had 15 for the Raptors, who had used a torrid first half to run off from the Golden State Warriors en route to a 145-127 victory in San Francisco on Tuesday night.
Giving Domantas Sabonis the night off on the back-to-back, the Kings got a team-high 23 points from Russell Westbrook, 19 from Zach LaVine, 17 from Malik Monk, 16 from Dennis Schroder and 11 from Precious Achiuwa.
Celtics 119, Pacers 104
Jaylen Brown had 30 points, 10 rebounds and five assists to lead Boston to a victory over visiting Indiana.
Brown was 11 of 22 from the field, but also committed a game-high five turnovers. Sam Hauser connected on 5 of his 7 3-point attempts and added 17 points for the Celtics, who received 17 points and nine rebounds from Neemias Queta.
Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 32 points, 10 rebounds and four assists. Siakam has scored at least 20 points in five straight games and in 12 of his last 13 contests. Indiana has lost three in a row and four of five, falling to 2-19 in road games.
Hawks 124, Grizzlies 122
Jalen Johnson had 32 points, 15 rebounds and eight assists to lead visiting Atlanta past Memphis to snap a four-game losing streak as the Grizzlies picked the worst time to go cold from the line.
Ja Morant led Memphis with 23 points, 12 assists and a career-high three blocks, but missed a desperation 3-pointer at the buzzer. The Grizzlies made 24 of 27 free throws, but all their misses came in the game's final 30.7 seconds -- particularly painful considering the Hawks did not score a point in that span.
Onyeka Okongwu added 18 points, nine rebounds and two blocks for the Hawks and former Grizzlies guard Luke Kennard also contributed 18 points, including making four of his five 3-point attempts.
- NBA roundup: Knicks pummel Nets for historic 54-point win
- Bucks G Kevin Porter Jr. (oblique) out indefinitely
- Gambler sentenced to 2 years in prison for NBA betting scandal
- Raptors rule out F Collin Murray-Boyles (thumb) vs. Kings
- NBA roundup: Raptors blow out Jimmy Butler-less Warriors
- Warriors F Jimmy Butler III undergoes MRI on injured knee
- NBA roundup: Pistons barely hold on to beat Celtics
- Thunder to shelve Jalen Williams (hamstring) 2 weeks
- Pau Gasol could play key role in NBA Europe league
- NBA reveals 10 starters for new All-Star Game format
- Hawks' Kristaps Porzingis, Zaccharie Risacher out another week
- Kevin Durant passes Dirk Nowitzki, moves into sixth on scoring list
- Thunder F Jalen Williams (hamstring) out vs. Cavs
- Clippers F Kawhi Leonard (knee) to miss remainder of road trip
- Grizzlies star G Ja Morant to return vs. Magic in London
- NBA roundup: Spurs hold off Anthony Edwards (55 points), Timberwolves
- NBA roundup: Clippers rally past Raptors in OT for 5th straight win
- Clippers owner Steve Ballmer files motion to dismiss Aspiration lawsuit
- Trail Blazers star Deni Avdija (back) could miss third straight game
- Kings C Domantas Sabonis (knee) to return Friday vs. Wizards
Miami Heat guard/forward Norman Powell (back) will play in Thursday's matchup against the Portland Trail Blazers. Although the team downgraded Powell from probable to questionable earlier in the day, he is now listed as available. Powell is dealing with lower back tightness, which may affect his performance against Portland. Recently, the 32-year-old has been in excellent form, shooting 42.1 percent from beyond the arc and averaging 23.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.8 assists across the last five games.
Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (knee) will be in the lineup on Thursday against the Miami Heat. He was unavailable for the last game on Sunday against the Sacramento Kings when Portland concluded a back-to-back set. Thursday's game kicks off another back-to-back for the team, making it likely that Williams III will sit out Friday's matchup against the Toronto Raptors. With Williams III returning, Duop Reath and Yang Hansen will slide down the depth chart on Thursday.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (knee) will return from a three-game absence on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Lakers, NBA insider Chris Haynes reports. The Clippers initially listed Leonard as questionable on the injury report. With Leonard back, Kobe Sanders is likely to return to the second unit. Leonard has been a man on a mission since the turn of the year, averaging 29.5 points, 5.8 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 2.5 steals, while shooting 42.5 percent from three-point range.
