NBA roundup: Timberwolves spoil Stephen Curry's 39-point return
Sat Dec 13 1:22am ET
Field Level Media
Donte DiVincenzo buried a pair of late 3-pointers, Julius Randle led the way in the absence of Anthony Edwards with 27 points, and the Minnesota Timberwolves spoiled Stephen Curry's 39-point return by defeating the Golden State Warriors 127-120 in San Francisco on Friday night.
Rudy Gobert had two dunks in a 17-0 fourth-quarter flurry and finished with a 24-point, 14-rebound double-double for the Timberwolves, who won for the sixth time in their last seven games despite playing without Edwards (foot) and backcourt mate Mike Conley (Achilles).
In action for the first time since suffering a strained left quad on Nov. 26, Curry was 14 of 28 from the field, including 6 of 15 from 3-point range, for the Warriors, who also were missing two key players in Draymond Green (personal) and Al Horford (back).
Seeking a third straight win, the Warriors led 96-91 after a layup by Moses Moody in the second minute of the fourth period. The Timberwolves then seized control by scoring 17 straight points while the hosts were missing eight straight shots and mixing in a pair of turnovers.
Cavaliers 130, Wizards 126
Donovan Mitchell scored a season-high 48 points to help Cleveland rally for a win over host Washington.
Mitchell hit eight 3-pointers, while Evan Mobley added 23 points and 13 rebounds and Darius Garland chipped in 18 points for the Cavaliers, who trailed by 17 points late in the third quarter. De'Andre Hunter scored 15 and Jaylon Tyson had 13 for Cleveland, which outscored Washington 45-26 in the fourth.
CJ McCollum and Bub Carrington led Washington with 27 points apiece. Marvin Bagley III finished with 15 points and 13 rebounds in the Wizards' fourth straight loss.
Mavericks 119, Nets 111
Anthony Davis recorded 24 points, 14 rebounds, three steals and two blocked shots to help host Dallas beat Brooklyn for the Mavericks' fifth win in six games.
Cooper Flagg had 22 points and eight assists for the Mavericks, while Naji Marshall scored 17 points, Max Christie had 15 off the bench and P.J. Washington added 13 for Dallas.
Michael Porter Jr. poured in 34 points and was 6 of 10 from 3-point range for the Nets. The output gave Porter a career-best four consecutive 30-point outings and he has reached that mark nine times overall this season. Brooklyn had won three of its previous four games.
Pistons 142, Hawks 115
Isaiah Stewart amassed 17 points, five rebounds and five assists to lead a balanced attack as Eastern Conference-leading Detroit overwhelmed visiting Atlanta.
Eight Pistons recorded double figures in scoring and two others tallied nine points. Cade Cunningham and Duncan Robinson contributed 15 points apiece, while Jalen Duren supplied 14 points and seven rebounds. Ronald Holland and Ausar Thompson added 12 points apiece, and Caris LeVert chipped in 10 points with eight assists.
Atlanta's Nickeil Alexander-Walker led all scorers with 22 points. Jalen Johnson recorded a triple-double with 19 points, 11 rebounds and 12 assists. Dyson Daniels added 18 points with 10 rebounds and five assists. The Hawks have dropped four of their last five games.
Jazz 130, Grizzlies 126
Keyonte George scored a career-high 39 points, Lauri Markkanen added 26 and Kevin Love had a season-best 20 to lead Utah past host Memphis in Ja Morant's return to the Grizzlies.
Santi Aldama led the Grizzlies with 22 points and Morant contributed 21 points and 10 assists after missing 10 games with a calf strain. Cam Spencer added 20 points off the bench and went 6-for-6 from beyond the arc.
George dominated in the opening half. He made eight of his 13 field-goal attempts, including four of his six 3-pointers, and had 27 points at the break. George was held scoreless in the third quarter, but had 12 points in the fourth, including Utah's final six points.
Bulls 129, Hornets 126
Josh Giddey scored 26 points, including six in the final 90 seconds, as Chicago came back to beat host Charlotte to end a seven-game losing streak.
