NBA roundup: Clippers lay historic beating on Nets
Thu Jan 16 2:53am ET
Field Level Media
Kawhi Leonard scored a season-high 23 points and the Los Angeles Clippers posted the largest margin of victory in franchise history by obliterating the visiting Brooklyn Nets 126-67 on Wednesday night.
James Harden added 21 points, 11 assists and six rebounds for Los Angeles, which won by 59 points to better a 50-point victory (138-88) over the Oklahoma City Thunder on April 10, 2022. The Clippers' largest lead Wednesday was 64. The 59-point margin tied the 10th largest in NBA history.
Leonard shot 8 of 11 from the field in 24 minutes while playing for just the fourth time this season. He was out due to knee issues until earlier this month.
The setback was also the largest in Nets history. The franchise lost by 52 (139-87) to the Houston Rockets on Oct. 18, 1978, when it was known as the New Jersey Nets. Brooklyn's 67 points were the fewest scored in an NBA game this season.
Knicks 125, 76ers 119 (OT)
Jalen Brunson scored 38 points and Josh Hart posted a triple-double as visiting New York nipped Philadelphia in overtime.
Mikal Bridges contributed 23 points and OG Anunoby scored 17 for New York, which had lost five of its previous seven games. The Knicks played without center Karl-Anthony Towns (thumb), which created more opportunities for Hart to accumulate 10 points, 17 rebounds, 12 assists and four steals.
Philadelphia has lost four straight games, all without Joel Embiid (foot). Tyrese Maxey led the way for the Sixers in this one with 33 points, while Paul George notched 26.
Raptors 110, Celtics 97
RJ Barrett produced 22 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists as Toronto defeated visiting Boston.
Scottie Barnes added 18 points and nine assists for the Raptors, who have won two in a row for the third time this season -- their best runs. Jakob Poeltl had 16 points and 11 rebounds for Toronto. Gradey Dick scored 12 points, and Davion Mitchell chipped in with 10 points.
Payton Pritchard scored 20 points off the bench and Jayson Tatum added 16 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists for the struggling Celtics, who have lost three of their past five games. Kristaps Porzingis had 18 points and eight rebounds, Jrue Holiday scored 12 points and Al Horford and Jaylen Brown each contributed 10 points.
Lakers 117, Heat 108
Anthony Davis scored 22 points with 11 rebounds, LeBron James added 22 points with nine assists, and Los Angeles ended a three-game losing streak by rallying past visiting Miami.
Rui Hachimura scored a team-high 23 points and Max Christie had 16 for the Lakers, who improved to 1-1 since they had two games postponed because of deadly wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
Tyler Herro scored 34 points for the Heat on a torrid shooting night that saw him go 12 of 18 from the floor and 7 of 12 from 3-point range. Haywood Highsmith and Nikola Jovic each scored 12 points for Miami, which dropped to 3-4 since Jimmy Butler was suspended for seven games for conduct detrimental to the team.
Pelicans 119, Mavericks 116
Dejounte Murray scored 30 points and Trey Murphy III added 24 and a game-saving blocked shot as host New Orleans defeated Dallas.
With the Pelicans up by one near the end, New Orleans turned the ball over and the Mavericks' Spencer Dinwiddie drove to the basket, but Murphy blocked his shot and made two free throws with 1.5 seconds left. The Pelicans held on for their third win in four games.
Daniel Gafford had 27 points and 12 rebounds, Jaden Hardy scored 21 and Dinwiddie scored 20 for Dallas, which has lost three in a row.
Rockets 128, Nuggets 120
Jalen Green scored 34 points, Alperen Sengun had 20 points, nine rebounds and eight assists, and visiting Houston beat Denver.
Fred VanVleet and Cam Whitmore each scored 16 points and Amen Thompson finished with 11 points for the Rockets, who have won five in a row.
The Nuggets played without three-time MVP Nikola Jokic, who injured his elbow during warmups and was ruled out before the start of the game, as well as Aaron Gordon (injury management).
Warriors 116, Timberwolves 115
Stephen Curry finished with 31 points and eight assists to lead Golden State to a turbulent win over Minnesota in Minneapolis.
Curry buried the go-ahead 3-pointer with 47.3 seconds remaining, securing the win after the Warriors blew a 24-point lead they held late in the first quarter. Curry made 10 of his 21 field-goal attempts, including 7 of 12 on 3-point attempts, pushing the Warriors to just their eighth win in 25 games. Andrew Wiggins scored 24 points, including 18 in the second half.
