11.11.2024
Detroit Pistons 99 - 101 Houston Rockets
In a nail-biting finish, the Houston Rockets edged out the Detroit Pistons with a 101-99 victory, primarily propelled by Alperen Sengun's contribution of 27 points and 10 rebounds. Sengun's critical five points in the final minutes proved decisive, and his putback gave the Rockets a late lead. A dramatic final sequence saw Pistons guard Cade Cunningham intentionally miss a free throw with six seconds remaining, leading to a flurry of rebound attempts and a pivotal foul on Tobias Harris, who missed crucial free throws. Cunningham narrowly missed achieving his fourth consecutive triple-double with 26 points, nine assists, and eight rebounds. Despite the Pistons' impressive rally, including a surge led by Malik Beasley’s three 3-pointers, they fell short as Houston capitalized on offensive rebounds and defensive pressure. The Rockets overcame poor early shooting from beyond the arc through effective rebounding, while the Pistons struggled overall despite Cunningham's strong performance.
Milwaukee Bucks 107 - 113 Boston Celtics
In an impressive comeback, the Boston Celtics overcame a nine-point halftime deficit to defeat the Milwaukee Bucks 113-107, led by Jayson Tatum's 31 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists. Tatum's two clutch free throws with 5:51 remaining secured Boston's lead, marking a pivotal turning point in the game. Although Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered a standout performance with a season-high 43 points, 13 rebounds, and five assists for the Bucks, it wasn't enough to snap Milwaukee's losing streak, now sitting at eight out of nine games. The Celtics' Payton Pritchard significantly contributed by scoring 17 of his 18 points in the first half, helping to maintain Boston's competitiveness. After trailing 69-58 at halftime, Boston surged in the third quarter with a 12-0 run, marked by an Al Horford 3-pointer, while Milwaukee struggled, scoring just 15 points in that quarter. Despite eight ties and seven lead changes in the second half, Boston consistently countered Milwaukee's rallies. Meanwhile, Damian Lillard had a challenging game, scoring 14 points and hitting only one out of eight attempts from beyond the arc. With this victory, Boston will face the Atlanta Hawks next, while the Bucks aim to regain form against the Toronto Raptors.
Indiana Pacers 132 - 121 New York Knicks
In a thrilling matchup, the Indiana Pacers' trio of Bennedict Mathurin, Tyrese Haliburton, and Myles Turner combined for an impressive 99 points, leading their team to a 132-121 victory over the New York Knicks. Mathurin shone with a career-high 38 points and seven 3-pointers, while Haliburton contributed 35 points and 14 assists. The Pacers set a season-high with 21 made 3-pointers and dominated the Knicks from beyond the arc, outscoring them 63-21. Despite the Knicks' Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns combining for 63 points, New York struggled with their shooting, going just 7 of 25 from three-point range. Indiana managed to overcome the absence of key players Aaron Nesmith and Andrew Nembhard due to injuries and maintained discipline with only 10 turnovers. The Pacers pulled away in the final minutes, scoring on four consecutive possessions to secure the win.
Orlando Magic 121 - 94 Washington Wizards
The Orlando Magic secured a decisive 121-94 victory over the Washington Wizards, largely due to Franz Wagner's 23 points and seven assists. Goga Bitadze was influential off the bench with a double-double of 10 points and 12 rebounds. The Magic's bench depth was further bolstered by Mo Wagner, Cole Anthony, and Anthony Black, who all contributed double-digit points, while Jett Howard was perfect on three 3-point attempts. Despite Jordan Poole's 24 points and Bilal Coulibaly's impressive 20-point, six-rebound, six-assist, and three-block performance, the Wizards suffered their fourth consecutive defeat. Orlando capitalized on a critical transition take foul by Poole in the third quarter, which sparked a 12-2 run, helping them pull away. Notably, the Magic, previously the NBA's worst 3-point shooting team, connected on 17 of 48 attempts in this matchup. The Wizards now face a demanding schedule, playing their third road game in four nights at Houston, while the Magic anticipate continuing their winning form at home against Charlotte.
Philadelphia 76ers 107 - 105 Charlotte Hornets
The Philadelphia 76ers snapped a five-game losing streak with a 107-105 overtime victory against the Charlotte Hornets, highlighted by Jared McCain's career-high 27 points. McCain, a rookie from Duke, scored 23 points in the second half and overtime, shooting an impressive 9 for 15 from the floor. Guerschon Yabusele also contributed with his career-high of 20 points, as the Sixers played without key players Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey due to injuries. Paul George added 15 points and nine assists but was absent in overtime, pacing his return from injury. LaMelo Ball led Charlotte with 38 points, including a crucial fadeaway 3-pointer that sent the game into overtime. Despite missing most of their first-half 3-point attempts, the 76ers found their rhythm in the third quarter. Philadelphia's victory came down to clutch free throws in the extra period, even as both teams struggled with 3-point shooting overall. As both teams look ahead, the 76ers will face the Knicks, and the Hornets will play the Magic in the NBA Cup round-robin this Tuesday.
