NBA roundup: Nuggets outlast Nets for 2nd straight OT win
Wed Oct 30 1:41am ET
Field Level Media
Nikola Jokic had 29 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists, Jamal Murray and Aaron Gordon scored 24 points apiece and the Denver Nuggets rallied to beat the Brooklyn Nets 144-139 in overtime on Tuesday in New York.
Russell Westbrook had 22 points off the bench, Michael Porter Jr. contributed 16 and Christian Braun added 12 for Denver, which won in OT for the second consecutive night.
Brooklyn had seven players score in double figures, led by Dennis Schroder, who had 28 points and 14 assists. Cam Thomas contributed 26 points.
Brooklyn scored first in overtime before the Nuggets reeled off eight straight points to go ahead 133-127. Schroder hit a 3-pointer to cut the Nets' deficit to 135-132, but Braun answered from deep and Murray split a pair of free throws to stretch Denver's lead to seven.
Cameron Johnson drained a 3-pointer to make it 141-137 with 26.5 seconds left, but the Nuggets closed it out.
Mavericks 120, Timberwolves 114
Kyrie Irving scored 35 points on 13-for-23 shooting as Dallas held on to beat Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Luka Doncic finished with 24 points, eight rebounds and eight assists for Dallas, which earned its second victory in as many nights. P.J. Washington had 17 points to go along with eight rebounds, and Daniel Gafford added 14 points.
Anthony Edwards scored 37 points on 12-for-20 shooting to lead Minnesota, which had a two-game winning streak end. Julius Randle finished with 20 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, and Naz Reid contributed 14 points and nine rebounds off the bench.
Kings 113, Jazz 96
Domantas Sabonis posted 28 points and 11 rebounds, DeMar DeRozan added 20 points and eight assists and Sacramento routed Utah in Salt Lake City.
All five Kings starters scored in double figures. De'Aaron Fox finished with 19 points, while Keegan Murray and Kevin Huerter each had 14 points.
Jordan Clarkson notched 21 points on 8-of-16 shooting for the Jazz, who also got 18 points and seven boards from reserve John Collins.
Warriors 124, Pelicans 106
Buddy Hield responded to a promotion to the starting lineup with a team-high 28 points and short-handed Golden State rallied from a 20-point deficit to beat New Orleans in the opener of a two-day, two-game sequence in San Francisco.
Playing without Stephen Curry, Andrew Wiggins and De'Anthony Melton, the Warriors prevailed in large part because of the play of new starters Hield, Brandin Podziemski (19 points) and Moses Moody (17 points).
Zion Williamson had a game-high 31 points and Brandon Ingram added 30 for the Pelicans, who split a similar two-game, same-site NBA-style doubleheader last week at Portland.
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Dallas Mavericks forwardNaji Marshall(illness) will miss his third consecutive game due to an illness on Thursdays versus the Washington Wizards. Before being sidelined, Marshall had made the most of his opportunity as a starter while Klay Thompson was on the shelf, averaging 13.1 points and 4.0 rebounds. Once he's able to get back on the floor, his fantasy value will drop, as Thompson has since returned from his injury.
Cleveland Cavaliers guardTy Jerome(illness) is in danger of missing his second straight game due to an illness for Thursday's matchup with the Denver Nuggets. Darius Garland may see additional playing time if Jerome cannot suit up. Craig Porter Jr. and Caris LeVert will likely also see an uptick in minutes. LeVert, who is already averaging 24.1 minutes per game, could see a significant increase in his fantasy value on Thursday.
Chicago Bulls guard Josh Giddey (ankle) is questionable ahead of Thursday's matchup with the San Antonio Spurs due to a sprained right ankle. If the 23-year-old cannot play, the Bulls backcourt will be significantly depleted, with Coby White(ankle) andLonzo Ball(knee) already announced as sidelined. Players like Talen Horton-Tucker and rookie Matas Buzelis will likely see more minutes than usual. Fantasy managers will want to monitor Giddey's status closer to tip-off.
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.
