Category: NBA

After their hardest hitting loss of the season, the Big Easy was the perfect place for the Brooklyn Nets to go next on their road trip. The Nets obliterated the New Orleans Pelicans this evening at the Smoothie King Center. Few wins have been more necessary, and even fewer more deserved.

However, the contest wasn’t advertised as the breakaway layup it turned into.

The Pelicans were at home, and with a Zion Williamson coming off three days of rest. Meanwhile, Brooklyn’s young guards had just taken a spin on the injury carousel. Before the game, the Nets announced that Egor Dëmin, who hasn’t played in two weeks due to a bone bruise, would return tonight. However, the team also said that Nolan Traoré, who hadn’t missed a game yet, would sit with right calf soreness. They also ruled out Mikel Brown Jr. due to an illness.

So, ball-handling was at a premium in the bayou. Dëmin and Danny Wolf made up the starting back court, with usual suspects Michael Porter Jr., Julius Randle, and Day’Ron Sharpe filling in behind them. Call it big ball. Indeed, it may have the first starting line-up ever featuring five players 6’9” or taller.

With the aforementioned injuries, Jordi Fernández didn’t have many choices when putting together his starting five, but still made the right ones. With the Pelicans giving up more opponent points in the paint than anyone so far this year, beginning with the jumbo lineup made sense, and it showed on the court, with the Nets outscoring New Orleans 24-10 inside during the first period. The most they had in an opening frame all season before that was 18.

Evidenced by the above, Brooklyn’s reserves got in on the action all the same. Noah Clowney, fresh off a game where he fouled out in just over seven minutes of play, knew he had to take advantage and acted accordingly, putting up six points with a block and a steal in the opening period. Wagner also added seven points, Wolf had five, and Porter Jr. led with nine. The Nets also led after one, up 39-25, giving them their largest advantage after a first quarter since April 2024.

Effective and easy-to-follow, Brooklyn had no reason to abandon its game plan in the subsequent period. The Nets got eight of their first 11 points in the second inside, and after MPJ topped that off with a three from the top of the key, Brooklyn had gone up by 17 with 7:29 to go in the second.

Holding it down from deep while everyone else went to work inside, that wasn’t even Porter Jr.’ best hit from downtown. With a little under four to go in the first, he also dethroned Derik Queen with this diagonal step-back…

And, knowing full well how harmful poor paint defense can be, the Nets were careful not to give up what their opponents had so frivolously surrendered. Sharpe was especially quick tonight fading back to provide extra defense around the rim, even as Zion Williamson continued to try and rummage his way in. New Orleans scored only twice inside in the second.

Saddiq Bey did threaten Brooklyn with another ugly end to a quarter. Hustling down after a Porter Jr. turnover offered up spacing in transition, Bey netted a triple that quickly brought it back to an 11 point game with roughly two and a half minutes left in the half.

The Nets didn’t take it lightly. They responded with a 13-7 jolt that involved two threes from Terance Mann, one as a direct response to Bey’s and another just before the horn. Brooklyn ended up going into the half up 83-66. It was the most points the Nets had scored a first half since putting up 91 on the Golden State Warriors in 2022. It’s the third most points they’ve ever put up in a first half in team history.

By that point, Brooklyn’s paint scoring advantage had swelled 40-24. They also carried a +9 advantage on the boards, along with five rejections.

So, after a period of complete interior dominance, that meant one thing one: it was time for Day’Ron Sharpe to begin shooting threes. No, I’m not kidding. And no, it didn’t cost them the game. In fact, it had an opposite effect.

The Brooklyn big man hit two triples in the third’s opening five minutes to give his team’s lead a quick buff once play resumed. Sharpe also dished one to Egor Dëmin, who was only starting to find his groove at that point, but more on that later.

The Nets weren’t just scoring from inside anymore. They were scoring from everywhere, and the Pelicans couldn’t do so from anywhere, everywhere, all at once. Not before long, the home team had a look on their face Brooklyn knows all too well: one of discouragement. They stopped boxing out, closing out, and just seemed like they wanted out. The Pelicans only put up 15 points in the period.

And the Nets? Like Bill Murray in the mid 2000s, they were eager to play a new, more serious role. After Noah Clowney scooped and slammed a missed three from Mann, Brooklyn earned their largest lead of the game, going up 104-77 with about three and a half left in the third.

“He impacted the game,” Fernández said of Clowney, who he said had things to “figure out” after the Dallas game. “You have size in him. He can guard multiple positions. He’s switchable. He’s been rebounding very well. And the efficiency, the taking good shots to get to the free throw line. Very happy with him, and we just got to keep taking positive steps here.”

In the fourth, it got to a point where you almost wanted the Nets to cut it out, irrationally afraid they were burning through all their makes before the end of the road trip. Keon Ellis and Wagner added back-to-back threes to begin the final frame, getting the team to a 16-34 mark from deep by that point. They’d finish 20-41 from beyond the arc.

The Nets have long used fourth quarter blowouts to give their young players real game reps. Tonight, they got to do so from the other side of the scoreboard. Not long after the Ellis and Wagner threes, Dëmin added his own pair of triples, looking more comfortable on the floor than he has all season. The Nets seemed to run a number of the actions they normally reserve for MPJ, asking him to duck and dive around screens off ball before rising up for a catch-and-shoot three. Like his mentor, he did so each time with confidence…

Coming in like Mariano Rivera in a game where the Yankees were already up seven or eight runs, Dëmin added 12 points in the fourth to bring his total for the game to 22 on 5-of-8 shooting from the field and 4-of-6 shooting from deep.

“What impressed me? Nothing,” Dëmin said of the team’s overall performance. “I think that’s what we’re working on every day, and it’s not a surprise for me how you we could sustain the energy and effort throughout the whole game, which we really need to do from night to night. Obviously it’s hard to do, but it’s nothing new about what we’re trying to accomplish every single game.”

Porter Jr. also finished with 22 points while shooting 7-of-14 from the field and 4-10 from three. He also dished three assists, grabbed a steal, and garnered six rebounds. Randle had 17 points, five assists, and four rebounds after shooting 6-of-16 from the field. Sharpe had 15 points, five assists, four rebounds, and four blocks, shooting 5-of-6 from the field and 2-of-3 from deep.

Off the bench, both Wagner and Clowney had 16 points each. Wagner added four assists while shooting 6-of=8 from the field. Clowney shot 5-of-7 from the field and 2-of-3 from three, also grabbing two steals, a block, and three rebounds. Ellis had 11 points, four rebounds, three assists, and a steal. Wolf reached 10 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks.