Coby White poured in 20 points and reserves Zach Collins and Patrick Williams each scored 16 points for the Bulls, who avenged a loss in the same building from two weeks earlier. Giddey added 11 assists and seven rebounds in an all-around effort.
Kon Knueppel racked up 33 points and nine assists and Miles Bridges scored 20 of his 32 points in the first half for the Hornets, who've lost four of their last five games. Brandon Miller added 18 points as Charlotte remained without LaMelo Ball because of an ankle injury. Team rebounding leader Moussa Diabate was back for Charlotte, though he had only two points and three rebounds in 13 minutes off the bench.
76ers 115, Pacers 105
Joel Embiid scored a season-high 39 points as Philadelphia topped visiting Indiana. Playing in just his 10th game of the season, Embiid surpassed his previous high of 29 points while getting help from Paul George (season-high 23 points) and VJ Edgecombe (22 points).
Indiana, which was aiming to win a third straight game for the first time this season, was led by Pascal Siakam's 20 points. Andrew Nembhard contributed 18 points and seven assists for the Pacers, while former Sixer T.J. McConnell chipped in with 15 points off the bench.
The game was tied at 102-102 with under four minutes left when George found Dominick Barlow (10 pts.) for the go-ahead layup. George had a driving layup of his own down the stretch, while Embiid knocked down a jumper shortly thereafter to help Philadelphia create some separation.
- NBA roundup: Timberwolves spoil Stephen Curry's 39-point return
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- NBA roundup: Pelicans end 7-game slide with rout of Blazers
- Grizzlies' Zach Edey (ankle) to be re-evaluated in 4 weeks
- Warriors G Stephen Curry (thigh) expected to return Friday
- Mavs C Dereck Lively II to have season-ending foot surgery
- Malik Beasley, agent deny reports guard close to playing in Serbia
- Suns minority owners maintain Mat Ishbia's majority stake is in play
- Chris Paul feeling at peace after being dumped by Clippers
- Lakers G Marcus Smart (back) hopes to play vs. Spurs
- NBA roundup: Pacers down Kings, continue rebound from 2-16 start
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- Magic F Franz Wagner could miss weeks with ankle injury
- NBA roundup: Luka Doncic, LeBron James lead Lakers past 76ers in return
- Magic F Franz Wagner (leg) injured vs. Knicks
- Thunder G Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (elbow) out vs. Jazz
- NBA roundup: Timberwolves surge past James Harden, Clippers
- NBA roundup: Kevin Durant hits 31K career points in Rockets' win
- Lakers without LeBron James, Luka Doncic vs. Celtics
- Ex-NBA champ Elden Campbell died by drowning
Atlanta's F Jalen Johnson recorded a triple-double, finishing with 19 points, 12 assists and 11 rebounds in a 115-142 loss to Detroit on Friday, Dec. 12.
Cleveland's G Donovan Mitchell scored 48 points on 17-of-31 shooting in a 130-126 win over Washington on Friday, Dec. 12.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (calf) will play on Friday versus Utah after missing the last 10 games because of a strained right calf. The 26-year-old hasn't had the best season, averaging 17.9 points and a career-low 16.7% shooting from behind the arc. Fortunately, he's at least amassed 7.6 assists and 1.0 steals to partially make up for it. Morant will presumably see less work in his first game back, although he should be added back into all fantasy lineups. His return likely means fewer minutes for Cam Spencer and Vince Williams Jr.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) will play on Friday night against Indiana. The 31-year-old has appeared in only nine games throughout the 2025 campaign. Outside of his routine absences, fantasy managers have also been frustrated by his career-low averages of 18.2 points, 4.2 rebounds, and 21.4% shooting from behind the arc. With that said, Embiid has an excellent opportunity to get something going for fantasy participants, especially since Tyrese Maxey (illness) won't suit up, versus a Pacers team that has had issues slowing down opposing bigs this season.