Portland Trail Blazers forwards Jerami Grant (Achilles) and Sidy Cissoko (illness) will be active against the Miami Heat on Thursday night. Both were listed as questionable on the injury report. A couple of hours before tip-off, Portland upgraded Grant and Cissoko to probable, and they have now been listed as available. Grant will rejoin the action after missing the second leg of a back-to-back on Sunday against the Sacramento Kings. Cissoko has started seven consecutive games, but with Grant and Jrue Holiday back from lengthy injury absences, he may soon lose his spot in the first unit.
Portland Trail Blazers guard Jrue Holiday (calf) will play on Thursday against the Miami Heat, Danny Marang of 1080 The Fan Portland reports. The veteran will be back in action after skipping the second leg of a back-to-back on Sunday against the Sacramento Kings. Holiday recently returned from a right calf injury, averaging 10.3 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.8 assists, and 1.0 steals in 19.3 minutes. He has been productive since returning, but the team has understandably limited Holiday's workload following his two-month injury layoff.
Miami Heat point guard Davion Mitchell (shoulder) won't play Thursday night against the Portland Trail Blazers. He has been trending in the wrong direction throughout the day, and the team has downgraded Mitchell from doubtful to out before tip-off. Last week, Mitchell injured his left shoulder. He returned to the lineup on Monday and played in both games of a back-to-back set, but it appears his shoulder still hasn't fully healed. Kasparas Jakucionis saw an increased workload with Mitchell out of the rotation last week and is likely to see significant minutes again, especially with Tyler Herro (ribs) also sidelined.
Memphis Grizzlies point guard Ja Morant (elbow) won't play on Friday against the New Orleans Pelicans. After returning from a calf problem, Morant managed to make two appearances before suffering a new injury. He is on the injury report with a UCL sprain in his left elbow. Morant's absence on Friday will likely give Cam Spencer a chance to rejoin the starting lineup. Spencer has frequently filled in for Morant this season, averaging 11.4 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 9.3 assists as a starter. It's a good matchup for Spencer, as he faces a team that allows the fourth-most assists to point guards.
Memphis Grizzlies forward/center Santi Aldama (knee) will miss Friday's contest against the New Orleans Pelicans. The Spanish veteran is experiencing right knee soreness, forcing him to skip a second consecutive game. Following Aldama's exit from the lineup, John Konchar started in Wednesday's loss to the Atlanta Hawks. Unfortunately, he had a quiet evening with two points in 21 minutes. GG Jackson II also logged 21 minutes as a member of the second unit, contributing nine points, two rebounds, one assist, and two blocks. Both players could have expanded roles again on Friday night, though neither looks like a reliable fantasy option.
San Antonio Spurs forward/center Jeremy Sochan (illness) has been upgraded to available for Thursday's meeting with the Utah Jazz. He was initially listed as questionable by the team. Unfortunately, Sochan hasn't been relevant in fantasy basketball this season, averaging 4.4 points and 2.8 rebounds in 13.5 minutes across 26 appearances. On Thursday night, Sochan could play a role in the rotation because Luke Kornet (adductor) is absent from San Antonio's lineup.
Detroit Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham (hip, illness) is listed as questionable for Friday night's action against the Houston Rockets. He's dealing with a hip contusion and an illness, and these issues might keep Cunningham on the shelf for a second consecutive game. If that's the case, Daniss Jenkins will continue in a starting role. He totaled 17 points, one rebound, four assists, two blocks, and two steals in Wednesday's win over the Indiana Pacers. Friday's matchup will be much tougher, but Jenkins could still make some noise in a larger role.
Utah Jazz point guard Keyonte George (forearm) has shed a questionable tag and will play in Thursday's contest against the San Antonio Spurs. This is great news for the Jazz, who remain without Lauri Markkanen (conditioning). George had a career-high 43 points in Tuesday's win over the Minnesota Timberwolves and has been his team's offensive leader recently. Over the last six games, George has averaged 29.3 points and 5.7 assists. This stretch includes a 30-point, six-assist effort against the Spurs on Monday night.