“We’ve been practicing very well and working very well, and it’s good to see that you play how you practice,” Fernández said. “So, happy for the group, proud of the guys. I mean, you see everybody. Mike was composed the whole time and talked to his teammates. Julius is +38 in 29 minutes. Egor huge minutes. Mo scoring. Terrence two huge winning plays. Everybody was a big part of the win.”

“Just getting into our actions, getting organized, and just having some structure,” Randle added. “We were all on the same page, and we’ve been working at it, so it’s good to see.”

It sure is.

Final: Brooklyn Nets 145, New Orleans Pelicans 111

Milestone Watch

• Day’Ron Sharpe scored 15 points with four rebounds, five assists and a career-high-tying four blocks tonight in New Orleans. It is his fourth consecutive game with at least five assists, which establishes a franchise-record streak of games with 5+ AST by a center.
• Julius Randle recorded a +38 plus/minus tonight in New Orleans, which tied Stephon Marbury (4/16/99 at Seattle) as the highest plus/minus by a Net in a road game in franchise history. It tied the seventh-highest in any game by a Net.
• Danny Wolf recorded a career-high 11 rebounds tonight in New Orleans to go with 10 points, four assists and two blocks. It is his second double-double of the season and fourth of his career.
• Six Nets scored 15+ PTS tonight at NOP: Porter Jr., Randle, Sharpe, Dëmin, Wagner and Clowney. It ties the franchise record (15th instance) and is their second such game of the season (10/27 at BOS). This is the fourth season in franchise history with multiple such games.
• Brooklyn’s 83 first-half points tonight vs. New Orleans were the team’s most in a first half since scoring 91 on 12/21/2022 vs. Golden State. Their 39 points in the first quarter tonight at New Orleans were their most in an opening frame this season and second most in the last two seasons, trailing only their 46 points on 2/7/26 vs. Washington.

Bonus Reading

This morning, veteran NBA writer James Herbert published a story for The Ringer on our very own Net Income. In it, you can hear from Pooch, Lucas, Sean Marks, and the countless others who’ve gotten close with the man behind Nets Daily over the years. I encourage all of you to check it out, and throw James a follow, who is as talented of a story teller as you’ll find.

Next Up

Brooklyn concludes its roadtrip on Saturday evening with a bout against the Memphis Grizzlies in Grind City. At the time of writing, the Grizz are 7-3. Isn’t it cool when the lottery decides to bless you instead flip you upside down, tar and feather you? This one tips off at 8:00 p.m. EST.

• Boxscore: Brooklyn Nets 145, New Orleans Pelicans 111 – NBA.com
• Game Highlights: Brooklyn Nets 145, New Orleans Pelicans 111 (Video) – NBA.com
• Jordi Fernández comments on win vs. Pelicans (Video) – YES Network
• Egor Dëmin on returning from injury (Video) – YES Network
• Day’Ron Sharpe on energy vs. Pelicans (Video) – YES Network
• Egor Demin scores 22 in his return as the Nets rout the Pelicans 145-111 – AP
• Nets pound Pelicans for much-needed bounceback win – Brian Lewis = New York Post
• Nets frustrate & embarrass Pelicans in 145-111 victory for 1st win of road trip ($) – C.J. Holmes – New York Daily News
• Nets beat down Pelicans 145-111 to end 2-game road losing streak – Sharif Phillips-Keaton – USA TODAY
• Nets Stand Tall In Blowout Win – Steve Lichtenstein – Steve’s Newsletter

The Lakers won their seventh straight game. They could lose something bigger.

Star guard Austin Reaves left Wednesday’s 123-112 win over the Milwaukee Bucks with a left heel injury and did not return.

Reaves, who scored 18 points with five assists and three steals, landed awkwardly on a blocked dunk attempt during the third quarter but stayed in the game despite appearing to be in discomfort on the bench during an ensuing timeout. He remained in the game for three minutes before appearing to aggravate the injury on a drive toward the basket. He asked to sub himself out on the next possession.

Reaves’ initial X-rays were negative, Lakers coach JJ Redick said, and the guard, averaging a career-best 23.5 points on 50.8% shooting, will undergo further imaging. Initial tests have ruled out any potential Achilles injury, Redick said.

The Lakers finished their first extended trip of the season unscathed in the standings, improving to 11-2 and still the best record in the league, but had to limp across the finish line Wednesday after injuries struck.

Guard Collin Sexton received an eyebrow’s worth of stitches over his right eye after knocking heads with Milwaukee Bucks guard Ryan Rollins with 6:51 remaining in the fourth quarter. Sexton’s sudden departure forced Luka Doncic to re-enter a 20-point game.

Two-and-a-half minutes later, Doncic turned his ankle while getting fouled by Kyle Kuzma on a long two-point jumper.

Doncic, who led the Lakers with 32 points, five assists, five rebounds and three steals, grabbed at his right ankle immediately. Lakers staff members tended to him while Kuzma’s foul was reviewed for a potential flagrant, but Doncic stayed in the game to shoot the free throw. He got subbed out right after.

Doncic said after the game he felt fine. Now he just has to wait for news on his backcourt running mate.

Read more:'It's forever': Lakers rookie Cameron Carr cherishing first NBA points

“We just gotta have next-man-up mentality,” Doncic said of the potential of playing without Reaves. “Obviously we lose a very, very good player. Hopefully ... it’s nothing. We gotta have next-man-up mentality.”

Reaves just signed a maximum contract extension this summer and was off to a career year. He is the 15th-leading scorer in the NBA, and he and Doncic (38.6 points per game) form the highest-scoring pair of teammates in the league. Reaves is also averaging 3.4 rebounds and 4.6 assists while shooting a career-best 41.3% from three-point range.

Reaves, who played almost an entire game on what turned into a Grade 2 oblique strain suffered last April against Oklahoma City, had missed the Lakers’ previous game against the Atlanta Hawks because of illness.

Guard Quentin Grimes missed his second consecutive game Wednesday with a sprained finger on his right hand. Grimes was questionable for Wednesday’s game, but still had swelling, Redick said, which could have affected the right-handed guard’s shooting.

Read more:What we’ve learned about the first-place Lakers

Forward Sandro Mamukelashvili delivered for the shorthanded Lakers both nights, scoring 23 points of the bench for the second consecutive game Wednesday. The Georgian forward went 11 for 35 from three-point range during the first 11 games of the season and suddenly found his shooting stroke with consecutive five-of-eight nights against the Hawks and Bucks.

Mamukelashvili helped lift the Lakers through a five-day stretch that Redick said felt more like three weeks. Last Friday, the Lakers played the Portland Trail Blazers at home in an NBA Cup game and have since climbed to the top of the NBA standings, won two games against teams in the top half of the Eastern Conference and watched both of their star guards leave a game with injuries.

