NBA roundup: Anthony Edwards' late 3 helps Wolves edge Rockets
Sat Dec 28 2:17am ET
Field Level Media
Anthony Edwards drilled a 3-pointer with 23.2 seconds left to cap a stunning fourth-quarter rally and lead the Minnesota Timberwolves to a 113-112 victory over the Houston Rockets on Friday.
The Timberwolves closed the game on a 23-6 run over the last five minutes. The surge featured two 3-pointers from Nickeil Alexander-Walker, nine points from Naz Reid and Edwards' three-point play with 1:31 left that pulled Minnesota within 110-108.
Edwards put up 24 points for Minnesota, which completed a 2-1 road trip. Randle had 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists, and Donte DiVincenzo chipped in 22 points.
Alperen Sengun led the Rockets with a season-high 38 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. However, he missed a pair of free throws in the final 69 seconds as Houston had its four-game winning streak snapped.
Cavaliers 149, Nuggets 135
Donovan Mitchell scored 33 points, Jarrett Allen had 22 points, 10 rebounds and three steals, and Cleveland ran its winning streak to six games by beating host Denver.
Nikola Jokic notched his NBA-best 12th triple-double with 27 points, 14 rebounds and 13 assists, and Jamal Murray also scored 27 points and tied a season high with 11 assists for Denver. Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon missed the game with a right calf strain suffered in Wednesday's 110-100 loss at Phoenix.
The Cavaliers led by 15 at halftime. Denver got within 12 early in the third, but the lead swelled to 96-77 when Mitchell made two free throws with 7:46 left in the quarter. The Nuggets trimmed the lead back down to 107-93, but Caris LeVert drained two from deep to give Cleveland a 113-93 cushion.
Clippers 102, Warriors 92
Norman Powell scored 26 points and James Harden added 18 as Los Angeles took advantage of Stephen Curry's absence to hold on for a victory over visiting Golden State at Inglewood, Calif.
Ivica Zubac scored 17 points with 11 rebounds and five blocked shots, Derrick Jones Jr. added 14 points and Kris Dunn had 13 as the Clippers won for the fourth time in their past five games and improved to 3-0 against the Warriors this season.
Jonathan Kuminga scored 15 of his 34 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 10 rebounds, and Trayce Jackson-Davis added 15 points with nine rebounds for the Warriors, who gave Curry the night off for knee-injury management.
Celtics 142, Pacers 105
Jaylen Brown poured in a season-high 44 points to help Boston end a two-game losing streak by clobbering visiting Indiana.
Brown was 16 of 24 from the field, including 6 of 11 from 3-point territory. He also had five rebounds, three assists and four steals. Jayson Tatum added 22 points and 13 rebounds for the Celtics, who were 23 of 57 from 3-point range and scored a season high in points. Payton Pritchard provided 18 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds off the bench.
Tyrese Haliburton had a team-high 19 points and nine assists for the Pacers, who never led in the game. Indiana received 18 points from Bennedict Mathurin and 14 from Pascal Siakam.
Knicks 108, Magic 85
Jalen Brunson collected 26 points and nine assists and Josh Hart added 23 points and 13 rebounds, lifting New York to a victory at Orlando, the Knicks' season-best sixth straight win.
Brunson made 11 of 21 shots from the floor to help the Knicks defeat the Magic for the third time this month. The Knicks also held a decisive 60-34 edge in points in the paint and a 21-2 advantage in fastbreak points.
Jalen Suggs scored 27 points and Goga Bitadze collected 14 points and 11 rebounds for the Magic, who have lost five of their past seven games.
Mavericks 98, Suns 89
Kyrie Irving made five 3-pointers and scored 20 points as Dallas notched a victory at Phoenix while playing without injured Luka Doncic.
Daniel Gafford tallied 16 points as the Mavericks won for the 15th time in 19 games. Doncic will miss at least a month after sustaining a left calf strain on Christmas.
Kevin Durant scored 35 points for the Suns, who lost for the fourth time in the past five games.
Spurs 96, Nets 87
Victor Wembanyama bundled 19 points with seven rebounds, six blocks and four assists as San Antonio recovered from a difficult opening quarter to beat Brooklyn in New York.
Julian Champagnie put up 10 of his 18 points in the second quarter to help get the Spurs back in the game after they shot 4-for-25 and trailed 22-11 after the opening 12 minutes. Keldon Johnson added 15 points and Jeremy Sochan contributed 12 points and 14 rebounds for San Antonio, which allowed its lowest point total this season.
Keon Johnson scored 15 of his career-high 25 points in the fourth quarter for the Nets. Shake Milton added 16 points and 12 assists while Tyrese Martin contributed 13 points for Brooklyn, which allowed 20 points off 18 turnovers.
Grizzlies 132, Pelicans 124
Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 33 points and Ja Morant had 25 before injuring his right shoulder as Memphis defeated host New Orleans for its eighth win in 10 games.
Morant went to the locker room for good with 4:13 remaining in the third quarter after colliding with Pelicans center Daniel Theis. Desmond Bane tallied 18 points, Zach Edey had 14 and nine rebounds, Scotty Pippen Jr. added 13 points and Jaylen Wells scored 10 for the Grizzlies.