Utah Jazz forward Brice Sensabaugh (illness) has been cleared to return from a two-game absence on Thursday against the San Antonio Spurs. He was initially listed as questionable for the matchup. Sensabaugh missed a back-to-back set at the start of the week due to illness. Before landing on the shelf, he had an eye-popping three-game stretch, during which he averaged 31.7 points and 5.3 rebounds with 61.4 percent shooting. Sensabaugh's hot streak could continue on Thursday night, as Lauri Markkanen's (conditioning) absence should provide him with additional scoring opportunities.
Dallas Mavericks center Moussa Cisse (illness) will play on Thursday against the Golden State Warriors. The 23-year-old big man has been battling an illness this week. But Dallas has upgraded Cisse on the injury report a couple of times during the day, and he is now officially listed as available. The Mavericks are currently short of bodies in the paint, giving Cisse a larger role. He has averaged 11.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks in 21.6 minutes across the last three games. Cisse's momentum could continue on Thursday night against a Warriors team that has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points to centers this season.
Golden State Warriors guard/forward Gary Payton II (foot) will be in action on Thursday against the Dallas Mavericks. It was initially unclear whether Payton II would play, as the team listed him as questionable on the injury report. Payton II mainly contributes on the defensive end for the Warriors and doesn't have significant fantasy value. Across 10 January appearances, Payton II has averaged 7.2 points, 4.0 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in 15.4 minutes.
Los Angeles Lakers center Deandre Ayton (eye) will play on Thursday night against the Los Angeles Clippers. The former first-overall pick left Tuesday's win over the Denver Nuggets early after being poked in the eye, but the Lakers didn't include him on the injury report for Thursday's game. Before Tuesday night, Ayton had produced three double-doubles in four games. He has a mediocre fantasy matchup on Thursday.
Dallas Mavericks forward P.J. Washington (personal) will be held under 30 minutes during Thursday's game against the Golden State Warriors, according to Noah Weber. Washington is making his return on Thursday after missing each of the last three games due to personal reasons. The Mavs are going to take the cautious approach and limit Washington during his first game back in the rotation. They want to give him a game or two to build up his conditioning again. That could mean a few extra minutes for Caleb Martin or Dwight Powell during Thursday's game. Fantasy managers should still be safe to plug Washington into their lineups ahead of Thursday's tip-off.
Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (hamstring) has been upgraded to available ahead of Thursday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Giddey is officially back after missing each of the last 11 games due to a hamstring injury. Given the lengthy absence, Giddey will be under a minutes restriction during Thursday's game. According to K.C. Johnson, Giddey is expected to play around 24 minutes during his first game back. Fantasy managers in season-long formats can feel safe getting Giddey back in their lineups. Tre Jones and Ayo Dosunmu should take a step back in the rotation with Giddey back in the mix.
Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (ankle) is available ahead of Thursday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Williams is back in the rotation after missing each of the last two games due to a right ankle sprain. Given it was only a two-game absence, Williams shouldn't be under a minutes limit. His return to the rotation should mean less playing time for Kevin Huerter, Isaac Okoro, and Jalen Smith. When healthy, Williams has been an inconsistent fantasy option and isn't someone who is viewed as a must-start right now.
Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Brandon Miller (ankle) will suit up on Thursday against the Orlando Magic. He has received the green light to play after the team initially listed him as probable on the injury report due to left ankle soreness. Miller has scored 20-plus points in four consecutive games, though he struggled against the Magic earlier this season. In a 120-105 win on Dec. 26, Miller notched only 15 points on 3-for-16 shooting.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (ankle) will play on Thursday against the Houston Rockets. He will return to the lineup after a one-game absence, having been initially listed as probable for Thursday's matchup. The former MVP has scored 30 points in each of his last two appearances and is averaging 26.7 points and 7.3 rebounds for the month. Houston is ranked sixth in defensive efficiency and allows the fewest rebounds in the league to opposing centers, so Embiid must bring his A-game on Thursday to be effective.