“We’re all ready to go home,” said center Walker Kessler, who had 10 points and 11 rebounds for his seventh double-double in eight games. “I’ll just say that.”

Battered and bruised from a tiring rip, the Lakers return home for a brief respite. The Lakers will have multiple days of rest before their next game Sunday at Phoenix. They don’t face a team with a winning record until Nov. 27. The road game in San Antonio figures to be a marquee showdown between Western Conference title contenders.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Lakers used a big run in the third quarter to blow out the Bucks on Wednesday, 123-112.

LA led for most of the game, but the Bucks remained feisty for much of the contest. It wasn’t until the third quarter when the Lakers blew the game open and fully took control. 

Milwaukee showed how woeful they are, turning the ball over 19 times, leading to 28 points. LA’s bench was strong again, scoring 55 points.

The concern coming out of the game was a variety of injuries. Austin Reaves left in the third quarter with a heel injury and Collin Sexton took a blow to the face. Luka Dončić twisted his ankle after a hard closeout and left the game after shooting the subsequent free throw.

Brayden Burries gave the Bucks an early lead, but Luka and Austin started to cook, scoring a combined 14 points to put Los Angeles ahead. The Lakers were on a 12-0 scoring run. 

Luka continued his dominant play and, as we are used to seeing every game, was already in double figures with 14 points.

Kyle Kuzma and Tyler Herro added 12 points to help keep Milwaukee close. The Lakers were up six with 3:27 left.

LA allowed Jaime Jacquez Jr. to start heating up. He scored eight points that cut Los Angeles’ lead down to two at the end of the first.

Walker Kessler got on the board early in the second period with a layup for LA. Sandro Mamukelashvili picked up right where he left off last game, providing an excellent spark off the bench with five points. Collin Sexton also pitched in with four points. 

The Bucks were sticking around, though, cutting a 10-point Lakers lead to four, led by Jacquez Jr and Herro. 

Milwaukee was playing scrappy and keeping pace with LA. The Bucks were shooting 50% from the field and Los Angeles was at 42%. 

The Lakers offense woke back up as they went on a quick 7-0 run on the shoulders of Sexton and Luka. 

Milwaukee was on a three-minute scoring drought until Herro scored. It seemed the Bucks were inching closer again, but Mamu and Reaves combined for nine points to help give the purple and gold an 11-point lead at halftime. 

Reaves drained a triple to start the third period for Los Angeles. Luka also knocked down one of his own. Burries scored on a triple for the Bucks. LA kept their double-digit lead, despite shooting 3-9 in the quarter. 

Los Angeles then blew the game open, extending its lead to 17 as Thybulle and Kessler combined for five points.

The concerning moment came in the middle of the middle of the quarter when Austin suffered his heel injury on his landing after attempting a dunk. He left shortly after and did not return.

The rest of the quarter was Mamu continuing his incredible play off the bench, pushing his point total to 21 for the night. Luka ended the third by converting on a three-point play that gave the purple and gold a 21-point lead.

LA maintained their big lead well into the final frame. Mamu, Kessler, Williams and Sexton each contributed offensively. Herro and Jacquez hadn’t scored a field goal, but converted on six free throws.

Sexton suffered his injury in the final frame, taking a shot to the face while on defense and being forced to leave with an apparent cut.

At the 5:30 mark, Los Angeles was up 22.

Luka had scored six points before being subbed out after appearing to injure his ankle. The Lakers then subbed in their bench at the 4:25 mark.

Key Player Stats

Luka finished with 32 points, five rebounds, five assists and three steals. Reaves ended with 18 points and five assists before leaving with an injury. Kessler logged 10 points with 11 rebounds and three assists.

Mamu pitched in with 23 points off the bench. Sexton had 10 points. Thybulle scored eight points with five rebounds. Ziaire Williams and Jarred Vanderbilt combined for 13 points and six assists.

The Lakers’ next game will be against the Phoenix Suns on Sunday at 1:00 PM PT.

You can follow Karin on Twitter at @KarinAbcarians.

The Los Angeles Lakers' blowout over the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, Nov. 11 may have come at a steep cost.

Austin Reaves exited the game in the third quarter and did not return with a left heel injury. Collin Sexton later went into the locker room himself after taking a headbutt in the fourth, and then Luka Dončić appeared to roll his right ankle with just over four minutes to go.

Dončić hit a stepback 3 (later overturned to a long 2-pointer) over Kyle Kuzma, but his ankle twisted as soon as it landed on the ground and sent the two-time scoring champion crashing to the floor, where he grabbed at his leg and scooted over to the scorer's table to take a minute.

Dončić was able to get up and walk around, and made a free throw to convert the and-1 before head coach JJ Redick mass subbed the entire lineup with the Lakers up 24 points at the 4:25 mark. He finished the game with 32 points, five rebounds and five assists, continuing his red-hot start to the season.

Luka Doncic appeared to injure his ankle on this and-one bucket after a foul by Kyle Kuzma.

He stayed in to attempt the free throw before heading to the locker room. pic.twitter.com/VeXqGryrEw

— ESPN (@espn) November 12, 2026

Redick told reporters postgame that he believes Dončić appears to be fine. Dončić echoed those sentiments after the game.

"I'm good, obviously it's painful a little bit but I'll be fine," Dončić said.

He wouldn't have even been in the game at that point, Redick added, had Sexton not bumped his head. Sexton received stitches in his temple area and X-Rays on Reaves came back negative, though he will undergo further testing on Thursday.

They'll all have more time to recover than they've been used to; the Lakers have three days off for the first time this season before finishing their four-game road trip on Sunday against the Phoenix Suns.

"It does feel long, I got to be honest with you," Redick told reporters. "It's three games in four nights, and we played Portland on Friday in the Cup game at home, and that feels like it was three weeks ago."

This story has been updated with new information.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Luka Doncic injury update: What we know after Lakers star rolls ankle late in win vs Bucks

The Lakers’ Walker Kessler grabbed his 2,000th rebound against the Bucks on Wednesday, becoming the 11th-fastest player in NBA history to reach 2,000-plus points, 2,000-plus rebounds and 500-plus blocks.

Kessler is the third-fastest active player to reach that line, trailing only Victor Wembanyama and Anthony Davis.

Kessler is averaging 14.9 points, 10.8 rebounds and 2.3 blocks for the Lakers, who entered Wednesday’s game with the league’s best record (10-2).

The Lakers acquired Kessler in July in a sign-and-trade from the Jazz for two first-round picks and two first-round pick swaps on top of a four-year, $130 million deal.

