NBA roundup: Down 21, Thunder storm past Grizzlies
Sat Jan 10 1:52am ET
Field Level Media
Jalen Williams scored a season-high 26 points, Ajay Mitchell added 23 and Kenrich Williams also posted a season high with 21 off the bench as the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied from 21 points down in the second half to stun the host Memphis Grizzlies 117-116 on Friday night.
The Thunder outscored the Grizzlies 71-51 in the second half and extended their winning streak over Memphis to 16 consecutive games (including playoffs). The Grizzlies haven't defeated the Thunder since Dec. 7, 2022. Memphis lost for the sixth time in seven games.
Oklahoma City trailed by 11 (114-103) with 3:32 to go when it began a furious comeback. The Thunder went on a 14-0 run and grabbed their first lead since the opening quarter on a 3-pointer by Kenrich Williams with 1:07 to go. Lu Dort capped the run with two free throws with 58.9 seconds left for a 117-114 advantage. Memphis got a putback basket from Jock Landale with 37.3 seconds left but a frantic 15-foot jumper by Cedric Coward in the closing seconds was blocked by the Thunder's Alex Caruso.
Oklahoma City, the reigning NBA champion, played without starters Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (ankle), Chet Holmgren (shin) and Isaiah Hartenstein (calf). Jaren Jackson Jr. led the Grizzlies with 23 points and GG Jackson tied a season high with 18 off the bench. Santi Aldama contributed 15 points and Landale had 13 points and 10 boards for Memphis, which was without Ja Morant (calf) for the fourth straight game.
Trail Blazers 111, Rockets 105
Toumani Camara scored a career-high 25 points and Portland spoiled Kevin Durant's milestone night with a home victory over Houston.
Durant recorded 30 points and 12 rebounds and swished a 3-pointer with 7:57 left in the third quarter to move into seventh on the NBA's all-time scoring list. Durant passed legendary Wilt Chamberlain (31,419). His career point total sits at 31,435 after Houston's second consecutive loss in Portland.
Shaedon Sharpe had 20 points and eight rebounds while Deni Avdija also scored 20 points for the Trail Blazers, who have won five straight and seven of their past eight. Amen Thompson recorded 24 points and nine rebounds and Reed Sheppard added 20 points off the bench for Houston.
Warriors 137, Kings 103
De'Anthony Melton ignited a 15-0 burst bridging the third and fourth quarters with six straight points, Stephen Curry went for a game-high 27 and Golden State won a second in a row to start a lengthy homestand, thumping Sacramento in San Francisco.
Melton finished with 19 points off the bench and Curry completed his second double-double of the season with a game-high 10 assists for the Warriors, who ran up a season-best 39 assists on their 52 baskets.
DeMar DeRozan had a team-high 24 points for the Kings, who played Golden State evenly for the first 33 minutes, gaining an 84-all tie on a Dennis Schroder 17-footer with 3:13 left in the third quarter.
Celtics 125, Raptors 117
Payton Pritchard had a game-high 27 points to go with five rebounds and eight assists to help host Boston end Toronto's three-game winning streak.
Jaylen Brown added 25 points, eight rebounds and seven assists for the Celtics as Boston won for the fifth time in six games. Sam Hauser hit five 3-pointers and finished with 19 points in the win.
The Raptors played without two of their top players as forwards Brandon Ingram and Scottie Barnes both missed the game with injuries. Jakob Poeltl missed his ninth straight game with a back injury. The short-handed Raptors received 19 points from both Ja'Kobe Walter and RJ Barrett.
76ers 103, Magic 91
Tyrese Maxey scored 14 of his 29 points in the third quarter, fueling visiting Philadelphia to a victory over Orlando.
Maxey has totaled 92 points to help the 76ers win two of the three meetings in the season series. Joel Embiid collected 22 points and nine rebounds and Paul George added 18 and nine, respectively, as the 76ers sealed their fifth win in six games by outscoring the Magic 20-12 in the fourth quarter.
Desmond Bane scored 23 points and Anthony Black added 21 as Orlando has traded wins and losses over its last 13 games. Paolo Banchero recorded 14 points and 11 rebounds and Wendell Carter Jr. added 13 and eight, respectively.
Bucks 105, Lakers 101
Giannis Antetokounmpo scored 21 points and made two key defensive plays in the closing seconds as visiting Milwaukee finished off a victory over Los Angeles.
Kevin Porter Jr. scored 22 points, Kyle Kuzma had 13 against his former team and Bobby Portis had 11 points with 12 rebounds as the Bucks improved to 2-1 on a four-game road trip. Milwaukee is 5-2 since Dec. 27.
LeBron James scored 26 points with nine rebounds and 10 assists, while Luka Doncic scored 24 points with nine rebounds and nine assists as the Lakers dropped to 4-6 since Dec. 20. Doncic was 4 of 6 from 3-point range and 4 of 19 on two-point shots.
