NBA roundup: Cavs rout Warriors for 10-0 start to season
Sat Nov 9 3:08am ET
Field Level Media
Darius Garland put up 27 points as one of six Cavaliers to score in double figures and host Cleveland pummeled the Golden State Warriors 136-117 on Friday night for its 10th straight win to open the season.
With the victory, Cleveland matched the 12th-best start to a season in NBA history. Golden State holds the league record, going 24-0 to kick off the 2015-16 campaign. All five Cavaliers starters supplied at least 12 points, including Evan Mobley's 23. Jarrett Allen had 13 points and 12 rebounds.
Cleveland outshot the visitors 54.1 percent to 48 percent overall.
Reserve Jonathan Kuminga racked up a team-high 21 points for the Warriors, who saw a five-game winning streak come to an end. Brandin Podziemski chipped in 14 points, seven rebounds, four assists and four steals, but Golden State star Stephen Curry was held to 12 points.
Celtics 108, Nets 104 (OT)
Jayson Tatum racked up 33 points, nine rebounds and six assists to propel Boston to a come-from-behind overtime victory against visiting Brooklyn.
Payton Pritchard added 20 points, Jrue Holiday 17 and Derrick White 14 and six assists for the Celtics, who trailed by 14 in the first quarter and never led until the fourth quarter.
Cam Thomas had 31 points, Dennis Schroder 20 and Cameron Johnson 18 for the Nets, who took their second loss in three games. Boston has won four of its past five.
Clippers 107, Kings 98
Norman Powell scored 31 points amid his hot start to the season, James Harden added 22 points and Los Angeles remained unbeaten on the road with a win over Sacramento.
Powell completed his first career double-double with a career-high 12 rebounds. Ivica Zubac also notched a double-double with 13 points and a game-high 15 rebounds, helping the Clippers lead almost the entire game en route to a third straight win. James Harden had a game-high eight assists.
De'Aaron Fox matched Powell with 31 points for Sacramento. He made two of his five 3-point attempts, while his teammates combined to miss 20 of their 21 tries.
Knicks 116, Bucks 94
Karl-Anthony Towns piled up 32 points, 11 rebounds and five assists, and New York returned home from a four-game road trip to rout Milwaukee.
All five New York starters scored in double figures, including Mikal Bridges with 17 points and Jalen Brunson with 15. Brunson also dished nine assists. Josh Hart and OG Anunoby had strong all-around performances. Hart scored 11 points, grabbed nine rebounds and passed for seven assists. Anunoby chipped in 14 points, six rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks. New York had assists on 35 of their 43 field goals.
Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 24 points, a game-high 12 rebounds and blocked two shots for the Bucks. Damian Lillard finished with 19 points.
Thunder 126, Rockets 107
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Chet Holmgren scored 29 points each to lift Oklahoma City over visiting Houston for its seventh win in eight games.
The Thunder were coming off their first loss of the season Wednesday in Denver, while the Rockets had a two-game winning streak end. Gilgeous-Alexander shot 11 of 16 from the floor. Holmgren was 8 of 14, including 4 of 6 from beyond the arc, as Oklahoma City hit 51.1 percent from the floor.
Dillon Brooks led the Rockets with 17 points. Amen Thompson and Jalen Green each scored 14 points.
Pistons 122, Hawks 121
Cade Cunningham made a running hook shot with nine seconds left and Detroit eked out a win over visiting Atlanta.
Cunningham recorded his third straight triple-double with 22 points, 11 rebounds and 13 assists. His clutch basket bailed out the Pistons after they squandered a 24-point lead. Malik Beasley and Tobias Harris also scored 22 points apiece, while Jaden Ivey added 18.
Trae Young led the Hawks with 35 points and 13 assists. Jalen Johnson had 20 points and nine rebounds, while Dyson Daniels supplied 18 points and seven steals. Zaccharie Risacher was held to seven points after the top pick of the draft scored 33 in the Hawks' previous game.