The 25-year-old Kessler only played five games last season after suffering a torn labrum in his left shoulder that required surgery.

Kessler has made an immediate impact for the Lakers, who have won six games in a row.

He entered Wednesday’s game leading the NBA in contested shots (140) and has been their defensive anchor, finishing with a double-double in six of his last seven contests.

This story will be updated.

The Bulls were ready to start tonight’s game, and they took advantage of the Spurs lackadaisical defense in the first half to lead by as much as 22 points late in the second quarter. The Spurs made a little surge just before the half to cut the lead to 14, and came out in the second half en fuego after what had to be a torrid tongue lashing from Coach Mitch Johnson. The Bulls lost Caleb Wilson in the second half and their shooting fell to Earth after the unreal first half marksmanship, and the Spurs pulled out a tough win to finish out their four game road trip undefeated and win their 10th game in a row. Victor Wembanyama was great as usual, but they got some good contributions for De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper, and some nice bench contributions from Keldon Johnson and Carter Bryant.

They return to the Frost Bank Center on Friday to face the Golden State Warriors in a battle to take control of their group and make a step toward the knockout rounds and a possible trip to the Hinkle Field House for the Cup finals.

Observations:

• I like the road black uniforms. The visiting team wearing light colored jerseys is an abomination.
• Jalen Smith hit his first two three-point shots which was unexpected, but Fox matched him by hitting a pair. De’Aaron had 11 of the Spurs’ first 19, and Smith had 10 or the Bulls’ first 17.
• The Bulls didn’t know that they were supposed to be an easy out and took a 13 point lead late in the first quarter as they got to all of the loose balls and played sharper than the visitors, leading 41-29 after the first quarter, shooting an impossibly hot 85%. The Spurs’ slow rotations on defense definitely helped that stat to happen.
• The Bulls run continued into the second quarter as they extended the lead to 18. The Spurs came back in the second quarter with better offense, but it was blunted a bit by the Bulls continuing to shoot bullseye after bullseye. The Spurs couldn’t get rebounds, because if there are no missed shot, it reduces your opportunities for a carom.
• The Silver and Black got up off the canvas a little towards the end of the second quarter, cutting the Chicago lead to 14 and trailing 56 to 70 at the half. A missed triple from Harper could have cut it to 11 at the buzzer, but it missed.
• There’s this whole narrative about ‘TRAP’² games, but I don’t think that’s fair to a team like the Bulls who put in the work and put together one of their best efforts of the season, in the first half at least. The Spurs are expected to win, but they should also know that wherever they go, they are going to see a team’s best effort, and there are no games that you can take for granted.
• The Spurs started off the second half on fire, scoring the first seven to cut the home lead in half in the first two minutes, leading to an early Splitter timeout. It didn’t help, as the Spurs tied up the game four minutes into the quarter.
• Josh Giddey made a business decision at least twice when he was defending a fast break, just ducking out of the way as the Spurs had the numerical advantage.
• Missed free throws are getting to be a problem for San Antonio, and it could cost them some games later in the season if they don’t clean it up.
• Caleb Wilson had to leave in the second half with an apparent hand injury, really bad news for Chicago.
• The Spurs led 90-89 after three quarters, getting all the way back from the first half deficit, but still not creating a comfortable margin.
• The Spurs had a quick 11-2 start to the fourth quarter, getting their first double digit lead of the game 101-91 with just under 10 minutes left in the game.
• Keldon Johnson had himself a game tonight. He only scored 10 points, but he was key in the third quarter comeback as his energy brought the Spurs back into the game.
• Carter Bryant had one of his better games of the season, making some key plays in the fourth quarter to ice the win.
• The Spurs put in their garbage time squad a little early and the Bulls made it slightly interesting as time ran out but were always two scores away from tying it up as the Spurs won 124-119.

1. Perhaps Mitch Johnson lit the match.
2. Insert Admiral Ackbar GIF here.

The Spurs are headed back home tonight and will play the Golden State Warriors on Friday night in their second NBA Cup game of the season. The Warriors are enjoying a bit of a renaissance lately, with the ageless Steph Curry being joined by super rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, and they should be the toughest test for the Silver and Black since the first two games of the season against OKC and Houston. The winner of Friday’s contest will take sole possession of first place in West Group C, since all of the other teams will have at least one loss, which gives them an inside track to winning the group and advancing to the knockout rounds in December. The players are on record of wanting to get the prestige and extra money of a Cup championship this season after losing in the NBA Cup finals to an upstart team called the Knicks, and a win on Friday would be a big step in the right direction.

The Washington Wizards continued their slide Wednesday in a 114-101 loss to the Indiana Pacers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday. Despite having an overwhelming talent advantage on paper, the Wizards looked inferior to a Pacers team that knew how to execute even without Tyrese Haliburton on the floor.

The Wizards started the game positively enough, with a renewed focus on crashing the glass. They won the rebounding battle 16-11 in the first quarter and had 6 offensive boards, leading to 8 second-chance points.

Anthony Davis had six points in the period, while AJ Dybantsa showed a little sauce with a sweet reverse in transition. Washington trailed 26-25 after one.

Tre Johnson had the hot hand before halftime. He scored 8 of his 13 first-half points in the opening minutes of the second quarter to give the Wizards a 37-31 edge.

But Washington quite literally gave that lead away to close out the half. Dybantsa and Kyshawn George combined for 7 early turnovers, including a trio of live-ball miscues in the final minutes that led to easy Indiana points. The visiting Wizards trailed 55-50 at the break.

Trae Young was virtually a non-factor in the first half. He had just 3 points and 2 assists, and didn’t even take a shot in the second quarter. Johnson led the way with 13 off the bench.

The Pacers tried to pull away in the third quarter. A Pascal Siakam triple gave Indiana a 69-59 lead midway through the period. Anthony Davis responded with a personal 7-0 run, which keyed an 18-8 Wizards spurt to end the third. The two teams were tied at 77 entering the fourth.

The Wizards were simply outclassed in the final 12 minutes. The Pacers started the fourth quarter on a 14-0 run that mercifully ended with a Dybantsa dunk at the 8:45 mark. Indiana’s veterans generated open looks seemingly at will while also pummeling Washington inside on Siakam drives and Ivica Zubac post-ups.

The difference in offensive execution between the two teams was stark in Wednesday’s game. The Pacers tallied 29 assists even without Haliburton on the floor. Andrew Nembhard nearly had more assists (10) than the entire Wizards team (12). The small silver lining is that Washington won the rebounding battle 58-52.