Anthony Edwards and Donte DiVincenzo led the Timberwolves with 28 points each. Rudy Gobert added seven points and 10 rebounds, while Julius Randle chipped in 17 points. Edwards chipped in eight boards.
Grizzlies 129, Spurs 115
Ja Morant racked up 21 points and 12 assists as visiting Memphis were at its best in the final two quarters in a victory over San Antonio.
Jackson finished with 19 points and Bane added 21 points for Memphis. Santi Aldama amassed 20 points and 10 rebounds, Luke Kennard had 15 points and nine boards and Jay Huff tallied 11 points as the Grizzlies won for the second time in three games.
Rookie Stephon Castle led the Spurs with a season-high 26 points. Devin Vassell added 21 points, Keldon Johnson scored 17 off the bench and Victor Wembanyama posted 13 points with 12 rebounds and also blocked eight shots in the first half.
Bucks 122, Magic 93
Damian Lillard scored 30 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo added 26 points and 11 boards to lead host Milwaukee to a dominant victory over Orlando.
Khris Middleton and Bobby Portis each added 14 points off the bench for Milwaukee, which won for the fifth time in six games. Brook Lopez scored 13 points and blocked five shots.
Paolo Banchero led Orlando with 22 points on 8-for-20 shooting. Wendell Carter Jr. added 12 points and 10 boards as the Magic took their fourth loss in six games. Trevelin Queen scored 13 points, Cole Anthony had 11 and Anthony Black contributed 10.
Hawks 110, Bulls 94
Keaton Wallace scored a career-high 27 points and Daeqwon Plowden chipped in 19 off the bench on 7-for-8 shooting in his NBA debut to boost short-handed Atlanta to a win against the host Chicago Bulls.
Missing three starters and their top reserve, the Hawks never trailed while leading by as many as 17 to sweep a back-to-back that started with Tuesday's home win against Phoenix. Trae Young, who scored a season-best 43 points in that game, was sidelined with a right rib contusion. Jalen Johnson (right shoulder inflammation), Zaccharie Risacher (left adductor irritation), and De'Andre Hunter (left foot soreness) also were out. Dyson Daniels scored 18 points while Onyeka Okongwu (14 points, 13 rebounds) and Clint Capela (11 points, 10 rebounds) both notched double-doubles. Vit Krejci added 11 points.
Coby White paced the Bulls with 16 points. Zach LaVine followed with 15 points and Nikola Vucevic had a double-double of 14 points and 16 rebounds. Julian Phillips and Patrick Williams chipped in 10 points each.
Hornets 117, Jazz 112
Mark Williams amassed 31 points and 13 rebounds to lead Charlotte past Utah in Salt Lake City.
LaMelo Ball totaled 27 points, nine assists and six rebounds while Miles Bridges contributed 25 points and 10 boards as the Hornets won for just the third time on the road all season.
Keyonte George returned from a five-game injury absence to lead the Jazz with 26 points. Brice Sensabaugh finished with 19 points, and rookie Isaiah Collier logged 11 points and 10 assists.
- NBA roundup: Clippers lay historic beating on Nets
- Pacers' Bennedict Mathurin gets 1-game ban for bumping ref
- Nuggets' Nikola Jokic, Aaron Gordon out vs. Rockets
- Knicks C Karl-Anthony Towns (thumb) out vs. 76ers
- Hornets trade Nick Richards to Suns for Josh Okogie
- NBA makes wildfire-related schedule updates
- NBA roundup: Bucks stop Kings’ 7-game winning streak
- Jimmy Butler reiterates to Heat that he wants to be traded
- Spurs stars bring smile to JJ Redick's kids after fire
- NBA roundup: Lakers lose, Clippers win in return to action
- Wolves G Terrence Shannon Jr. (foot) out 2-4 weeks
- 76ers owners announce new arena in South Philly for 2031
- Wolves star Anthony Edwards fined for fifth time this season
- NBA roundup: Pacers halt Cavaliers' 12-game win streak
- 76ers won't build $1.3 billion arena downtown
- Lakers, Clippers set to resume home schedules Monday
- NBA roundup: Ja Morant's late baskets propel Grizzlies past Wolves
- Rockets-Hawks game postponed due to icy conditions in Atlanta
- NBA roundup: Nuggets rout Nets behind two triple-doubles
- NBA postpones two L.A.-area games due to wildfires
Washington Wizards guard Malcolm Brogdon (foot) has been ruled out for a sixth consecutive game ahead of Thursday's matchup against Phoenix. He has landed on the shelf with a plantar fascia contusion on his right foot. Jared Butler had an impressive spell during the first few games Brogdon missed but has logged just 15 minutes over the past two contests. Corey Kispert, Kyshawn George, and Justin Champagnie have shared most of the available minutes among Washington's bench players. However, none of the trio appears to be good fantasy options due to inconsistency.