Minnesota Timberwolves 94 - 95 Miami Heat
The Miami Heat narrowly defeated the Minnesota Timberwolves 95-94, snapping their three-game losing streak thanks to Nikola Jović's crucial layup and foul shot with 7.8 seconds remaining. Jović, coming off the bench for the first time this season, scored 15 points and grabbed seven rebounds, effectively taking advantage of Rudy Gobert's absence for the game-deciding play. The Heat, who played without star Jimmy Butler and overcame 23 turnovers with season highs in steals and blocks, took the lead for the first time since being down 63-61. Minnesota, hampered by 20 turnovers and inconsistent shooting, saw their three-game winning streak come to an end despite Anthony Edwards' 22 points and a late lead regained by Jaden McDaniels’ putback. Tyler Herro led Miami with 26 points, extending his streak of consecutive games with double-digit points to 39. Both teams face road games next, with Miami heading to Detroit and Minnesota playing a back-to-back in Portland.
Oklahoma City Thunder 116 - 127 Golden State Warriors
The Golden State Warriors overcame a late challenge to defeat the Oklahoma City Thunder 127-116, with Stephen Curry leading the charge with 36 points, including seven 3-pointers. Curry's performance was a reminder of his prowess, especially notable in a game where the Warriors shot over 50% from the field for the first time against the Thunder this season. The Thunder's evening was marred by Chet Holmgren's early exit due to a hip injury, which affected their defensive capabilities, particularly around the rim. Jonathan Kuminga, De’Anthony Melton, and Andrew Wiggins also contributed significantly to the Warriors' offense, while Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams tried to keep the Thunder in contention. Despite a late surge that saw their deficit cut to six, the Thunder fell short and suffered their first home loss.
Denver Nuggets 122 - 120 Dallas Mavericks
In a thrilling game, the Denver Nuggets secured their fifth consecutive victory by edging out the Dallas Mavericks 122-120, with Michael Porter Jr. sinking the decisive jumper with just seven seconds remaining. Nikola Jokic was outstanding, recording his fourth consecutive triple-double and sixth of the season with 37 points, 18 rebounds, and 15 assists. Jamal Murray and Michael Porter Jr. added 18 and 17 points respectively. Despite a strong challenge from Dallas, led by Kyrie Irving's season-high 43 points and Luka Doncic's 24 points, the Mavericks narrowly fell short. Dallas staged a significant comeback after being down by 10 points in the first quarter, and Irving's three consecutive three-pointers in the final period gave his team a brief lead. However, Jokic's crucial tip-in set the stage for Porter's game-winner, with Irving missing a potential game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer. Both teams had all starting players score in double figures in a game marked by Denver's effective 3-point shooting at 48.3%. Despite injuries, Dallas showcased resilience, while Denver gears up for a three-game road trip.
Phoenix Suns 118 - 127 Sacramento Kings
DeMar DeRozan led the Sacramento Kings to a 127-118 overtime victory against the Phoenix Suns, ending Phoenix's seven-game winning streak. DeRozan scored the Kings' first eight points in overtime, contributing to his total of 34 points. The Suns, playing without the injured Kevin Durant, initially led until Keegan Murray's crucial tip-in gave Sacramento a one-point advantage with under four seconds left in regulation. Although Devin Booker tied the game with a free throw, he missed a potential game-winner. Murray and De'Aaron Fox were instrumental for Sacramento, with double-doubles from both players. Despite Kevin Huerter fouling out, he added 17 points for the Kings. The Suns, missing center Jusuf Nurkic due to an ankle issue, saw strong performances from Bradley Beal with 28 points and Devin Booker with 23 points and 12 assists. The Kings now head to San Antonio, while the Suns will play Utah in an In-Season tournament.
Portland Trail Blazers 89 - 134 Memphis Grizzlies
The Memphis Grizzlies dominated the Portland Trail Blazers in a decisive 134-89 victory, with Jaren Jackson Jr. contributing 20 points and seven rebounds and Jake LaRavia adding 18 off the bench. Even without key players like Ja Morant, Marcus Smart, and Desmond Bane, the Grizzlies built a commanding lead, at one point up by 45 points, marking their fifth win in the last six games. Despite Jerami Grant's 20-point effort, Portland couldn't recover from an initially poor shooting performance, hitting only 1 of 18 from beyond the arc in the first half and finishing 4 of 42 overall. The game also marked a reunion for rookies Zach Edey of Memphis and Donovan Clingan of Portland, whose teams faced off in the 2024 NCAA championship. Additionally, Memphis' 5-foot-8 rookie Yuki Kawamura received an enthusiastic reception from Portland fans when he entered the game in the fourth quarter. Prior to the match, the Trail Blazers held a moment of silence for the late broadcaster Brian Wheeler, who served as their voice from 1998 to 2019.
Los Angeles Lakers 123 - 103 Toronto Raptors
In an impressive display of skill, the Los Angeles Lakers secured a 123-103 victory over the Toronto Raptors, with LeBron James achieving his second consecutive triple-double and the 115th of his career. Despite Anthony Davis leaving the game in the third quarter due to an eye injury after being struck in the face by Jakob Poeltl, Davis contributed 22 points. Emerging player Austin Reaves stepped up with 27 points, helping maintain the Lakers' unbeaten 5-0 home record. The Raptors, who have been struggling with eight losses in nine games, saw Chris Boucher and RJ Barrett each score 18 points. Off the bench, Bronny James appeared briefly towards the end of the game. The Lakers, now at 6-4, boast their first winning record through 10 games in four seasons, guided by a strong finish with a crucial 16-5 run after Davis' injury. The Raptors continue their challenging road trip, heading to Milwaukee, while the Lakers are set to host Memphis next.