Chicago Bulls guard Tre Jones (ankle) is available to play ahead of Friday's game against the Charlotte Hornets. Jones will make his return to the court after missing three games due to an ankle injury. The Bulls will remain cautious and keep Jones on a minutes limit during his first game back. Jones will only play 24 minutes on Friday, but should be back to full speed after this one. The fifth-year guard has picked up his play in recent weeks. Over the last six games, Jones is averaging 13.2 points, 3.8 assists, and 1.8 rebounds across 26.2 minutes per game. Once he's back to full speed, Jones is worth a look as a streaming option in 12-team formats.
Washington Wizards guard Tre Johnson (hip) will return to the court for Friday's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers. Johnson has been cleared to play after missing seven games due to a left hip flexor strain. Head coach Brian Keefe stated that Johnson won't have a full workload during his first game back. He didn't say how much Johnson would play, but his fantasy value will be hindered without a full workload. This season, Johnson is averaging 11.5 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.3 assists across 24.1 minutes in 15 games. The first-round pick won't be a recommended streaming option for Friday's big slate. Johnson could be worth a look as a streaming option once he's back to full speed.
Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (calf) is available for Friday's meeting with the Hornets. He missed the start of the 2025 campaign and has sat out sporadically since returning for the loss to the Utah Jazz on November 16. However, the extra time off due to the NBA Cup allowed White to get some much-needed rest. Despite the injury, he has averaged a career-high 22.1 points this season, adding 5.4 assists. Fantasy managers could see more production from the 25-year-old versus one of the worst defensive clubs in the National Basketball Association.
Charlotte Hornets center Moussa Diabate (knee) has been upgraded to available for Friday's game against the Chicago Bulls. He was previously listed as questionable, but is now set to return after a one-game absence. Diabate figures to return to his role as the primary backup center to Ryan Kalkbrenner. This season, Diabate is averaging 8.7 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists across 22.4 minutes per game. His overall ceiling is limited with Kalkbrenner being the starting big man. He offers low-end streaming appeal ahead of Friday's contest.
San Anthonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama (calf) is expected to play in Saturday's NBA Cup meeting with the Thunder after missing the last 12 games due to a calf strain. The 2023 No. 1 overall pick was performing at an MVP-caliber level before going on the shelf, averaging 26.2 points, 12.9 rebounds, 4.0 assists (all career-highs), 3.6 blocks, and 1.1 steals. Wemby will presumably see fewer than the 34.7 minutes he's averaged during the 2025 campaign, although that shouldn't stop fantasy managers from plugging him back into their starting lineups. On the other hand, DFS participants should proceed with caution, considering his hefty rostering cost as well as a tough matchup on the horizon against arguably the best defensive team in the National Basketball Association. Luke Kornet, who has been starting in place of Wembanyama, will almost certainly head back to the bench, eliminating nearly all of his fantasy value.
Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (illness) won't play on Friday against Indiana. The 25-year-old is in the MVP conversation this season. Unfortunately, he'll miss his first game of the 2025 campaign on Friday due to an illness. His next chance to suit up will be on Sunday in Atlanta. In the meantime, Jared McCain or Quentin Grimes could find themselves in the starting lineup, although both players should see considerably more minutes as well as an increase in scoring opportunities regardless of their roles.
Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (foot) won't play on Friday versus Golden State. The 2020 No. 1 overall pick had 40 points in Monday's loss to the Phoenix Suns. He'll now miss his fifth game of the 2025 campaign, which is almost the number of contests he was sidelined in the previous two seasons combined. With Mike Conley (Achilles) also ruled out, Donte DiVincenzo, Julius Randle, and Jaden McDaniels are nearly locks to surpass their usual fantasy expectations. The same can be said for Naz Reid. Bones Hyland, finishing with 14 points against Phoenix, can be utilized for streaming purposes while gaining attention as a high-upside value option for DFS participants, especially if he enters the starting lineup. Edwards next opportunity to get back on the floor will be on Sunday versus the Sacramento Kings.
Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (ankle) is doubtful for Friday's matchup with Brooklyn and is trending toward a third straight absence. With Dereck Lively II (foot) ruled out for the season and set to undergo foot surgery, Anthony Davis should continue handling heavier minutes at center after producing 29 points, eight rebounds, two assists, two steals and one block in 30 minutes last time out. Dwight Powell and Moussa Cisse are expected to pick up backup runs behind Davis but remain fringe fantasy options rather than reliable streamers.
Washington Wizards forward Khris Middleton (knee) will miss a second straight game Friday against Cleveland, further stretching an already thin wing rotation. With Bilal Coulibaly (oblique) and Corey Kispert (thumb) also sidelined, Justin Champagnie has stepped into a larger role, posting 16 points, five rebounds, three assists, one steal, and three blocks in 32 minutes last time out. Rookie Will Riley added 15 points in 19 minutes and remains a deep-league option for points and threes. Champagnie profiles as a boards-and-stocks streamer, while Riley is best treated as matchup dependent.
Charlotte Hornets guard Collin Sexton (quadriceps) will miss his third straight game Friday against Chicago due to a left quad strain, with his next chance to return Sunday in Cleveland. His absence keeps Charlotte thin in the backcourt alongside LaMelo Ball (ankle) and Tre Mann (knee), pushing more responsibility to younger options. KJ Simpson logged 16 points, five rebounds, and one assist in 29 minutes in his last start, giving him deep-league streaming appeal. Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller should continue handling added usage, while Sexton remains a clear hold in standard formats.
Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (calf) is probable for Friday's matchup with Charlotte after a late addition to the injury report, though he remains on track to play. The designation appears precautionary as White continues to ramp up after missing a large chunk of the early season. He has averaged 20.6 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 4.6 assists over his last five games while logging a steady role. With Ayo Dosunmu (thumb) and Kevin Huerter (hamstring) sidelined, White's usage should hold, while Tre Jones (ankle) benefits as a secondary ball-handler.
Chicago Bulls guard Tre Jones (ankle) is probable for Friday's game against Charlotte after missing three straight contests and logging two full practices. Jones should continue to factor into the rotation with Ayo Dosunmu (thumb) and Kevin Huerter (hamstring) sidelined, even with Coby White (calf) back. Over his last five appearances, Jones averaged 14.6 points, 1.4 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.0 steal in 27.8 minutes on 64.9 percent shooting, giving him soft hold value in deeper formats.
Chicago Bulls guard/forward Ayo Dosunmu (thumb) will not play Friday against Charlotte due to a Grade 1 sprain after missing practice time. Dosunmu had been holding his own of late, averaging 11.6 points, 3.0 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 0.8 steals, and 2.0 three-pointers in 31.8 minutes over his last five, so the Bulls lose a useful glue piece. Coby White (calf) and Tre Jones (ankle) are both probable and should absorb the ball-handling and extra guard run if cleared, while Jevon Carter and Dalen Terry remain deep-league fillers.
Milwaukee's G Kevin Porter Jr. recorded a triple-double, finishing with 18 points, 13 assists and 10 rebounds in a 116-101 win over the Celtics on Thursday, Dec. 11.
Milwaukee Bucks' F Kyle Kuzma scored 31 points on 13-of-17 shooting in a 116-101 win over the Celtics on Thursday, Dec. 11. Kuzma is owned in only 42.1% leagues.
Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley (Achilles) won't play on Friday against the Golden State Warriors. The veteran floor general is bothered by right Achilles tendinopathy. Conley has been limited to 19.1 minutes per game this season, so he won't be a big miss. However, Bones Hyland and Rob Dillingham could get a slight boost in playing time, increasing their fantasy prospects. The two may also benefit from the absence of Anthony Edwards (foot), who is listed as questionable for Friday's game. Matchups against Golden State have been favorable for point guards, as the Warriors allow the 12th-most fantasy points in the league to the position.