Cleveland Cavaliers guard Ty Jerome (illness) is questionable for Thursday's game against Oklahoma City. An illness has kept him sidelined for a pair of games, and Jerome might also be forced to miss a meeting with his former team. Caris LeVert and Max Strus have carried the bench with Jerome out. However, they have been inconsistent and face a tricky matchup on Thursday as the Cavaliers go up against the league's top defense.
Sacramento Kings guard/forward Malik Monk (groin) will likely return to the lineup on Thursday against Houston, as the team lists him as probable for the contest. Monk missed Tuesday's action against Milwaukee due to groin soreness. Keon Ellis took over his spot in the starting lineup and had a fine night with 18 points. He will lose a significant amount of fantasy value by returning to the bench. Monk has provided 18.6 points with 4.1 rebounds and 6.5 assists since being promoted to the first unit. One of his first games in the new role was against the Rockets, and Monk had a fun night in a 120-111 win with 17 points and a career-high 12 assists.
Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (ankle) will likely miss Thursday's return to his old stomping ground, as the team has labeled him doubtful ahead of the game against Washington. Beal injured his left ankle against Atlanta on Tuesday. Phoenix sent the former Wizards leader to the second unit earlier this month, but Beal has coped fairly well with his new role. He has averaged 16.3 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 4.0 assists coming off the bench. Other bench pieces, like Grayson Allen and Royce O'Neale, should feature more in the rotation if Beal can't play in Thursday's game. Allen has more fantasy upside, particularly in a matchup against a team that gives up the most three-point attempts in the league.
Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (ankle) might be ready to return to the lineup on Thursday against Detroit, with the team listing him as questionable on the injury report. He has picked up the questionable tag after missing nearly 11 weeks due to a left ankle sprain. Nesmith was a starter for the Pacers early in the campaign over Bennedict Mathurin, so it will be interesting to see how the rotation works out with everybody healthy. Indiana has played well with its current lineup, going 12-4 since Dec. 8. Even if Mathurin gets bumped to the bench, he should still have a major role to play, with Nesmith's return having a much bigger impact on Ben Sheppard's playing time.
Indiana Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton (groin) is questionable to play in Thursday's matchup against Detroit. He's nursing a "mild" groin strain, which has already kept Haliburton out of one game. Ben Sheppard replaced Haliburton in the starting lineup against Cleveland on Tuesday, but he didn't do much in 32 minutes. T.J. McConnell also picked up a few extra minutes and came close to a double-double off the bench. Bennedict Mathurin (suspension) is already out for Thursday's game, so several players must step up offensively if Haliburton also can't play.
Indiana Pacers guard/forward Bennedict Mathurin has been handed a one-game suspension, meaning he will not be available for Thursday's contest against Detroit. Mathurin was given the suspension for inappropriate contact and verbal abuse of a game official. The incident occurred in Tuesday's 127-117 loss to Cleveland. Jarace Walker could feature more in the rotation with Mathurin out. However, Indiana might have Aaron Nesmith (ankle) back in the lineup, which would bump Walker down on the depth chart.
Knicks' F Josh Hart recorded a triple-double, finishing with 10 points, 12 assists and 17 rebounds in a 125-119 win over Philadelphia on Wednesday, Jan. 15.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Derrick Jones Jr. will move into the starting five ahead of Wednesday's game against the Brooklyn Nets. Head coach Ty Lue has decided to tweak his starting unit and move Jones into the starting unit on Wednesday. Kris Dunn will head to the bench after posting a dud during his 25 minutes of action on Monday. Jones has been decent this season, but he isn't someone worth starting in most fantasy formats right now. So far, Jones is averaging 9.7 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.9 assists in 24 minutes per game this season.
Brooklyn Nets guard D'Angelo Russell (shin) has been ruled out ahead of Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Russell played 21 minutes off the bench during Tuesday's game after missing the previous four games. That being said, it appears the Nets are going to play it safe and rest Russell in the second leg of the back-to-back set. Keon Johnson and Ziaire Williams should both see increased roles on Wednesday. Also, Ben Simmons will likely do most of the ball handling which should increase his fantasy value.