Suns 114, Mavericks 113
Jusuf Nurkic hit the go-ahead free throw with 0.8 seconds remaining as Phoenix slipped past host Dallas.
Nurkic was fouled by Daniel Gafford with the score tied at 113 and made the second free throw after missing the first. The Phoenix big man finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds.
Kevin Durant scored 26 points for the Suns, who have won seven straight games. Luka Doncic led the Mavericks with 30 points on 11-of-25 shooting, while Kyrie Irving added 29 points, seven rebounds and six assists.
Nuggets 135, Heat 122
Nikola Jokic had 30 points, 14 assists and 11 rebounds, Jamal Murray returned to the lineup and scored a season-high 28 points, and host Denver beat Miami.
Murray missed the previous three games while in concussion protocol. Michael Porter Jr. and Christian Braun contributed 21 points each for the Nuggets, who have won four in a row.
The Heat took their third defeat in a row, and Jimmy Butler left with a right ankle injury midway through the first quarter. Seven Heat players scored double figures, led by Tyler Herro, who had 24 points and 11 assists.
Lakers 116, 76ers 106
Anthony Davis produced 31 points and nine rebounds and LeBron James scored 21 points in his second triple-double of the season as Los Angeles returned home from a rough road trip and beat Philadelphia.
Austin Reaves added 20 points for the Lakers, while James delivered a season-high 13 assists to go with 12 rebounds. The Lakers went 1-4 on a road trip that ended Wednesday.
Jared McCain scored 18 points while Andre Drummond and Guerschon Yabusele added 14 apiece for the 76ers, who lost their fifth consecutive game and fell to 1-7 on the season without star Joel Embiid.
Timberwolves 127, Trail Blazers 102
Anthony Edwards scored 37 points and made nine 3-pointers as Minnesota cruised to a win over Portland in Minneapolis.
Julius Randle added 22 points and six rebounds for the Timberwolves, who won their second game in as many nights and their third in a row overall.
Scoot Henderson scored 16 points off the bench to lead Portland, which also played on short rest and lost its second contest in as many nights.
Hornets 103, Pacers 83
LaMelo Ball scored 31 points and Brandon Miller poured in 29 points in sparking Charlotte to a comeback victory against visiting Indiana.
Cody Martin notched 15 points off the bench to help the Hornets bounce back from a 13-point third-quarter deficit to win their second game in a row. Tre Mann had 14 points off the bench as well. Miller finished the night 10-of-17 from the field, including 7-for-11 from beyond the arc. Ball made 10 of 29 shots from the floor, including five 3-pointers.
Pascal Siakam's 27 points led the Pacers, who were denied their first three-game winning streak of the season. Bennedict Mathurin added 22 points and Myles Turner had 12 points and a game-high 10 rebounds. Guard Tyrese Haliburton was held to six points on 2-for-11 shooting.
Grizzlies 128, Wizards 104
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored a season-high 39 points to lead Memphis -- minus injured two-time All-Star guard Ja Morant -- past visiting Washington.
Jackson made 14 of 28 field goal attempts, including 5 of 12 from beyond the arc. Scotty Pippen Jr., starting in place of Morant, finished with 11 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds for his first career triple-double. Zach Edey added 14 points and eight rebounds.
Memphis won its third straight home game, while the Wizards dropped their seventh straight game at FedExForum. Washington was led by rookie reserve Kyshawn George, who scored 17 points. Former Grizzlies center Jonas Valanciunas had 16 points.
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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.
Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (knee) will remain sidelined for a second consecutive game on Wednesday versus Detroit. This opens an opportunity for Payton Pritchard to play a major role in the contest. He finished with 25 points, five rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block as Boston defeated Miami 108-89 on Monday. At the same time, Drew Peterson has been a fresh face in the Celtics rotation lately and might be looking at another opportunity to log 25-plus minutes. However, he hasn't been very impactful for Boston.