George led the Wizards with 25 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists on 9-of-20 shooting. However, his 6 turnovers made it hard to feel good about his performance. Dybantsa scored 13 points on a 6-of-15 clip and missed all four of his three-point attempts. Davis had another 20-10 night, while Young had an unimpactful 15 points and 4 assists.

The Wizards get right back on the court tomorrow for the second night of a back-to-back against the Detroit Pistons at Capital One Arena.

James Harden flipped the script on the Knicks.

It was trending in the direction this matchup has so often taken, with the Knicks looking like they would steal another win over the Cavs with a late-game comeback.

Trailing most of the night, the Knicks cut their deficit to seven points with a layup from Karl-Anthony Towns with 7:33 left in the game. Kenny Atkinson called a Cavs timeout.

The Knicks then went on a 9-2 run and tied the game with 5:35 left, as the Cavs took another timeout. It felt like another moment in which the Cavs were melting with the game on the line.

But Harden drilled a jumper to reestablish a two-point Cavs lead with 5:22 left. A minute later, he hit a 3-pointer to put the Cavs up by three with 4:22 left.

This time, it was the Knicks who wilted in crunch time, as they fell 115-107 Wednesday night at Madison Square Garden to snap their four-game winning streak.

“We were in it,” Jalen Brunson said. “But just timely stops and timely buckets were needed.”

Harden took over late and finished with 32 points, while Donovan Mitchell hurt the Knicks with 23 points.

“MVP, scoring champ,” Miles McBride said of Harden. “He’s a tough matchup for anybody in this league. You gotta tip your hat to him.”

Brunson and Towns’ own two-man effort couldn’t overcome a three-way disappearing act around them. They combined for 48 points, while the three other starters — OG Anunoby, Mikal Bridges and Josh Hart — combined for just 22 points on 7-for-20 shooting.

And that’s with Anunoby padding those numbers with a big fourth quarter. Through three quarters, Bridges, Anunoby and Hart had just nine points on 4-for-16 shooting.

It’s hard to win when Anunoby and Hart offer so little, and Bridges offers almost nothing.

Bridges’ waning playing time continued as a result, as he finished with just 17 minutes of action — fewer than both Landry Shamet (28) and McBride (27), who were far more effective. Bridges did not play at all during the fourth quarter. It was McBride — who finished with 19 points — on the court instead down the stretch.

Hart looked rusty in his return from a three-game absence and also took a backseat in the fourth quarter, with Shamet largely taking his place.

“It’s gonna be hard to find minutes at times for Mikal,” Brown said. “And maybe even at times for Josh. Because those two guys [McBride and Shamet] are playing at a pretty high level.”

Interestingly, Brown kept Brunson on the bench in favor of Tyler Kolek until 4:20 left in the fourth quarter, with the Knicks trailing by three.

And when Brunson reentered the game, Towns went to the bench for Andre Drummond for the next two minutes.

It continued Brown’s early-season experimenting, but was perhaps a factor in the Knicks’ late-game struggles.

Mitchell provided the final dagger with an assist, setting up a wide-open Jarrett Allen with a layup that put the Cavs up seven with 1:41 left in the game. The Knicks, as they had all night, double-teamed Mitchell on the play — something Brown later regretted.

“I kept us in the blitz a little too long,” Brown said. “I should have taken us out of the blitz. So that part is on me and I gotta be better helping our group in that area.”

Brown also rued the free-throw discrepancy — the Cavs took 25 compared to the Knicks’ 11.

Starting with last year’s Eastern Conference finals, the Knicks had won five straight against the Cavs before Wednesday. But on the second leg of a back-to-back, the Knicks took a momentary step back after winning six of their past seven games.

“We’ll learn from this game,” Brown said, “and keep it moving.”

The Golden State Warriors have dealt with their fair share of injuries early in the 2026-27 season, and it hasn’t stopped them from winning. But there’s one injury they can’t afford to have, and unfortunately, they got a scare on that front on Wednesday.

Just a few minutes into their game against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets — a game that kicks off a five-game road trip — Warriors superstar Steph Curry started to look a little uncomfortable, and was seen grabbing at his side and hip area. About halfway through the quarter he left the game, and headed straight to the locker room with trainer Drew Yoder, while visibly in discomfort.

Curry took a few hard falls and collisions in the opening minutes of the game before exiting.

At the start of the second quarter, the Warriors announced that Curry had been ruled out for the rest of the game with a right abdominal soreness. His status going forward is not yet known.

The Cleveland Cavaliers picked up a feel-good win over the New York Knicks.

Grades are based on our usual expectations for each player.

Player of the game

James Harden

32 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, 2 steals

Harden delivered his best half of the season by ripping off 17 points on 3-of-5 three-point shooting in the opening quarters. The Cavs have missed this production from their starting point guard. But if he can generate clean offense like this on a consistent basis, then there’s a real runway for them moving forward.

The Cavs’ offense was steady all night in large part due to Harden’s isolation scoring. Few players have been able to create one-on-one like Harden, and even at 37 years old, he’s proven he can still turn up the heat and take over games.

Grade: A+

Grades

Donovan Mitchell

23 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists

Last week, after the Cavs lost to New York, Mitchell told me he feels he’s taken strides as a playmaker. That manifested itself tonight in a way that’s bigger than his 6 assists.

Mitchell showed maturity in the fourth quarter. After scoring steadily throughout the game, he allowed the Knicks to take him off the board by trapping him. By accepting the double team and then passing the ball to one of his release valves, the Cavs were able to consistently create advantages at the end of the game.

Grade: A-

Jarrett Allen

11 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, 1 block

Allen made the most of his opportunities tonight. He shot 4-of-7 from the floor and hammered (literally) the nail in the coffin with his and-one dunk.

More importantly, Allen gobbled 14 boards and helped the Cavs win 40-34 on the glass.

Grade: A-

Evan Mobley

10 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 block

This was a quiet night from Mobley. In some ways, his lack of aggression, particularly when drawing a mismatch against a smaller defender, was frustrating.

That said, I do think there’s value in pointing out that the flow of this game never channeled his direction. This was a perimeter-oriented game with Mitchell, Harden, Proctor, and Thomas attempting 52 shots (out of 85 total attempts from the team).

I wish Mobley were capable of dictating that flow for himself more often. But I’m starting to wonder if we all need to just accept that as something that doesn’t come included.

His grade skews positive for his mostly impactful defensive effort.

Grade: C+

Peyton Watson

7 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 4 blocks

Watson did not find his shot at any point tonight. He finished 2-for-12 from the field. However, he made a gigantic impact on defense, swatting multiple three-point attempts and blocking Deuce McBride in transition to help Cleveland close the door.

The Cavs still need to figure out where he fits offensively, but the vision for his defense is coming into focus.

