NBA roundup: Nikola Jokic goes for 31-22-21 in OT win over Suns
Sat Mar 8 2:08am ET
Field Level Media
Nikola Jokic produced 31 points, a career-high 22 assists and 21 rebounds as the host Denver Nuggets rallied after losing a 21-point lead to beat the Phoenix Suns 149-141 in overtime on Friday.
Jokic logged the first 30-20-20 stat line in NBA history. He notched his 29th triple-double of the season and 159th of his career with a rebound less than two minutes into the second half.
Aaron Gordon tied his career best with seven 3-pointers and finished with 27 points, Christian Braun scored 25 points and Jamal Murray contributed 19 points and eight assists for Denver.
Devin Booker had 34 points and seven assists for Phoenix, while Kevin Durant posted 29 points and nine rebounds, and he hit a tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation.
Cavaliers 118, Hornets 117
Donovan Mitchell poured in 24 points and Darius Garland posted 20 as the duo helped Cleveland escape with a win against host Charlotte.
Miles Bridges scored a career-high 46 points for the Hornets, who suffered their ninth consecutive loss. Bridges made 15 of 32 shots from the field and 12 of 13 free throws. LaMelo Ball tallied 13 points and seven assists before fouling out and Jusuf Nurkic posted 12 points and 15 rebounds for the Hornets, who trailed by as many as 13 points.
Evan Mobley provided 19 points and 10 rebounds, De'Andre Hunter had 15 points off the bench and Jarrett Allen provided 14 points and 11 boards for the Cavaliers, who have won 13 straight games.
Clippers 105, Knicks 95
James Harden scored 27 points and Kawhi Leonard added 20 as Los Angeles won consecutive games for the first time in nearly a month by defeating New York at Inglewood, Calif.
Ivica Zubac added 16 points with 14 rebounds as the Clippers improved to 2-0 on a three-game homestand following a 2-6 road stretch. They were without leading scorer Norman Powell (hamstring) for the eighth time in the past nine games.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 23 points with 10 rebounds, and Josh Hart grabbed 20 rebounds with 14 points for the Knicks, who were playing without leading scorer Jalen Brunson following an ankle injury late in Thursday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kings 127, Spurs 109
Zach LaVine poured in 36 points and DeMar DeRozan added 22 as Sacramento spoiled the return of De'Aaron Fox, rolling to a win over San Antonio. The Kings traded Fox to the Spurs in February.
Keegan Murray had 19 points for the Kings while Jonas Valanciunas racked up 15 points and 12 rebounds. Sacramento played without Domantas Sabonis (hamstring) and Malik Monk (right toe sprain) but still won for the fifth time in its past six games.
Stephon Castle led San Antonio with 25 points off the bench. Fox scored 16 (on 6-of-17 shooting from the field) as the Spurs lost for the second time in the past three contests.
Raptors 118, Jazz 109
Immanuel Quickley scored a season-best 34 points and Toronto defeated visiting Utah.
Scottie Barnes added 22 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and three blocks for the Raptors, who have won three straight. Ja'Kobe Walter scored 14 points, but did not play in the second half because of a right quadriceps strain. Jared Rhoden chipped in 14 points and Jamison Battle added 11.
Walker Kessler had 18 points along with career bests in rebounds (25) and blocks (eight) for the Jazz, who have lost four straight overall and 11 consecutive on the road. Keyonte George also scored 18 and Kyle Filipowski and Collin Sexton added 17 apiece.
Grizzlies 122, Mavericks 111
Ja Morant scored seven of his game-high 31 points in the final 1:35 to lift visiting Memphis past injury-depleted Dallas.
The Grizzlies closed the game on a 14-3 run to snap a four-game losing streak. Desmond Bane added 27 points and a career-high 16 rebounds for Memphis, which got 17 points and eight rebounds from Brandon Clarke and 12 rebounds from Zach Edey.
The Mavericks, who lost their fourth straight, were led by Brandon Williams, who scored a career-high 31 points off the bench, and Naji Marshall, who finished with 29 points and a career-best 17 rebounds. Klay Thompson added 15 points.
Timberwolves 106, Heat 104
Julius Randle had a near triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists as visiting Minnesota defeated Miami for its fourth straight win.
Miami had a chance to win late. Duncan Robinson made a 3-pointer with 3.2 seconds left. Minnesota then turned the ball over on what appeared to be a bad call. However, the Wolves didn't have a timeout left to challenge the call. Miami, trailing 106-104, in-bounded the ball with 1.9 seconds left. Bam Adebayo went for the win, but his 3-pointer was way off as time expired.
Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, who averages 27.5 points, was held to 13 points on 4-or-10 shooting. But he also had 13 rebounds and six assists. Adebayo led Miami with a game-high 29 points and 13 rebounds.
Thunder 107, Trail Blazers 89
Aaron Wiggins scored 30 points and Jaylin Williams delivered his first career triple-double to lift short-handed Oklahoma City to a home win over Portland.