Trey Murphy III scored a season-high 35 points, CJ McCollum added 32 points and Dejounte Murray netted 15 for New Orleans, which has lost nine straight games and 18 of its last 19. Theis had 11 points, 11 rebounds and six assists.
- NBA roundup: Anthony Edwards' late 3 helps Wolves edge Rockets
- 76ers C Joel Embiid fined $75K for obscene gestures
- Nuggets F Aaron Gordon (calf) to miss games Friday, Saturday
- Kings fire coach Mike Brown
- Mavs star Luca Doncic (calf) out at least a month
- NBA roundup: Hawks dig out of 21-point hole, outscore Bulls
- Pacers F Obi Toppin (left ankle sprain) exits vs. Thunder
- TV viewership for NBA Christmas games up 84% from last year
- Pat Riley says Heat are not trading Jimmy Butler
- Blazers coach Chauncey Billups to miss 2 games
- Heat sign G League standout Keshad Johnson
- NBA roundup: Lakers nip Warriors in final second
- Celtics C Kristaps Porzingis injures ankle vs. 76ers
- Lakers big man Anthony Davis (ankle) leaves game vs. Warriors
- Mavs star Luka Doncic (calf) to miss extended time
- Mavs G Luka Doncic (calf) won't return against Wolves
- Stephen Curry says 'end is near' for career
- Jimmy Butler 'ready for exit' from Miami
- Pelicans' Zion Williamson (hamstring) to practice next week
- Heat G Dru Smith (Achilles tendon) out for season
Nuggets' C Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double, finishing with 27 points, 13 assists and 14 rebounds in a 135-149 loss to the Cavaliers on Friday, Dec. 27.
Boston's F Jaylen Brown scored 44 points on 16-of-24 shooting in a 142-105 win over the Pacers on Friday, Dec. 27.
Los Angeles Lakers point guard D'Angelo Russell (thumb) looks ready to return to action on Saturday versus Sacramento, with the team listing him as probable for the game. Russell sprained his left thumb at the start of the week and sat out a matchup against Golden State on Christmas Day. However, it appears that his absence will be limited to only one game. The Lakers will need all the help they can get on Saturday, as LeBron James (illness), Anthony Davis (ankle), and Rui Hachimura (illness) are all considered questionable for the contest.
Los Angeles Lakers forward/center Anthony Davis (ankle) has been listed as questionable for Saturday's clash with Sacramento. He hurt his left ankle on Christmas Day against Golden State, exiting the action after logging just seven minutes. After the game, Davis announced that he intends to play on Saturday. However, Davis has picked up a questionable tag ahead of the game after missing Friday's practice. Rui Hachimura (illness) saw action as a center on Wednesday following Davis' exit and could land a massive role in Saturday's contest. However, Hachimura is also regarded as questionable for the contest, meaning the Lakers might have to lean heavily on Christian Koloko.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (illness) carries a questionable tag ahead of Saturday's matchup against Sacramento. James missed Friday's practice due to an illness, which isn't a good sign regarding his potential availability. Cam Reddish and Dalton Knecht will be asked to do much more if James doesn't play on Saturday. Knecht's far superior shooting ability makes him the better fantasy option. He's also just regained a bit of momentum with a 15-point, seven-rebound performance in Wednesday's victory over Golden State.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (foot, face) has picked up a questionable tag ahead of Saturday's contest against Utah. Embiid can't seem to stay clear of injuries and even got hurt during the warm-ups ahead of Philadelphia's Christmas clash against Boston when he rolled his ankle. However, he came through 31 minutes of action on Wednesday and should have a decent chance of remaining in the lineup on Saturday. However, if Embiid needs to take time off again, Andre Drummond will likely get a spot start in a dream matchup. Only two teams have allowed more fantasy points to opposing centers this season than the Jazz.
Sacramento Kings center Domantas Sabonis (illness) has been labeled as questionable for Saturday's contest against the Lakers. He sat out Thursday's game against Detroit due to an illness and didn't practice on Friday. Filling in for Sabonis as the starting center, Alex Len went for four points, six rebounds, and two blocks in 23 minutes against the Pistons. Trey Lyles, who finished with 20 points and eight rebounds in 25 minutes off the bench, also has more playing opportunities without Sabonis.
Milwaukee Bucks point guard Damian Lillard (illness) is in danger of missing a fifth consecutive game, as the team has listed him as questionable for Saturday's matchup against Chicago. Lillard is trying to overcome an illness after missing a couple of games earlier with a calf injury. Ryan Rollins has offered decent production as Lillard's replacement in the starting unit, doing a little bit of everything. He finished Thursday's 111-105 loss to Brooklyn with seven points, four rebounds, three assists, one block, and two steals. Delon Wright and AJ Green have also had larger roles in the rotation during Lillard's absence.