Grade: B

Mario Hezonja

0 points, 0 rebounds, 0 assists, 1 steal, 1 block, 7 minutes

Hezonja couldn’t hang tonight as New York’s off-ball movement left him stuck in the mud. He’s too slow for either of the Knicks’ wings, and Karl-Anthony Towns isn’t your usual five. This will be a difficult matchup for Hezonja to establish himself.

Grade: F

Jaylon Tyson

3 points, 0 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 block

Tyson played his first game since October after missing the previous six with an ankle injury. There’s not much to take from this, other than Tyson needs to find his jumper and become a more helpful defender. All of this could come as he gets his feet back under him.

Grade: D+

Tyrese Proctor

15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist

Proctor was everything the Cavs needed tonight. He had it going offensively (6-for-12 shooting) and was one of their best perimeter defenders. He stayed attached on screens and kept the Knicks from getting loose away from the ball. This was the best game of his young career and another sign that the Cavs have a nose for finding talent on the margins.

Grade: A

Meleek Thomas

14 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals

Thomas nailed a half-spin fallaway jumper during his first stint of this game. The type of stuff that only an immensely confident rookie could pull off. But that confidence has made Thomas a difference-maker for Cleveland, and his ability to create for himself was a big help tonight.

Grade: A-

The Golden State Warriors are already down one of their stars. Now they await word on their biggest one.

Twelve-time All-Star guard Stephen Curry, the greatest shooter of all-time, walked off the floor Wednesday, Nov. 11 during a game against the Houston Rockets, clearly grimacing. Curry, who appeared to be favoring his right side, then walked to the locker room, with a trainer following. The Warriors announced minutes into the second quarter that Curry would not return for the rest of the game with right abdominal soreness.

The sequence took place just 5:35 into the game. Curry had scored 3 points on 1-of-3 shooting by that point. Curry did not return to the floor for the rest of the first quarter, and he was not back at the bench area to start the second period.

More: Stephen Curry fires back after Gilbert Arenas calls Ayesha a ‘blemish’

Curry did have a collision with Rockets forward Amen Thompson earlier in the game, when Curry had driven to the hoop on an attempted layup. Then, Curry had been fighting off a screen against Rockets center Alperen Şengün. As soon as that sequence ended, Curry once again grabbed his side.

Finally, just moments before he left the game, Curry curled around a screen and put up a 3-point shot. As soon as he landed and stepped backwards, he grabbed at his right side, near his hip.

Stephen Curry headed to the locker room with an apparent right hip injury. pic.twitter.com/1zVrNz00bH

— ESPN (@espn) November 12, 2026

Curry has been in the midst of a renaissance and has been elevating the play of the Warriors, who entered the night 8-3, which was tied for the third best record in the Western Conference.

Curry has been averaging 30.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game across nine appearances so far this season. He’s converting 3-pointers at a blistering 45.7%, which would mark a career-high. His scoring total ranks second in the NBA, behind only Luka Dončić’s historic 39.3 points per game, for all players with at least five games played.

Steph Curry goes straight to the locker room @NBCSWarriors

There’s something clearly wrong with his right side. Looks like oblique area. He’s visibly angry about it pic.twitter.com/V0VK2GJMlL

— Dalton Johnson (@DaltonJ_Johnson) November 12, 2026

The Warriors were already without Jimmy Butler, who has missed the start of the season as he rehabs the torn anterior cruciate ligament he suffered in January 2026.

Steph Curry injury update

Warriors coach Steve Kerr said after the game that Curry said he "tweaked something in his abdominal area," which Curry told his longtime coach he had never done before.

Kerr said Curry left the arena to get an MRI.

"Concern is high but I have no idea the extent of the injury," Kerr said.

What does Stephen Curry injury mean for Warriors?

This is stating the obvious, but it will depend on the severity.

While Curry was in clear discomfort when he left the floor, he did try to tough it out for a few possessions. That alone is not enough of an indicator to provide a tangible assessment, but it could hint to the degree of severity.

Either way, abdominal or oblique injuries can be complicated. Because they are part of the core muscles, many basic athletic movements can become painful.

They can also take time to heal, especially if there’s a muscle tear. Magic forward Paolo Banchero, for example, missed 34 games during the 2024-25 season with a torn oblique. If it ends up being a strain, however, any Curry absence would undoubtedly be far shorter.

Regardless, if Curry is forced to miss time, the Warriors will face the impossible problem of making up for the loss of a player who’s irreplaceable.

Curry is playing at an MVP-caliber level, and Golden State simply does not have any options who come close. Rookie Yaxel Lendeborg has been sensational in his first month in the NBA, and surely he will be forced to take on more offensive responsibility. Same goes for starting guard Brandin Podziemski, though to a lesser extent.

What the Warriors won’t be able to replace is Curry’s perimeter shooting and the way that opens up space on the floor. Curry is the best off-ball player in the NBA and tirelessly bounds around the floor, looking for small gaps. Those alone are enough for him to get shots off.

And, considering he entered the night making field goals at 50.3% and 3-pointers at 45.7%, that efficiency will be sorely missed.

The Warriors haven’t issued an update on Jimmy Butler’s status, but if Curry is forced to miss extended time, that could potentially put some pressure on Butler to lead the team as soon as he returns, should the timing coincide.

Either way, if Curry misses extended time, it’s tough to see Golden State remaining as competitive as it has been to start the season.

Stephen Curry stats

In nine games, Curry is shooting 50.3% from the field and is averaging 30.6 points, 4.1 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game.  A two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, Curry’s scoring this season represents a significant jump from his career average of 24.9 points per game.

This story will be updated when we have more information.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Steph Curry injury update: What we know as Warriors star's night ends early

MILWAUKEE — One of the Lakers’ star players left the team’s game against the Bucks due to an injury Wednesday. 

And there’s uncertainty about his status moving forward.

Austin Reaves subbed himself out and limped to the back of Fiserv Forum with team personnel because of an apparent lower-body injury midway through the third quarter of the Lakers’ eventual 123-112 victory over the Bucks.

He motioned to the bench around the 5:20 mark of the quarter, with the Lakers making multiple subs while Reaves walked to the back. 

The Lakers ruled Reaves out for the remainder of the game midway through the fourth quarter, saying he had a heel injury.

Coach JJ Redick said Reaves’ X-rays were negative and that he’d get imaging on Thursday. Redick ruled out an Achilles injury.

“He’s Austin,” Redick said of Reaves’ demeanor postgame. “I mean, he’s pretty much like this all the time.”

Reaves appeared to initially hurt his heel during a dunk attempt earlier in the third but stayed in the game coming out of the timeout with the Lakers up 69-56 with 8:13 left in the quarter.