Portland Trail Blazers forward Jerami Grant (face) has been ruled out ahead of Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. This doesn't come as much of a shock as Grant will now miss nine games in a row due to a facial contusion. Head coach Chauncey Billups has said that Grant is getting closer to a return, so maybe Grant can return this weekend. The Blazers play both Saturday and Sunday, so possibly Grant can return for one of those games. Deni Avdija (ankle) has been playing big minutes lately, but he's listed as doubtful for Thursday. That being said, Toumani Camara and Scoot Henderson are likely to see heavy minutes with the Blazers shorthanded right now.
Portland Trail Blazers forward Deni Avdija (ankle) is listed as doubtful ahead of Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Clippers. Avdija now appears to be in serious danger of missing two games in a row due to an ankle issue. His injury comes at a bad time with the Blazers already extremely shorthanded. That being said, Toumani Camara and Scoot Henderson are expected to both play heavy minutes on Thursday. Henderson dropped 39 points during his last outing, so he could be worth a look as a streaming choice while he's hot.
Miami Heat center Bam Adebayo (back) is available ahead of Wednesday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Adebayo took a hard fall during Saturday's contest and as a result he sat out of Monday's game. Luckily, Adebayo is back in the mix after missing only one game due to a lower back contusion. His return to the court means less playing time for both Kevin Love and Kel'el Ware. Neither player is an ideal streaming option with Adebayo likely getting his full workload on Wednesday. Fantasy managers should feel safe getting Adebayo back in their lineups here.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (calf) has been ruled out ahead of Wednesday's game against the Houston Rockets. Gordon will sit out the second game of the back-to-back set for what is likely rest purposes. Gordon played 17 minutes on Tuesday and is still working his way back after missing nine games in a row due to a calf issue. The absence of Gordon should mean more playing time for Peyton Watson in the rotation. Watson has done enough lately to be worth a look as a possible streaming option until Gordon is able to get back to 100 percent.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (elbow) won't play on Wednesday versus the Rockets. The multi-time MVP missed a few games last week because of an illness. However, right elbow inflammation will keep him off the floor against the Rockets. Without Jokic, DeAndre Jordan might draw the start. The veteran had 12 points, nine rebounds, and two steals in his only start this season. But that type of production is good enough to land him a spot in most fantasy lineups while making him an appealing value option for DFS managers. That will still apply even if he comes off the bench.
Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (knee) will play against the Rockets on Wednesday. The veteran is coming off a stellar performance, scoring 45 points in Tuesday's win over the Dallas Mavericks. With Nikola Jokic (elbow) and Aaron Gordon (calf) both sidelined, Murray has an excellent chance to keep it going on the offensive end versus Houston, giving him a higher ceiling for fantasy managers.
New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (thumb) was ruled out ahead of Wednesday's game against the 76ers. It is already known that KAT has a sprained thumb. However, Stefan Bondy of the New York Post provided an additional update, reporting that tests also revealed a bone chip. Fortunately, "surgery isn't necessary," added Bagley. The "plan is for Towns to play with the chip." The 29-year-old is having an excellent first season in New York, averaging 25.4 points and 13.9 rebounds while shooting a career-high 44.9% from behind the arc. He also missed just three games leading up to his absence on Wednesday night. It sounds as if Towns will be back once the swelling in his thumb subsides, so he's considered day-to-day. But until he's back on the floor, Jericho Sims may continue to start, although Precious Achiuwa will benefit the most.
Golden State Warriors forward Kyle Anderson (hamstring) has been ruled out for Wednesday night's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Anderson is dealing with left hamstring soreness that hasn't caused him to miss any recent games until tonight. The 31-year-old hasn't been a great fantasy option this season and his absence will likely go unnoticed for most fantasy managers. In his absence expect Trayce Jackson-Davis to get more minutes at forward.
Golden State Warriors forward Trayce Jackson-Davis (thumb) has been listed as active for Wednesday night's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. Jackson-Davis hasn't missed any time due to the injury and should be in line for extended minutes tonight with the Warriors' depth nearly depleted at forward. The matchup against the Timberwolves will be tough but the 24-year-old has been better as a starter than he has in a bench role. He shouldn't be considered a must start in all formats but there will be a chance for an extended role for him given the Warriors' injury issues.
Milwaukee Bucks guard/forward Gary Trent Jr. (hip) will be inactive against Orlando on Wednesday. This will mark his third consecutive absence. Trent Jr.'s next chance to return will come on Friday night against Toronto. AJ Green benefits from Trent Jr.'s absence and reached the 30-minute plateau for the fourth time this season in Tuesday's victory over Sacramento. Milwaukee's injury woes have also helped Pat Connaughton re-enter the rotation, though he has not made a significant impact. However, with Khris Middleton (ankle) back in the mix on Wednesday, there will be fewer minutes available for the rest of the bench.
