NBA roundup: Cavs edge Bucks, improve to 7-0
Sun Nov 3 3:17am ET
Field Level Media
Donovan Mitchell buried a jumper with 0.3 seconds remaining as the Cleveland Cavaliers extended their unbeaten run with a 114-113 win over the host Milwaukee Bucks on Saturday night.
Mitchell had 30 points for the Cavaliers, who recorded their seventh successive victory, their best start to a season since Bill Fitch coached them to a franchise-record 8-0 start in 1976-77.
Sam Merrill contributed 17 points off the bench, including five 3-pointers, Jarrett Allen had 15 points and 12 rebounds, Evan Mobley had 14 points and seven boards and Darius Garland finished with 11 points and 10 assists.
Damian Lillard notched 41 points -- including 10 3-pointers -- and nine assists, Giannis Antetokounmpo piled on 34 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists and Taurean Prince scored 16 for the Bucks.
Celtics 113, Hornets 103
Jayson Tatum pumped in 29 points and Payton Pritchard hit six 3-pointers on the way to 22 points off the bench as Boston defeated host Charlotte.
Luke Kornet's 19 points and Derrick White's 18 helped the Celtics to their sixth win in seven games to open the season, and Jrue Holiday's triple with 3:44 to go polished off his 13-point evening.
LaMelo Ball racked up 36 points for the Hornets, who went 1-3 during a four-game homestand.
Grizzlies 124, 76ers 107
Jay Huff scored a career-high 20 points in 14 minutes to highlight a balanced attack by the Grizzlies in defeating host Philadelphia.
A 27-year-old journeyman, Huff was playing under a two-way contract until signing a four-year deal with Memphis on Monday. He shot 7 of 10 from the floor and 5 of 7 from 3-point range off the bench and was one of seven Grizzlies who scored in double figures. Jaren Jackson Jr. led with 27 points.
Tyrese Maxey scored 23 points and rookie Jared McCain had a career-high 19 to pace the Sixers, who continued to play without stars Joel Embiid and Paul George. Both players practiced fully on Friday, including five-on-five scrimmages.
Raptors 131, Kings 128 (OT)
RJ Barrett scored 31 points, including five in overtime, and had nine rebounds as Toronto defeated visiting Sacramento.
Hall of Famer Vince Carter had his No. 15 jersey retired by the Raptors in a halftime ceremony. Chris Boucher added a season-best 24 points for the Raptors, who ended a four-game losing streak. Ochai Agbaji and Gradey Dick each scored 22 points, and Jakob Poeltl had 13 points and nine rebounds before fouling out late.
Domantas Sabonis had 17 points, 20 rebounds and 10 assists for the Kings, who had a three-game winning streak end. DeMar DeRozan scored a season-best 33 points, De'Aaron Fox scored 24 points and Keegan Murray added 16 points and 10 rebounds before fouling out. Malik Monk scored a season-best 21 points off the bench.
Warriors 127, Rockets 121 (OT)
Buddy Hield scored 27 points off the bench and Jonathan Kuminga added six of his 23 points in overtime as Golden State scraped past host Houston, which erased a 31-point deficit.
Kuminga scored twice in the post before adding a driving layup with 1:18 left in overtime to seal the victory. The Warriors received 15 points from Andrew Wiggins and 14 points and 11 rebounds from Draymond Green before he fouled out. Golden State played without Stephen Curry (ankle) for the third straight game.
Tari Eason spearheaded the Houston comeback with 27 points, nine rebounds, four steals and three blocks off the bench. Amen Thompson paired 18 points with 11 rebounds off the bench while Jabari Smith Jr. added 21 points and seven boards.
Heat 118, Wizards 98
Bam Adebayo scored 32 points and grabbed 14 rebounds to lead Miami to a win over Washington in Mexico City.
Tyler Herro added 15 points on 5-of-9 shooting. He and Adebayo combined for 30 of Miami's 56 first-half points. Jimmy Butler chipped in with 18 points, eight rebounds and four assists while Alec Burks added 15 points off the bench. Jaime Jaquez Jr. scored eight points off the bench.