Reaves recorded 18 points, five assists, three rebounds and three steals in 25 minutes before leaving the game with the heel injury.

The 6-foot-5 guard entered Wednesday as the league’s No. 15 scorer, averaging 25.3 points (50.8% from the field, 41.3% on 3-pointers), 4.6 assists and 3.4 rebounds in the team’s first nine games.

Among players averaging at least 20 points per game, Reaves and Warriors star Steph Curry were the only ones to reach that scoring threshold while also shooting at least 50% from the field, 40% on 3-pointers and 90% on free throws.

While the Lakers didn’t know Reaves’ status beyond Wednesday immediately after beating the Bucks, they’re preparing for other players to step up in a potential absence from the former Oklahoma guard.

“We just gotta have next man up mentality,” Luka Dončić said. “Obviously, we [lost] a very, very good player. Hopefully it’s nothing. We gotta have next-man-up mentality.”

Austin Reaves' night ended early after he checked himself out midway through the third quarter of the Los Angeles Lakers' road win against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday, Nov. 11.

The Lakers star was seen walking back to the locker room with a limp accompanied by team training staff after subbing out at the 5:20 mark in the third. Reaves had attempted a fast-break dunk three minutes earlier but was blocked from behind and looked uncomfortable from that point on after landing awkwardly.

The team eventually ruled Reaves out for the rest of the game with a left heel injury. Head coach JJ Redick told reporters postgame that X-Rays came back negative and Reaves will undergo imaging on Thursday. Any kind of Achilles injury has been ruled out.

Austin first appeared to tweak something on this dunk attempt but stayed in the game coming out of the timeout: https://t.co/EiW4MyKrc4pic.twitter.com/6Nq9dFzwdE

— Khobi Price (@khobi_price) November 12, 2026

Reaves exited the game with 18 points, five assists, three rebounds and three steals on 60% shooting in 25 minutes.

Among his highlights of the game included a no-look and-1 in the first quarter.

HOW, AUSTIN REAVES?!

HE WASN'T EVEN LOOKING AT THE HOOP 🤯 pic.twitter.com/8UOVG9xoCP

— NBA (@NBA) November 12, 2026

Reaves wasn't the only injury on Wednesday; Collin Sexton also went into the locker room in the fourth quarter after taking a headbutt on defense. No foul was called on the play. Redick said Sexton received sutures on his temple.

This story has been updated with new information.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Austin Reaves injury update: What we know after Lakers star hobbles to locker room

Four nights ago, in Cleveland, the Knicks beat the Cavaliers by 12 points thanks to dominant second and third quarters. Tonight, as we saluted our veterans, the two teams squared up once more, this time at Madison Square Garden. Yet again, our heroes dropped the first frame, but won the second, tied the third, and managed to tie the game midway through the fourth. The Cavs were determined not to let this one slip through their fingers, and with season-highs for two of ’em, James Harden (32 PTS, 9-14 FG) and Tyrese Proctor (15 PTS), they sealed the win in the final minutes, 115-107.

With his eleventh double-double, Karl-Anthony Towns (21 PTS, 11 RBS, 7-11 FG) tied Willis Reed for the longest double-double streak to start a Knicks season. They shot better from the floor and in the paint, but the guests attempted 14 more free throws. It didn’t help that New York surrendered 19 points off turnovers.

Last week, Peyton Watson (7 PTS) took most of Cleveland’s shots to start the game. This time, Kenny Atkinson’s club leveled its attack. Their defense hummed, too, with Evan Mobley (10 PTS, 5 RBS) and Watson swatting down shots, and Donovan Mitchell (23 PTS) and Harden picking pockets. Benchman Proctor led the team with eight points in the quarter, while Watson crashed the boards and spread out dimes. Jarrett Allen, who missed last week’s contest, cleared five early boards and finished with an 11-14 double-double.

Josh Hart (6 PTS, 26 MIN), back in the lineup after missing three games (ankle, illness), surely had nothing to do with the Knicks’ starters dragging their heels. Jalen Brunson (27 PTS, 12-23 FG) and OG Anunoby (14 PTS) were the only Knicks with points until Mohamed Diawara checked in midway through the frame and scored. Mitchell picked on the sophomore, dribbled around him, and burned him with a fadeaway.

The hometown club converted 25% of its first eight longball tries and attempted no free throws in the first frame. Strange but true. Towns, Brunson, and Shamet had the hot hands early, while Mikal Bridges, Josh Hart, and Andre Drummond combined to shoot 0-for-6 in the first half. Bridges would usually defend Mitchell, but Brown assigned Shamet to him. You can feel the coach’s confidence waning, no?

The Ohio Players hit nine straight shots, led by as many as 12, and won the quarter, 33–23.

We weren’t sweating the first quarter. New York dropped the first period by one in their previous matchup. Tonight, they opened the second on a 9–1 run behind Towns, Shamet, and Tyler Kolek. The latter hit two buckets and was a team-high plus-eight as the good guys climbed back into the game. Towns was cooking, too, scoring 13 points in his first 13 minutes, grabbing seven boards, and stuffing Allen’s shot. Miles McBride hit three threes in under two minutes, including the one that erased the last of a 12-point deficit and knotted the game at 43.

Brunson splashed a go-ahead three, but Harden answered with two of his own, Mitchell hit his freebies, and Mobley dunked to push Cleveland’s lead back to six. Mike Brown tried to give Towns a breather and watched the Knicks’ progress evaporate without him. KAT jumped back in and dunked with authority.

During the period, Brunson reached 11,000 career points, 3,000 assists, and 1,000 three-pointers. He’s one of seven active players in that club, along with LeBron James, Harden, Damian Lillard, Devin Booker, Luka Dončić, and Trae Young. Congratulations, Cap!

At halftime, the guests were ahead 59–53. Harden led all scorers with 17 (5-of-7 FG), while KAT topped the Knicks with 15. Bizarrely, New York took a single free throw all half, and Cleveland’s seven extra points at the line more than covered the margin. Both teams made 22 field goals (52% for Cleveland, 51% for New York) and grabbed 17 boards apiece. Cleveland had a 26–20 edge in the paint, but New York shot 40% from three to the Cavs’ 37% and scored one more point from the field.

Cleveland opened the third on a 10–5 run, with threes from Watson, Mitchell, and Harden stretching the lead to 69–58. Spida missed his next two threes and picked up a charge. From there, the hosts got serious. Brunson scored five of his eight points in the stretch during an 11–0 run that tied the tilt at 69, while the visitors blanked on eight consecutive attempts. Towns helped fuel the run by setting up Brunson and Shamet for buckets and blocking Watson at the cup. Hart later found McBride for another tying three at 74. Cleveland closed the quarter on an 8–2 run to take an 82–76 advantage into Q4.