The win was the sixth straight for the Thunder, and perhaps their most unlikely of the season. Oklahoma City played well outside of its normal starting lineup as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (rest), Jalen Williams (right wrist sprain), Chet Holmgren (right lower leg contusion), Luguentz Dort (right knee soreness), and Isaiah Hartenstein (nasal fracture reinjury) were all out.
Wiggins finished 13-of-26 from the field, while Williams had 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Alex Caruso added 17 points off the bench. Scoot Henderson led Portland with 22 points and Shaedon Sharpe added 19.
- NBA roundup: Nikola Jokic goes for 31-22-21 in OT win over Suns
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- Mark Cuban rips Mavs' return in short sale of Luka Doncic to Lakers
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- NBA roundup: Two Celtics score over 40 in win over Blazers
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- NBA roundup: Lakers win as LeBron James hits milestone
- LeBron James reaches point-scoring milestone
- Grizzlies standout Jaren Jackson Jr. (ankle) out week-to-week
- Magic G Jalen Suggs has knee surgery, out for season
- Mavericks G Kyrie Irving has torn ACL, out for season
- NBA roundup: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (51), Thunder win 50th game
- Mavericks G Kyrie Irving (knee sprain) exits vs. Kings
- Mavs raise ticket costs, citing 'ongoing investments' in team, fans
- Kings C Domantas Sabonis out indefinitely with hamstring strain
- NBA roundup: Cavs edge Blazers with late 3 in OT
- Knicks waive Matt Ryan, Jacob Toppin
- Jazz sign G Jaden Springer to multi-year contract
- Thunder's Chet Holmgren (ankle) out vs. Spurs
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic (knee) will play on Saturday against Boston. He has a bruised knee. However, the Lakers have won their last eight contests, so it's hard to imagine Doncic would have missed a nationally televised game versus the defending champs. The 26-year-old had 32 points, 12 assists, seven boards, and four steals in Thursday's overtime win over the New York Knicks. The C's pose more of a challenge on the defensive end, but Doncic is still a must-start while remaining a top DFS option.
Boston Celtics guard Jrue Holiday (finger) is back in action ahead of Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Holiday will make his return to the court after missing the last four games due to a right finger injury. It sounds like he'll have a full workload on Saturday despite missing the last four contests. He should have a busy night ahead of him trying to defend Luka Doncic. Holiday is usually a viable fantasy option, so go ahead and get him active ahead of Saturday's tip-off.
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (foot) will play on Saturday against Boston. The foot injury is nothing new, and he was listed as probable, so most fantasy managers already planned on having him in the lineup. The Lakers have won their last eight games, most recently beating the Knicks in overtime on Thursday night. While the Celtics defense should prove to be more challenging, James remains a top DFS option. Of course, the multi-time All-Star is a must-start in all fantasy formats.
Boston Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis (illness) has been ruled out ahead of Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. The big man will miss his fifth game in a row due to a lingering illness. There seemed to be some hope that Porzingis would play on Saturday, but he'll ultimately be held out for at least one more game. Al Horford will move into the starting five and becomes a more appealing fantasy option. Sam Hauser and Luke Kornet should also see more run in the rotation with Porzingis sidelined.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (knee) has been ruled out ahead of Saturday's game against the Orlando Magic. The Bucks will be without Trent for the second straight game while he continues to deal with knee soreness. The absence of Trent should mean increased playing time for Kevin Porter Jr. and AJ Green. Between the two, Porter is the better streaming option ahead of Saturday's slate. Porter finished with a triple-double during Wednesday's game against the Dallas Mavericks.
Detroit Pistons forward Tobias Harris (personal) will make his return to the court ahead of Saturday's game against the Golden State Warriors. The veteran forward will make his return to the court after missing each of the last two games due to personal reasons. His return should push Malik Beasley back to the bench where he'll lose some streaming appeal. Fantasy managers can go ahead and get Harris back in their lineups ahead of tip-off on Saturday.
Golden State Warriors guard Brandin Podziemski (back) has been ruled out ahead of Saturday's game against the Detroit Pistons. Podziemski only made it through a minute of Thursday's contest before suffering a back injury. It appears to be significant enough to hold him out of Saturday's game. His next chance to play will be against the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday. In the meantime, Gary Payton II and Buddy Hield figure to see increased run in the rotation. Hield dropped on dud on Thursday, but is the more appealing streaming choice between the two players.
Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (wrist) has been ruled out ahead of Saturday's game against the Miami Heat. As expected, Ball will miss this game after being listed as doubtful coming into it. Ball will miss his fourth game in a row due to a wrist sprain. The team hasn't given much of an update on his status, so it's unclear when he'll return to the court. Kevin Huerter and Tre Jones will continue seeing increased playing time in the rotation. Huerter is probably the safer fantasy option between the two, but Jones is coming off a 20-point outing on Thursday.
Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (toe) has been cleared to play ahead of Saturday's game against the Miami Heat. White was listed as probable coming into this game and will continue playing through the minor toe issue. The Bulls are certainly glad to have White out there with Lonzo Ball (wrist) missing another game. That means, White should continue having increased ball handling responsibility with Ball missing his fourth straight game on Saturday. White has been a must-start fantasy option lately with a 44-point outing during Thursday's game.
Miami Heat forward Andrew Wiggins (ankle) is back in action ahead of Saturday's game against the Chicago Bulls. Wiggins will make his return to the court after missing the last five games due to a sprained ankle. There is no word on Wiggins being limited, so he figures to play his normal role in the starting five. He's averaging 17.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists across 35 minutes per game with the Heat. Fantasy managers can go ahead and get Wiggins active in their lineups ahead of tip-off.
Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (elbow) will make his return to the court ahead of Saturday's game against the Toronto Raptors. Poole will be back in action on Saturday after missing each of the last three games due to an elbow injury. It doesn't sound like Poole is going to be limited and he'll slide back into the starting five for this game. Before going down, Poole was on a hot streak with two games in a row of 24 points or more. Fantasy managers who have Poole rostered can get him active in their lineups ahead of tip-off.
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (calf) has been ruled out ahead of Saturday's game against the Miami Heat. Vucevic will miss his seventh game in a row due to a right calf strain. He was listed as doubtful coming into this game and his timetable to return to the court is unclear. Zach Collins and Matas Buzelis should continue seeing increased playing time while Vucevic is out. Both players are worth a look as streaming options right now. Collins has been on a hot streak lately with three double-doubles over his last five games.
Indiana Pacers guard/forward Bennedict Mathurin (wrist) is set to return to the court for Saturday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. Mathurin is back in action after missing each of the last four games due to a wrist injury. Head coach Rick Carlisle said he wasn't sure if Mathurin would be limited during his first game back. The Pacers could certainly use the help with Tyrese Haliburton (hip) heading to the sideline for the second straight game. Fantasy managers in season-long formats can get Mathurin active, but he's a risky DFS choice.
Toronto Raptors forward/center Chris Boucher (mouth) is active ahead of Saturday's game against the Washington Wizards. Boucher is back in action after missing each of the last four games due to tooth procedure. The 32-year-old figures to play his normal role in the rotation, which hasn't been significant this season. Boucher is averaging 10.0 points and 4.5 rebounds across 17 minutes per game. Boucher hasn't been much of a fantasy option this season while playing minutes in the teens.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (hip) has been ruled out ahead of Saturday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. Haliburton will miss his second game in a row due to a left hip strain. His next chance to get on the court will be Monday versus the Chicago Bulls. T.J. McConnell and Andrew Nembhard will continue to see increased playing time with Haliburton unavailable for this contest. It's also worth noting that Benedict Mathurin (wrist) is available to play, so he could see more scoring responsibilities on Saturday. Mathurin is the best fantasy choice here, but it's unclear if the team plans to limit his minutes during his first game back. That being said, fantasy managers might want to be cautious and avoid Mathurin in DFS contests.
Atlanta Hawks guard Caris LeVert (knee) has been cleared to play ahead of Saturday's game against the Indiana Pacers. He was considered questionable coming into this game due to a knee issue, but it doesn't appear to be serious enough to hold him out of action. LeVert posted a dud on Thursday, but before that he had three straight games with 21 points or more. He has been fitting in nicely with the Hawks and seems to be a capable streaming option.
Atlanta Hawks forward Terance Mann (quad) is available to play ahead of Saturday's game against the Indiana Pacers. Mann has been cleared to play after being considered questionable for this contest due to a quad issue. It doesn't sound like it was a serious issue as Mann will be back in action without missing any games. The 28-year-old has scored 12 points or more in five of his last six games. Mann should be viewed as a low-end streaming option right now.
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (Achilles) is available to play ahead of Saturday's game against the Indiana Pacers. As expected, Young has been cleared to play after being listed as probable on the injury report. Young continues to be a regular on the injury report, but he played in eight straight games. The 26-year-old has posted four double-doubles in a row, so clearly the Achilles issue isn't impacting his performance on the court. Fantasy managers can get Young back in their lineups ahead of tip-off.
Charlotte Hornets center Jusuf Nurkic (neck) won't play on Saturday versus the Nets. Mark Williams (left foot) didn't suit up for Friday's loss to the Cavaliers, resulting in Nurkic getting the start and finishing with 12 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one block. But with Nurkic and Williams both sidelined against Brooklyn, Moussa Diabate, averaging 6.4 points and 10.3 rebounds in seven starts during the 2024-25 campaign, will handle things in the middle.
Boston Celtics center Mark Williams (left foot, injury management) won't play on Saturday against Brooklyn. He wasn't available for Friday's one-point loss to the Cavaliers, resulting in Jusuf Nurkic (neck) getting the start and finishing with 12 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one block. But with Nurkic doubtful, Moussa Diabate, averaging 6.4 points and 10.3 rebounds in seven starts this season, would presumably take over in the middle. But even if Taj Gibson earns the start, Diabate should eclipse him from a workload standpoint.