Bilal Coulibaly had 22 points and Jordan Poole chipped in with 21 points for the Wizards, whose starting lineup included rookies Alexandre Sarr, Carlton Carrington and Kyshawn George. Sarr scored 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting from the field and added six rebounds and three assists. Carrington and George combined for 10 points as all three rookies each played over 27 minutes.
Suns 103, Trail Blazers 97
Devin Booker recorded 28 points, nine rebounds and nine assists to help Phoenix beat visiting Portland.
Kevin Durant registered 21 points and nine rebounds and Grayson Allen scored 18 points off the bench for Phoenix. Bradley Beal and Tyus Jones added 15 points apiece for the Suns.
Jerami Grant and Anfernee Simons scored 20 points apiece for the Trail Blazers, who have lost five of their first seven games this season.
Spurs 113, Timberwolves 103
Keldon Johnson poured in a season-high 25 points off the bench and Jeremy Sochan and Chris Paul amassed double-doubles as San Antonio Spurs defeated visiting Minnesota.
Sochan added 19 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs, with Victor Wembanyama hitting for 17 points. Chris Paul racked up 15 points and 13 assists.
Julius Randle and Anthony Edwards scored 21 points apiece to lead the Timberwolves, who were playing the second game of a home-road back-to-back and didn't arrive in San Antonio until 4:45 a.m. on Saturday.
Thunder 105, Clippers 92
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 25 points and nine assists as visiting Oklahoma City remained unbeaten with a victory over Los Angeles.
Oklahoma City has opened the season 6-0 for the first time in franchise history. The Thunder are the last unbeaten team in the Western Conference. Luguentz Dort scored 16 points, Jalen Williams added 15, Aaron Wiggins and Isaiah Joe had 12 apiece and Chet Holmgren netted 10 for the Thunder, who have won all six games by at least 12 points.
Norman Powell led the Clippers with 24 points, while James Harden had 12 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists. Terance Mann and Kris Dunn scored 11 points apiece for Los Angeles, which remained winless in four games at the new Intuit Dome this season.
Nuggets 129, Jazz 103
Nikola Jokic scored 18 of his 27 points in the third quarter, and host Denver defeated Utah for its first home win of the season.
Jokic added 16 rebounds and nine assists to finish just shy of a triple-double for the second straight night. He was a rebound shy of the mark at Minnesota on Friday night. Michael Porter Jr. scored 20 points, Julian Strawther had a season-high 19 and Christian Braun added 17.
The Jazz, who remain the only winless team in the NBA, had six players score in double figures, led by Walker Kessler's 18 points to go with 14 rebounds. Johnny Juzang had 17 points and Keyonte George had 16 with eight assists.
- 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
- Knicks getting back to business, host Hornets
- 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
- Hornets star LaMelo Ball (calf) out at least two weeks
- 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
- NBA roundup: Giannis Antetokounmpo's triple-double lifts Bucks to 6th straight win
Golden State Warriors forward Draymond Green (calf) will not be able to play in Thursday's matchup with the Houston Rockets due to left calf tightness. He joins Stephen Curry (ankle), who will also be sidelined for rest purposes with the Warriors in the first half of back-to-back games. Until Green is able to suit up again,Jonathan Kumingawill likely continue to receive increased playing time. Against the Nuggets on Tuesday, Kuminga posted19 points, five rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal in 29 minutes.
Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (illness) has been ruled out ahead of Thursday's game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The big man was tagged as questionable coming into this game, but has now been downgraded to out. His absence should free up playing time for Chris Boucher and Jonathan Mogbo in the rotation. Neither player has ideal streaming option but Mogbo has been the better fantasy option over the last few games. Both players could be possible low-end streaming options with Poeltl unavailable.
Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond (ankle) is questionable for Friday's game against Orlando. The 31-year-old has missed the last few games because of a sprained ankle, which is not ideal for a team that has been missing Joel Embiid (knee). If Drummond returns, he's worth starting in most fantasy setups. However, if he doesn't, Guerschon Yabusele, who had 15 points, seven rebounds, and one steal on Wednesday, should continue to benefit significantly.
Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (knee) is questionable for Friday's game against the Milwaukee Bucks. The former Duke Blue Devil has had arguably the best year of his career, averaging 28.4 points, 8.6 rebounds, 5.6 assists, and 1.3 steals. He wasn't available for Wednesday's matchup versus the Pistons. Of course, Jaylen Brown picked up most of the slack, scoring 28 points. If Tatum misses another game, Brown should be in line for another productive outing, even more so if Kristaps Porzingis (leg) doesn't suit up. The same can be said for Payton Pritchard, Sam Hauser, and Derrick White.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is listed as probable for Friday's game against the Boston Celtics. Despite dealing with right patella tendinopathy, the former MVP is expected to suit up for his fourth consecutive game. As usual, Antetokounmpo has been filling up the stat sheet, including a recent 42-point triple-double against the Washington Wizards. With Friday's game against the Celtics being a significant test for the Bucks, they'll rely on their superstar to perform at his best.
Washington Wizards forward Kyshawn George (ankle) has been ruled out for Thursday's matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. The 20-year-old rookie sustained a left ankle sprain during Tuesday's loss to Cleveland, sidelining him for at least one game. His next chance to return will be Saturday against Denver. George has been a key piece in the Wizards' development plans, averaging 26.2 minutes and 7.5 points per game this season. In his absence, Jared Butler could step into a larger role for the young and rebuilding Washington squad.
Milwaukee Bucks guard/forward Khris Middleton (ankles) is expected to make his 2024-25 debut in Friday's game versus the Boston Celtics. The veteran had surgery on both ankles during the offseason and has been working his way back since. Of course, he'll likely see limited action in his first game since May, so fantasy managers should wait and see how things play out before getting him back in the starting lineup. It's also unknown if he'll come off the bench. Still, Middleton's presence will be enough to significantly cap Andre Jackson Jr. and Gary Trent Jr.'s fantasy potential.
According to Jim Eichenhofer of the New Orleans Pelicans official site, forwardHerbert Jones (shoulder) will play Thursday against the Phoenix Suns. The 26-year-old hasn't suited up since October 29, missing 18 consecutive contests with a right shoulder strain. Being out of action for a while, Jones's minutes will most definitely be restricted until he can get back into game shape. At this time, he will not be a fantasy factor.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) won't play in Friday's matchup versus the Orlando Magic. Head coach Nick Nurse indicated Embiid will be ready to return once he's healthy enough. However, that won't be on Friday night, which isn't surprising to most. With Andre Drummond (ankle) questionable and Adem Bona (knee) out, Guerschon Yabusele, who is coming off a 15-point, seven-rebound effort on Wednesday, is worth being included in any fantasy lineup. However, Yabusele's outlook will change if Drummond can get on the floor.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram (calf) is available for Thursday's game against the Phoenix Suns. Ingram will return to action after missing the team's last five contests due to right calf soreness. The 27-year-old is a key offensive weapon for the Pelicans, averaging 22.9 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 5.4 assists in 33.6 minutes per game this season. His return provides a much-needed boost to a New Orleans squad looking to gain some momentum, and fantasy managers will be glad to have him back in their lineups.
The Washington Wizards announced that guardMalcolm Brogdon(knee) will play against Dallas on Thursday. Brogdon was listed as questionable earlier, but he's since been upgraded to available despite suffering from soreness in his right knee. The 31-year-old has struggled with injuries these last few seasons. However, he has played reasonably well when healthy, posting averages of 16.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 24.4 minutes across his last five appearances.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (injury management) will not play Thursday against the Houston Rockets as he takes a rest day. In his absence, Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody are likely to see expanded roles. The star guard is expected to return Friday for the team's matchup with the Minnesota Timberwolves. In his most recent game, Curry posted 24 points, seven rebounds, and 11 assists in 34 minutes, reminding everyone why fantasy managers will be thrilled to have him back in action.
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.