Rough stretch for Bridges. He sat at the eight-minute mark of the third and came back with under two minutes left in the quarter. Allen blocked him on a layup, then took the ball away. Somehow, New York had attempted just five free throws through 40 minutes, all by Towns. The Cavs had taken 19 by then, eight by Harden alone.

Deuce scored the first five points of the fourth to pull the Knicks within one, but Mitchell answered with two layups, the second an and-one, and Proctor capped a 7–0 Cleveland run. Spida had two turnovers that led to McBride baskets, but he also set up Maleek Thomas for two buckets. With Brunson on the bench, McBride and Kolek ran the backcourt. Kolek fed Shamet for a three and KAT for a dunk that cut the deficit to seven with 7:35 left. Anunoby went on a tear with two freebies, a longball, a steal, and a breakaway feed to Hart for a bunny. Tie score at 99 with 5:36 to go.

Out of a timeout, Harden, Mobley, and Brunson scored to make it 106–103 with 2:18 on the clock. The game was still within reach, but Drummond fouled Mitchell and Allen scored four straight points, capitalizing on Brunson’s long brick. The deficit reached five with a minute to go. Brunson missed on a contested drive, Watson blocked McBride from behind on the fast break, and Harden hit his free throws. Ball game.

Up Next

A Cup game in Indiana on Friday. Mo is tightening the bolts on his recap. Safe travels, Knickerbockers.

The Celtics took on the Raptors on the second night of a back-to-back in Toronto Wednesday night. The Raptors had the lead at halftime after an explosive shooting display to start the game. It wasn’t pretty and it went down to the wire at Scotiabank Arena with the Celtics hanging on to win a tense game on the road, 98-93. Neemias Queta was big late, 11 points and 13 rebounds in the game including a game-winning block. Jayson Tatum had 24 points and 8 assists. The Celtics move clear to first place in the Eastern Conference with 10 wins and counting.

Boston rested Paul George after a tremendous performance against his former team in Philadelphia last night. The Celtics went double big in this one, with Derrick White, Baylor Scheierman, Jayson Tatum, Luka Garza, and Neemias Queta. The Toronto Raptors are currently beset by a slew of injuries to the squad, including Scottie Barnes and Kawhi Leonard. The hobbled Raptors started Jamal Shead, RJ Barrett, Ja’Kobe Walter, Collin Murray-Boyles, and Jakob Poeltl.

Derrick White in the Celtics’ green road uniforms got the Celtics on board early with a three-pointer, and Neemias Queta followed that up with a triple of his own, with Jayson Tatum credited with two early assists. Toronto was letting it fly early; they went 3-8 on three-pointers in the first 4 minutes of action.

Toronto was up for the challenge forcing 3 early turnovers; they had a 14-13 lead after six minutes of play. Mitchell Robinson, Sam Hauser, and Payton Pritchard were the first players off the bench for Boston.

Both teams traded baskets throughout the first quarter, with Toronto keeping the C’s at arm’s length throughout. The story of the first quarter was the Raps’ stunning 3-point barrage. The Toronto Raptors would finish with 10-18 from deep, matching a franchise record with zero turnovers. They took a 9-point lead into the second quarter, 29-38.

Garza and Queta had 5 points, and Pritchard had 4 points in the first quarter for the C’s. As he has done for most of the season, Jayson Tatum played the entire first quarter, orchestrating the action for Boston with 9 points, 4 assists, and 3 rebounds.

With Paul George resting this game, Boston would need someone to step up and fill the scoring void. Unfortunately, it was Toronto who outscored the C’s 8-3 to start the quarter before head coach Joe Mazzulla called a timeout before things got out of hand.

Boston only scored 6 points as Tatum sat on the bench to start the second quarter. The Raptors were in the midst of a 14-3 run before JT returned to the action. The Raptors managed to extend their lead to 19 points, with Boston not taking care of the ball at all in the first half, with 8 turnovers.

Neemias Queta fed Jayson Tatum for a loud tomahawk dunk, cutting the Toronto lead back to 15 points. On the next possession, Tatum nailed a three-pointer over Colin Murray-Boyles. Murray-Boyles fouled JT on the play, and the call was upgraded to a flagrant. The possession resulted in 7 points for Boston as Baylor Scheierman nailed a no-dip three-pointer.

Boston finally came alive late in the second quarter outplaying the Raptors. The C’s managed to get back into the contest despite shooting just 41% from the field and having more turnovers. Boston was down by just 7 points at halftime after the Raptors pushed the Celtics.

Derrick White hit the first two shots of the third quarter as Toronto fans were still finding their seats. Boston cut the Toronto lead to a point, White drilling a three-pointer for his 16th point of the night. Derrick White was doing it on both ends, blocking RJ Barrett’s layup attempt for his third of the game.

Toronto missed 11 straight three-point attempts after a stellar first half shooting display. Payton Pritchard hit his twelfth point of the game with a pullup jumper over Jamal Shead. Toronto were outscored by just two points in the quarter as they held a 5-point lead, 75-80.

Boston came into the game winning 11 of the last 12 meetings against the Toronto Raptors, which looked in jeopardy after three quarters. Pritchard, Scheierman, Walsh, White, and Queta started the fourth quarter for Boston.

Payton Pritchard snapped a 10-0 Toronto scoring run with a baseline two-point jumper. A Baylor Scheierman trailing three-pointer cut Toronto’s lead to 2 points. But the Raptors kept coming at Boston with 13 offensive rebounds, giving Toronto plenty of extra possessions.

The Raps stretched the lead back to six points before Derrick White drained a stepback three. Jayson Tatum returned to the court after a decent break with 6 minutes to go in the game, Toronto up by just 3 points, 83-86.

Boston would need to dig deep against the fresher legs of Toronto as both teams traded missed baskets late in the fourth. Tatum bounced a pass into Queta on the low block with the much smaller Shead defending him and drew a shooting foul. Queta only hit one of two free throws to cut the lead to one point, 88-89.

The game would go down to the wire, with Barrett fouling Tatum on a drive with 25 seconds to go in the game. Tatum hit both free throws to give Boston a one-point lead, 94-93, and Toronto handed a chance to close it out at home. Queta blocked an RJ Barrett drive and hit both free throws to give Boston a big 3-point lead, 96-93, and the win.

The Celtics now have three days off before a two-game home stand in Boston; they host Cooper Flagg, Kyrie Irving, and the Dallas Mavericks on Sunday at 6 pm EST.