Milwaukee Bucks forward/center Giannis Antetokounmpo (illness) is considered questionable for Saturday's game against Chicago. The former MVP recently battled a back problem and is now dealing with an illness. Bobby Portis has produced a pair of double-doubles in the past three games as Antetokounmpo's replacement in the starting lineup. Assuming Antetokounmpo remains out, Portis should fill the box score again in Saturday's matchup, as the Bulls share the league's worst defensive record with Washington and have the eighth-lowest rebounding rate in the league.
Charlotte Hornets center Mark Williams (thumb) has been listed as questionable for Saturday's game against Oklahoma City. The talented big man is nursing a sore left thumb. After he missed the start of the season with a foot injury, Williams' role has steadily started to grow, and he recorded a season-high 26 minutes in Thursday's 113-110 loss to Washington. Nick Richards is in line to start instead of Williams if he's unavailable against the Thunder. Richards has been a double-double machine in a starting role this term, averaging 11.3 points and 10.2 rebounds with 1.7 blocks.
Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (hip) is questionable for Saturday's game against the Knicks. He is bothered by a left hip contusion and might have to come out of the lineup for the third time this season. Malcolm Brogdon will likely be Poole's replacement in the first unit if he can't play. Corey Kispert and Jared Butler might also benefit. Brogdon has posted 14.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in a starting role this season.
Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Brandon Miller (ankle) is questionable for Saturday's matchup against Oklahoma City. After missing three games with a left ankle sprain, Miller put in a 36-minute shift against Washington on Thursday. However, the questionable designation ahead of Saturday suggests that Miller might return to the shelf. If he's out, Cody Martin will likely jump back into the starting lineup. Martin's production has not changed a lot in a starting role this season, but he should see more action after logging only 19 minutes in Thursday's matchup.
Atlanta Hawks guard/forward Bogdan Bogdanovic (lower leg) remains on the injury report with a questionable tag ahead of Saturday's meeting with Miami. He could be out for a third straight game due to a left lower leg contusion. Garrison Mathews has taken on a bigger role in the rotation during Bogdanovic's absence, albeit with mixed results. He scored 25 points against Minnesota on Monday but finished with just five points in Thursday's comeback victory over Chicago. Miami has given up the fewest bench points in the league this season, so Atlanta's second unit may struggle in Saturday's game.
Charlotte Hornets point guard LaMelo Ball (ankle, wrist) has been listed as questionable for Saturday's clash with Oklahoma City. We might be robbed of a fun matchup between Ball and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander because the Hornets leader is dealing with ankle and wrist soreness. Vasilije Micic should log another start if Ball isn't ready to play. Micic has filled in for Ball regularly in the first unit if he's been unavailable, averaging 12.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 6.5 assists this season as a starter.
Atlanta Hawks point guard Trae Young (heel) is considered questionable for Saturday's matchup against Miami. He continues to carry a heel injury, although Young has played through the issue in back-to-back games. With Kobe Bufkin (shoulder) done for the season, Vit Krejci and Keaton Wallace will operate in the point guard position should Young be unavailable for Saturday's game. The two haven't done enough to warrant fantasy consideration.
Miami Heat forward Jimmy Butler (conditioning) will not play in this weekend's back-to-back set against Atlanta and Houston. It was reported on Thursday that Butler will rejoin the lineup for Saturday's game, but the Heat have now announced that the veteran star will not return to the team until next week. Butler, who has been heavily linked with a trade recently, has missed three games due to an illness. Heat president Pat Riley tried to shut down the rumors on Friday by announcing that Butler would not be traded this season. With Butler unavailable for the weekend's games, Jaime Jaquez Jr. should continue his spell as a starter. He's notched 14.3 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.7 steals in the starting unit this season.
Cleveland Cavaliers forward Dean Wade (knee) will rejoin the lineup on Friday versus Denver. Knee soreness kept Wade out of action for one game. The 28-year-old forward heads straight back into the starting lineup, bumping Sam Merrill to the bench. Generally, Wade doesn't provide much production to fantasy managers, even as a starter. He has averaged 7.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 1.4 steals with the first unit this season.
Los Angeles Clippers point guard Kevin Porter Jr. (illness) will sit out Friday's game against Golden State. He's battling an illness and has been downgraded from questionable to out. As the leader of the second unit, Porter Jr. has contributed 10.0 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists this season. Bones Hyland and Jordan Miller might re-enter the rotation due to Porter Jr.'s absence, but they likely won't offer the same level of production he does.
Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray (ankle) will play in Friday's matchup against Cleveland. The Canadian star is dealing with an ankle injury but has been upgraded from probable to available. Murray saw a four-game run of 20-point performances come to an end on Christmas Day when he finished a 110-100 loss to Phoenix with 13 points. It won't be easy for him to get back on track on Friday, as the Cavaliers allow the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing point guards.
Denver Nuggets forward/center Aaron Gordon (calf) will likely be absent for multiple games. Harrison Wind of TheDNVR.com reports that Nuggets head coach Michael Malone said Gordon will miss the "next couple of games." Gordon's absence starts with Friday's matchup against Cleveland. In an interesting move, Malone has replaced Gordon with Russell Westbrook in the starting lineup. However, we should also see Peyton Watson more involved in Denver's play due to Gordon's injury.
