NBA
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Around The League
Golden State head coach Steve Kerr was ejected late in the fourth quarter after an explosive reaction to a non-call that left him furious with the officiating. The outburst came with 7:57 remaining when officials did not rule goaltending on a shot attempt by Gary Payton II, despite Kerr’s belief that John Collins had made illegal contact with the ball. Kerr stormed toward the officials and could not be calmed, drawing two technical fouls in rapid succession and an automatic ejection. Television replays appeared to support Kerr’s argument, with NBC’s broadcast showing the ball striking the backboard before the defensive play. ClutchPoints reporter Brett Siegel pointed out the sequence on social media. At the time of the incident, Golden State was facing a 81-74 deficit against the Los Angeles Clippers, as captured in footage shared by NBC Sports Bay Area reporter Dalton Johnson.
NEW ORLEANS — Zion Williamson matched his season best with 29 points Monday night, helping the Pelicans snap a nine-game skid with a 143–130 win over the Bulls—their first victory under interim head coach James Borrego. Saddiq Bey posted 20 points and 14 rebounds and knocked down two crucial threes in the closing minutes after New Orleans saw an 18-point lead with just over five minutes remaining shrink into single digits late. As the final seconds ticked away, the home crowd rose to its feet, celebrating the team’s first win since Nov. 5 in Dallas—a stretch that included the dismissal of head coach Willie Green when the Pelicans sat at 2–10. Borrego secured his first victory in his sixth game at the helm, powered by one of the Pelicans’ most balanced offensive outings of the season. New Orleans (3–15) had eight players score in double figures: Trey Murphy put up 20, Jose Alvarado added 16, Yves Missi recorded a 14-point, 14-rebound double-double, Bryce McGowens chipped in 11, and Micah Peavy scored 10. Chicago was led by Ayo Dosunmu’s 28 points, while Coby White added 24. The Bulls hit 20 of 50 from long range, with Josh Giddey contributing 21 points, Jalen Smith 13, and Tre Jones producing 10 points and 11 assists off the bench. New Orleans built its largest lead at 22 late in the second quarter, when Murphy converted a reverse layup through contact for a three-point play that pushed the margin to 55–33.
ATLANTA — Jalen Johnson powered the Hawks to a 113–110 win over the Hornets on Sunday night, finishing with 28 points, 11 assists, and eight rebounds as Atlanta picked up its seventh victory in its last nine outings. Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 23 points and five boards, while Dyson Daniels contributed 22 points and nine rebounds. Onyeka Okongwu also delivered a strong showing with 20 points. Charlotte dropped its sixth straight game despite an impressive effort from rookie Kon Knueppel, who scored 28 points and broke the franchise’s rookie record with seven made threes. With the Hornets down 112–110 in the final seconds, Alexander-Walker stripped Knueppel on a drive and was fouled, splitting the resulting free throws. Charlotte still managed to get off a potential game-tying shot, but Miles Bridges’ contested three at the buzzer missed everything. Johnson’s performance also extended his streak to eight consecutive games with at least 15 points, five rebounds, and five assists—a new Hawks record.
INDIANAPOLIS — Two years removed from setting the NBA’s single-season record with 28 consecutive losses, the Detroit Pistons have flipped their fortunes in dramatic fashion. On Monday night, Detroit notched its 13th straight win, defeating the Indiana Pacers 122–117 and tying the longest winning streaks in franchise history—runs previously achieved by the 1990 and 2004 championship teams. The Pistons now stand at 15–2. “It’s incredible,” said Cade Cunningham. “We represent a franchise with a rich history. Being able to add our own chapter to that means a lot.”
Gilgeous-Alexander, Holmgren Spark Thunder to 109-96 Win Over Hornets CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 33 points and Chet Holmgren added 25 as the defending champion Oklahoma City Thunder pulled away in the third quarter to beat the Charlotte Hornets 109-96 on Saturday, marking their fifth consecutive victory. Ajay Mitchell contributed 14 points for the Thunder, who have won 23 straight games against Eastern Conference opponents and are 22-2 in their last 24 road contests. Isiah Hartenstein recorded a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, while Cason Wallace added 10 points. For Charlotte, Miles Bridges led with 15 points, while Ryan Kalkbrenner, Collin Sexton, and Moussa Diabate each scored 13. The Hornets were without Brandon Miller (shoulder subluxation) and LaMelo Ball, who sat out the second game of a back-to-back following his return from an ankle impingement on Friday. The first half was tightly contested, featuring 11 ties and 11 lead changes. After a 30-30 first quarter, Oklahoma City overcame a six-point deficit in the second to take a 55-52 halftime lead, fueled by 18 points from Gilgeous-Alexander and Holmgren’s strong presence on the boards. Charlotte shot 10 of 24 from three-point range in the first half, while the Thunder made 6 of 12. Oklahoma City then opened the third quarter with a 16-1 run over four minutes, building a 15-point lead and heading into the fourth up 87-70.