Suns 112, Knicks 107
Devin Booker scored 31 points, Dillon Brooks added 27 and the pair combined for nine 3-pointers as host Phoenix held off New York.
Grayson Allen made four free throws and Brooks hit two in the final 13.5 seconds after the Knicks overcame a 12-point deficit to tie the game at 101 with three minutes remaining. Jalen Brunson scored 27 points and made five 3-pointers and Karl-Anthony Towns had 15 points and 12 rebounds for the Knicks, who have lost five of six.
The Suns have won five straight at home and broke a three-game losing streak to the Knicks. Phoenix is 22-11 since starting 1-4 in coach Jordan Ott's first season.
Clippers 121, Nets 105
James Harden scored 31 points and Los Angeles started quickly in a wire-to-wire victory over Brooklyn in New York.
Harden scored 22 in Los Angeles' dominant first half and finished with his ninth 30-point game this season. He made 10 of 13 shots and handed out six assists as the Clippers finished with 28 assists and won for the eighth time in 10 games. Kawhi Leonard added 26 on 9-of-15 shooting for his 19th straight game with at least 20 points.
Rookie Egor Demin led the Nets with 19 points and hit five 3-pointers, but Michael Porter Jr. struggled with 18 points on 7-of-20 shooting (0-of-9 from 3-point range). Nic Claxton and Cam Thomas added 13 apiece as Brooklyn was unable to capitalize on getting 19 offensive rebounds.
Hawks 110, Nuggets 87
Jalen Johnson scored 29 points, Dyson Daniels finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists, and Atlanta outscored host Denver 36-12 in the fourth quarter to pull out a win.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 22 points for Atlanta, which was playing its first game since four-time All-Star Trae Young was dealt to Washington. CJ McCollum and Corey Kispert, acquired in the Young deal, have yet to join the team.
Peyton Watson scored 25 points, Aaron Gordon added 14, Zeke Nnaji finished with 12, and Tim Hardaway Jr. and Hunter Tyson scored 10 each for Denver, which was 4-for-17 shooting in the fourth quarter. The Nuggets played without Jamal Murray and Spencer Jones, both nursing left ankle injuries, in addition to the absences of Nikola Jokic (left knee), Jonas Valanciunas (calf) and Cameron Johnson (right knee).
Pelicans 128, Wizards 107
Trey Murphy III scored 15 of his game-high 35 points in the third quarter and Zion Williamson dominated at times in both halves en route to 31 points as New Orleans decisively ended its nine-game losing streak with a win at Washington.
Murphy III, who also had eight rebounds, missed Wednesday's loss at the Atlanta Hawks due to lower-back spasms. He demonstrated his readiness right away with two 3-pointers in the opening minutes and finished with seven treys overall.
This was the second time this season the Pelicans stopped a nine-game losing streak. Williamson shot 85.7% (12-for-14) from the field while Derik Queen, who returned home after starring as a freshman at Maryland last year, registered his second career triple-double. He had 14 points to go with a team-high 16 rebounds and 12 assists.
- NBA roundup: Down 21, Thunder storm past Grizzlies
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- Mavericks' Anthony Davis (hand) may need surgery
- Grizzlies reportedly open to trading Ja Morant
- Trae Young eyes 'opportunity' with Wizards, bids farewell to Hawks
- NBA roundup: Pacers snap 13-game losing streak with win over Hornets
- Giannis Antetokounmpo ask Bucks for a trade? 'Never'
- NBA roundup: Paolo Banchero bankshot lifts Magic past Nets in OT
- Hawks trade 4-time All-Star PG Trae Young to Wizards
- Hawks' Trae Young eyes Wizards as preferred destination
- Thunder's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (knee) questionable vs. Jazz
- NBA roundup: Grizzlies rally, nip Spurs on late block
- Kings F Keegan Murray (ankle) out 3-4 weeks
- Heat's Tyler Herro cleared for return: 'I just had to get healthy'
- Cavaliers star Donovan Mitchell (rest) out vs. Pacers
- NBA roundup: Visiting Hornets shock Thunder with blowout win
- Hawks, Trae Young mutually exploring trade options
- Rockets, Mavs to play preseason games in Macao
- NBA roundup: Devin Booker's last-second 3 lifts Suns over Thunder
- Clippers' Derrick Jones Jr. out with another MCL sprain
Detroit Pistons point guard Cade Cunningham (wrist) will sit out a second straight game on Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic reports. The team has ruled him out of the contest after initially listing Cunningham as questionable. His absence from the lineup boosts the fantasy value of Jaden Ivey and Daniss Jenkins. The Clippers are a weak defensive team, giving the two an opportunity to make a significant impact on Saturday.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (ankle) will play on Saturday against Detroit. The team is usually overly-cautious with the multi-time All-Star, so it's surprising to see him suit up for the second game of a back-to-back. He had 26 points, five boards, five assists, three steals, and one block in Friday's win over the Brooklyn Nets. However, Leonard and company should have a tougher time on both ends of the floor versus one of the best teams in the National Basketball Association.
