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.
- 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
- NBA roundup: Giannis Antetokounmpo's triple-double lifts Bucks to 6th straight win
- NBA roundup: Anthony Edwards, Wolves edge Clippers
- NBA roundup: Hawks send Cavs to first home loss
- NBA roundup: Damian Lillard hoists banged-up Bucks over Heat
- NBA roundup: Kristaps Porzingis returns as Celtics club Clippers
- Suns expect Kevin Durant, Bradley Beal to play vs. Lakers
- G Ja Morant set to return Monday for Grizzlies
- Rockets G Fred VanVleet fined $50K for late-game outburst
- Pelicans G Dejounte Murray to return Wednesday
- Kristaps Porzingis to make season debut Monday
- NBA roundup: Heat turn back Mavericks in OT
- Hornets F Grant Williams (knee) out for season
- NBA roundup: LaMelo Ball scores 50 in Hornets' loss to Bucks
- Clippers leading scorer Norman Powell to miss third game
- NBA roundup: Warriors first to clinch group in NBA Cup
Bulls' G Josh Giddey recorded a triple-double, finishing with 20 points, 11 assists and 13 rebounds in a 128-102 win over the Nets on Monday, Dec. 2.
Denver Nuggets forward Peyton Watson (hip) is listed as probable for Tuesday night's game against the Golden State Warriors. Watson is dealing with an adductor issue but it hasn't forced him to miss any time. Watson has been seeing additional minutes while filling in for Aaron Gordon, who's been dealing with calf issues, but with Gordon's return on Sunday night Watson will be at risk of losing minutes going forward. In Gordon's return on Sunday Watson was still able to play 28 minutes in a start, but if Gordon is back in the starting lineup then the 22-year-old will be at risk of losing minutes. Fantasy managers should keep their eyes open for any news about the Nuggets' starting lineup on Tuesday before making any decisions about starting or sitting Watson.
Utah Jazz center Kyle Filipowski (leg) has been ruled out of Tuesday night's game against the Utah Jazz. Filipowski will now miss his sixth straight game as he deals with a lower leg issue. The rookie has been okay in limited minutes, averaging 7.3 PPG and 4.7 RPG in 19 minutes per game this season. With Filipowski continuing to miss time, expect more minutes overall from Jazz big men Walker Kessler and John Collins. Off the bench, expect Drew Eubanks to get some minutes but he likely won't have a big impact overall. Kessler and Collins will make much stronger fantasy options for those in need.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (calf) is listed as probable for Tuesday night's game against the Golden State Warriors. Gordon had missed 10 games dealing with a calf issue but was able to return on Sunday night against the Clippers. Gordon put up 10 points in nearly 24 minutes of action in his first game back as he came off the bench for the Nuggets. If he's feeling better it won't be a surprise to see him return to the starting lineup given Denver's defensive struggles this season. The 29-year-old also excelled against the Warriors last season, averaging 19.3 PPG and 9.0 RPG. Fantasy managers and DFS managers should keep an eye out for any news on an expected start for Gordon as it would greatly increase his value in both formats.
Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson (foot) will miss his fifth straight game on Tuesday as he continues to battle plantar fasciitis in his left foot. While Clarkson has been sidelined, Keyonte George and Collin Sexton have carried more work in the backcourt while rookie Isaiah Collier and Johnny Juzang have been able to get expanded time off the bench. Juzang had 11 points, five assists, and four rebounds in his 16 minutes against the Lakers on Sunday, and he'll remain an interesting punt play for DFS contests.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Alex Caruso (hip) has been ruled out for Tuesday night's game against the Utah Jazz. Caruso has been dealing with a hip strain that's caused him to miss five straight games now. The 30-year-old has brought value to the Thunder, though it hasn't translated much into fantasy value. His continued absence won't mean much to fantasy managers. Expect Aaron Wiggins to continue getting minutes off the bench for OKC. Wiggins has averaged 9.4 PPG and is a better fantasy option than Caruso, but neither will be a great option in the long run.
Raptors guard Gradey Dick (calf) was able to participate in practice on Monday and could be ready to return from a four-game absence on Tuesday as the Raptors welcome in Indiana in an NBA Emirates Cup matchup that will have no impact since both teams have already been eliminated from advancing. Dick is averaging 18.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 2.3 three-pointers in over 32 minutes per game so far this season. Ja'Kobe Walter has started the last three games in his place and made a great impression. Dick will likely return to the lineup when healthy, but Walter could remain involved off the bench.
Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (knee) is listed as probable for Tuesday night's game against the Denver Nuggets. Curry has been dealing with knee issues that caused him to miss one game last week, though he was back on the court on Saturday against the Suns. Curry has been a strong start this season, averaging 22.5 PPG while shooting 43.4% from three. With Denver's struggles on defense this season, the 36-year-old may be in for a big night against the Nuggets. Fantasy managers in all leagues need to ensure Curry's in their starting lineups.
Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (knee) returned to the Pacers' lineup on Sunday, but he's uncertain to play Tuesday when the Pacers visit Toronto. In his return, he played just 15 minutes but looked sharp with 14 points, four assists, two steals, two three-pointers, and two rebounds. Nembhard could be ready for an increased workload if he plays on Tuesday, but if he needs more time to recover, Quenton Jackson would likely return to the starting lineup in his spot. Jackson started the second half in Nembhard's place on Sunday so that Nembhard could close, but the game turned into a blowout keeping Nembhard's minutes so low.
Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (calf) is listed as probable for Tuesday's game against the San Antonio Spurs. The Suns have been managing Beal's calf injury and should be good to go on Tuesday after missing Saturday's game against Golden State. The 31-year-old has been very solid for the Suns when active, averaging 18.2 PPG. With all three of the Suns' big three healthy, expect good things out of the Suns on Tuesday. Fantasy managers and DFS managers should all aim to have Beal in their lineups.
Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (ankle) has been sidelined since November 17 with an ankle issue, and it looked like he would miss Tuesday's game as well. However, he was upgraded to questionable and could be ready to rejoin the Cavs' bench. He was in Cleveland's second unit for his last six games, producing 3.8 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists while playing 19.7 minutes per game. While he has been out, Isaac Okoro and Georges Niang have played expanded roles, and they will have their roles reduced when Wade returns. All three have struggled to produce many impact games, though, when the Cavs are at full strength.
Phoenix Suns center Jusuf Nurkic (thigh) is listed as out for Tuesday night's game against the San Antonio Spurs. Nurkic is dealing with a thigh contusion that's forced him to miss two games now. The Suns' big man has battled injuries this season and this will be his fourth contest overall he's been unable to suit up for. In his absence, expect Mason Plumlee to get the start. Plumlee has not been a great offensive threat, only scoring in double-digits once in his four starts in Nurkic's place. Instead, he will drive more value from a rebounding perspective. Fantasy managers needing help with rebounds should consider adding Plumlee.
76ers guard Kyle Lowry (hip) appears to be on the verge of returning to the floor for Philly on Tuesday's game in Charlotte. Lowry has missed the last five games with a right hip strain, but before that, he was a regular fixture in the starting lineup. Lowry averaged 6.2 points, 3.4 assists and 2.2 rebounds in 24.2 minutes per game while starting 10 of his 13 games. With Tyrese Maxey back from his injury and the emergence of rookie Jared McCain, Lowry could play a reduced role even when he's healthy.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Taurean Prince (quad) is listed as probable for Tuesday night's game against the Detroit Pistons. Prince is dealing with a right quad contusion but it isn't hindering his abilities enough to hold him out. The 30-year-old is leading the league in three-point percentage, hitting threes at a 54.2% clip though at a fairly limited volume. He went three-for-eight against Detroit in their last meeting, showing the potential for a higher ceiling against the Pistons. He also grabbed 10 rebounds in that game, well above his season average of 4.6 RPG. He makes an intriguing DFS option for Tuesday night that DFS players should consider.
76ers guard Reggie Jackson (knee) is probable for Tuesday's NBA Emirates Cup matchup in Charlotte. Jackson missed Saturday's game in Detroit but had been playing significant minutes off the bench before the injury. Jackson had seven points and matched his season-high with four assists in 12 minutes against the Clippers. With Kyle Lowry (hip) also probable, the Sixers' backcourt will be crowded for this matchup with Charlotte, making both veterans hard to count on for fantasy purposes.
Milwaukee Bucks guard MarJon Beauchamp (hamstring) is listed as probable for Tuesday night's matchup against the Detroit Pistons. Beauchamp is dealing with a lingering hamstring issue that's affected his ability to suit up this year. The 24-year-old has missed eight of the Bucks' 19 games this season and has averaged just 1.6 PPG. He's not getting many minutes off the bench, only having two games where he's been on the floor for five or more minutes. With Milwaukee's other options at guard all being relatively healthy, don't expect Beauchamp to make any realistic impact on Tuesday.
76ers forward Caleb Martin (back) was listed as probable for Tuesday's matchup against his former team, the Hornets. Martin has started 15 of his 16 games for the Sixers this season but missed the last two games with upper back soreness. He was limited in his most recent game but averaged 10.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, 2.7 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while logging 33.3 minutes per contest. Martin will likely return to the starting five, and he could either replace Kelly Oubre Jr. or Andre Drummond (ankle), who has already been ruled out.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is probable for Tuesday night's matchup against the Detroit Pistons. Antetokounmpo has been dealing with a knee swelling issue that caused him to miss one game last week, though he returned on Saturday and put up 42 against the Washington Wizards. Expect a huge night from The Greek Freak on Tuesday against the Pistons. In his only matchup against Detroit this season he put up a season high 59 points to go along with 14 rebounds and seven assists. He's a must start in all formats.
Hornets center Mark Williams (foot) has missed the first 20 games of the season, but he was listed as questionable for Tuesday's game with the 76ers. Williams has not played in an NBA game since December 8 of last year when a back injury cut short his second NBA season. In his 19 games before the injury, Williams averaged 12.7 points, 9.7 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks in 26.7 minutes per game. He rehabbed his back but picked up a foot injury in training camp that has kept him sidelined. He can be excellent when healthy at full strength, but he'll likely be playing severely limited minutes after such a long layoff.
Hornets guard Tre Mann (back) will miss his sixth straight game on Tuesday when the Hornets face the Sixers in Charlotte. With both Mann and LaMelo Ball (calf) out at least two weeks, the Hornets will rely on Vasilije Micic to run point and Brandon Miller to pick up heavy usage. Micic has started the last two games for the Hornets, both narrow defeats. In his first start, he had nine points and eight assists in 31 minutes against the Knicks, and he followed that with 15 points, eight rebounds and five assists against the Hawks. Micic is a solid play for as long as Mann and Ball are sidelined.