Detroit Pistons forward/center Isaiah Stewart (illness) won't be in the lineup on Saturday against the Los Angeles Clippers, Hunter Patterson of The Athletic reports. Stewart was a late addition to the injury report due to illness and hasn't been able to shake off a questionable tag. With Jalen Duren (ankle) and Tobias Harris (hip) also out, the Pistons' frontcourt will have a completely different dynamic. Paul Reed will presumably operate as the starting center, and players like Ron Holland II, Tolu Smith, and Javonte Green may see more action.
Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (back) is available on Saturday versus Miami. He didn't play on Thursday against the Hornets, opening the door for T.J. McConnell to finish with 23 points, eight boards, and four steals from off the bench. While McConnell will still have a role, his outlook isn't as favorable, so fantasy managers should temper their expectations for a meeting with a tough defensive squad.
Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic (toe) won't play on Saturday versus Charlotte, marking his second-straight absence. He's been battling a toe injury, so fantasy managers may see him miss more time moving ahead until things clear up. With Lauri Markkanen (rest) and Ace Bailey (hip) ruled out, Keyonte George and Brice Sensabaugh could surge from a scoring standpoint. Kevin Love, who is coming off a double-double in Thursday's win over the Dallas Mavericks, can be considered for streaming purposes in deeper fantasy formats.
Utah Jazz forward Lauri Markkanen won't play on Saturday against Charlotte. He had 33 points, seven boards, and four assists in 40 minutes in Thursday's win over the Dallas Mavericks, so fantasy managers can understand why he'll get the night off. The veteran is expected back on Monday versus the Cleveland Cavaliers. With Jusuf Nurkic (toe) and Ace Bailey (hip) also out, Keyonte George, Brice Sensabaugh, Isaiah Collier, and Walter Clayton Jr. should all be considered must-start options in all fantasy setups, especially since this contest is projected to be one of the highest-scoring on the slate.
Charlotte Hornets center Ryan Kalkbrenner (elbow) will play on Saturday against Utah after missing the last 10 games because of a sprained left elbow. The rookie, who has averaged 8.7 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks this season, will presumably return to the starting lineup. However, he'll likely be limited in his first game back. With that said, Kalkbrenner still has a favorable outlook versus one of the worst defensive teams in the league. Moussa Diabate is expected to head back to the bench, significantly lowering his fantasy ceiling.
Detroit Pistons forward/center Isaiah Stewart (illness) is questionable for Saturday's game against the Clippers. With Cade Cunningham (wrist) sidelined for Wednesday's win over the Chicago Bulls, the 24-year-old took on a more prominent role offensively by finishing with a game-high 31 points. Unfortunately, he's dealing with an illness, which is not an ideal scenario, considering the Pistons are already down Jalen Duren (ankle) and Tobias Harris (hip). As a result, others might have to step up, with Paul Reed, Jaden Ivey, Ron Holland II, and Ausar Thompson in line for more statistical contributions if Cunningham and Stewart remain out.
Detroit Pistons guard Cade Cunningham (wrist) could miss Saturday's meeting with the Clippers. He has a contusion on his right wrist, keeping him off the floor for Wednesday's win over the Chicago Bulls. Jaden Ivey ended up replacing him in the rotation, although he had only eight points. While Daniss Jenkins struggled even more offensively, he still did something for fantasy managers by amassing 15 assists. If Cunningham isn't back for this one, Ivey and Jenkins can both be considered risky, high-upside fantasy options.
Los Angeles Clippers forward Kawhi Leonard (ankle) is questionable for Saturday's meeting with the Pistons. The multi-time All-Star was on the injury report ahead of Friday's win over the Brooklyn Nets, although he was able to play, finishing the night with 26 points, five rebounds, five assists, three steals, and one block. However, with Saturday's contest being the second of a back-to-back, fantasy managers may not see him out there. If Leonard doesn't suit up, Kobe Sanders should be considered the favorite to replace him in the rotation. The 2025 No. 50 overall selection started a few games ago in the one-point win over the Warriors. He played well, too, amassing 20 points in 35 minutes of action. If Sanders gets another crack with the first-five, he'll be worth considering for those participating in deep league fantasy setups.
Indiana Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard (back) is questionable heading into Saturday's game against Miami. He didn't suit up on Friday night versus the Hornets, resulting in Quenton Jackson entering the starting lineup. However, it was T.J. McConnell who benefited the most without Nembhard on the floor, with the 33-year-old ending the evening with 23 points, eight assists, and four steals. If Nembhard remains out, Jackson can be considered for streaming purposes for those willing to take a chance. On the other hand, McConnell would be classified as a must-start fantasy option.
Detroit Pistons forward/center Isaiah Stewart (illness) has been downgraded to questionable for Saturday's matchup against the Clippers. Stewart is coming off a dominant outing, posting 31 points, three rebounds, one assist, one steal, and two blocks in 30 minutes on Wednesday. He has stepped into a larger role with Jalen Duren (ankle) and Tobias Harris (hip) sidelined, averaging 13.0 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks in 31.0 minutes over the last four games. Paul Reed would likely see a meaningful workload increase and move from a modest option to a more intriguing short-term fantasy play if Stewart sits, especially with Detroit thin in the frontcourt.
Toronto Raptors guard/forward RJ Barrett (ankle) was ruled out for the rest of Friday's game against Boston after logging 28 minutes. He finished with 19 points, four rebounds, and seven assists before exiting. Barrett's next chance to play comes Sunday versus Philadelphia. Toronto's injury list remains crowded, with Brandon Ingram (thumb), Scottie Barnes (knee), and Jakob Poeltl (back) sidelined. Immanuel Quickley stands to absorb primary usage after posting 17 points and 13 assists, while Ja'Kobe Walter, Jamal Shead, and Gradey Dick gain short-term fantasy appeal as streamers in expanded roles.
Los Angeles Lakers forward Rui Hachimura (calf) is trending toward a return Monday against Sacramento, with head coach JJ Redick expressing optimism Friday. Hachimura has not played since Dec. 28 and could face a minutes restriction initially. His return carries clear fantasy ripple effects. Jake LaRavia, who thrived during the absence, averaged 15.0 points, 5.3 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 2.0 steals, and 2.5 three-pointers in 36.2 minutes over the last six games, delivering third-round nine-category value. That production likely regresses with Hachimura back, pushing LaRavia toward streamer status.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (jaw) exited Friday's loss to Oklahoma City in the second quarter and did not return, finishing with two points, one rebound, one assist, and one steal in 10 minutes. His availability for Sunday against Brooklyn is uncertain. If Caldwell-Pope misses time, Vince Williams Jr. and GG Jackson II stand to see increased wing minutes. Williams recently logged 13 points, three rebounds, and five assists in 23 minutes, while Jackson offers scoring upside but remains inconsistent, making both situational fantasy streamers.
Houston Rockets guard/forward Tari Eason (ankle) did not return to Friday's game against Portland after suffering a right ankle sprain and logged just 16 minutes. He finished with six points, three rebounds, two assists, two steals, and one block before exiting in the third quarter. Eason's status bears close monitoring after he averaged 12.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.8 steals, and 1.8 three-pointers in 26.1 minutes over his last eight games. If he misses time, Josh Okogie and Dorian Finney-Smith gain minutes but remain volatile fantasy options.
Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (knee) will not return to Friday's game against Houston after suffering a right knee injury and logged just seven minutes. He finished with three rebounds and one assist before exiting. Williams' status is worth monitoring ahead of Sunday's matchup with New York. If he misses time, Donovan Clingan should continue handling heavy minutes after posting eight points, 15 rebounds, six assists, and two steals in 33 minutes, while Yang Hansen could see a modest uptick as the primary backup. Hansen profiles as a deep-league watch option only.
Chicago Bulls guard/forward Kevin Huerter (back) is questionable for Saturday against Dallas after missing Thursday's game. With Josh Giddey (hamstring) sidelined for multiple weeks, Huerter's status carries added fantasy weight. If he sits, Ayo Dosunmu and Tre Jones should continue handling expanded roles. Over his last five games, Dosunmu has averaged 16.8 points, 3.0 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 2.6 three-pointers in 26.5 minutes, while Jones has posted 10.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 8.2 assists in 27.5 minutes. Both remain viable streamers.
San Antonio Spurs guard/forward Julian Champagnie (back) is questionable for Saturday's game against Boston due to mid-back soreness. With Devin Vassell (adductor) sidelined, Champagnie has stepped into a larger role, starting and averaging 19.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.0 steals in 32.0 minutes. If he sits, wing minutes open up. Keldon Johnson becomes the primary beneficiary after posting 27 points in 28 minutes last game. Dylan Harper has shown inconsistent production, while Lindy Waters III has barely played lately, keeping both as risky deep-league options.
Chicago Bulls forward/center Jalen Smith (concussion) is questionable for Saturday's game against Dallas after missing two straight contests while progressing through the league's concussion protocol. If Smith remains out, Lachlan Olbrich is expected to handle backup center duties behind Nikola Vucevic, with Zach Collins (toe) still sidelined. Olbrich logged 16 minutes last game, posting two points and five rebounds. The role offers limited fantasy upside. Vucevic continues to shoulder heavy frontcourt usage, while Smith remains a cautious hold until cleared.