Hawks Overcome 22-Point Fourth-Quarter Deficit to Beat Suns 124-122, Extend Winning Streak to Five PHOENIX — Onyeka Okongwu scored 27 points as the Atlanta Hawks erased a 22-point fourth-quarter deficit to edge the Phoenix Suns 124-122 on Sunday night. The win marked Atlanta’s fifth straight victory and capped a perfect 4-0 road trip through the Western Conference, while snapping Phoenix’s five-game winning streak. Nickell Alexander-Walker added 26 points, including a crucial free throw with three seconds remaining. Royce O’Neale grabbed the rebound after Alexander-Walker’s second attempt bounced off the rim from beyond halfcourt. Josh Johnson contributed 25 points and 10 rebounds, and Dyson Daniels added 11 points with 12 assists. The Hawks pulled off the comeback without All-Star guard Trae Young (right knee) and center Kristaps Porzingis (right knee soreness). For Phoenix, Dillon Brooks led with 34 points, Devin Booker scored 27, and Colin Gillespie had 15 points along with nine rebounds and eight assists. The Suns were missing Grayson Allen (quadriceps contusion) and Jalen Green, who is sidelined for at least four more weeks with a strained hamstring
Moses Moody Scores Career-High 32 as Warriors Beat Pelicans 124-106 NEW ORLEANS — Moses Moody set career highs with 32 points and eight 3-pointers as the Golden State Warriors cruised past the New Orleans Pelicans 124-106 on Sunday night. The game also marked James Borrego’s debut as New Orleans’ interim head coach. Jimmy Butler added 18 points and 10 assists for the Warriors, who led by as many as 25 points in the second half. Brandin Podziemski contributed 19 points, Al Horford scored 11, and Draymond Green grabbed 10 rebounds while briefly engaging with a fan along the baseline. For the Pelicans, Trey Murphy III scored 20 points, Jose Alvarado had 18, and Jeremiah Fears added 17. New Orleans struggled from deep, hitting just 8 of 29 three-point attempts (27.6%), while Golden State shot 42.9% from beyond the arc (24 of 56). Stephen Curry, coming off back-to-back 46- and 49-point games, had an off night with nine points on 2-of-11 shooting. The Warriors opened the first quarter with a 17-point lead, highlighted by Moody’s seven 3-pointers—already a career high for a single game. New Orleans briefly cut the deficit to 53-49 in the second quarter following a 10-0 run capped by Herb Jones’ free throws, which included a dunk from Murphy and two layups from Fears.
Ja Morant’s future with the Memphis Grizzlies remains uncertain, attracting interest from other teams in the Western Conference. According to Jason Anderson of the Sacramento Bee, Morant has become a topic of growing trade speculation for the Sacramento Kings. While no formal discussions have taken place between the two teams, Kings GM Scott Perry is reportedly keeping a close eye on how Morant’s situation in Memphis develops. The spotlight on Morant intensified after Friday’s loss to the Los Angeles Lakers, where he scored just eight points on 3-of-14 shooting. When asked about his performance, he deflected by telling reporters to “go ask the coaching staff.” Following the game, the Grizzlies suspended him for one contest, citing conduct detrimental to the team. ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the suspension came after a postgame exchange with coach Tuomas Iisalo, in which Morant’s response to questions about leadership and effort was deemed inappropriate. Morant returned for Monday’s matchup against the Detroit Pistons, putting up 18 points on 5-of-16 shooting. However, the attention remained on his off-court situation rather than his scoring.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander continued his incredible scoring run as the Oklahoma City Thunder rallied to defeat the Los Angeles Clippers 126-107 on Tuesday, extending their perfect start to the NBA season. The reigning NBA and Finals MVP finished the night with 30 points, 12 assists, and four rebounds, helping the Thunder improve to 8-0 and maintain their position atop the Western Conference. Gilgeous-Alexander has now tallied 20 points or more in 80 straight games, a streak only surpassed in NBA history by Wilt Chamberlain, who holds records of 92 and 126 consecutive 20-point games. “I just put in the work, take care of my body, rest well, and repeat the process,” the Canadian guard said. “I’ve found a routine that works for me, and I try to stick to it every day.” He emphasized that the team isn’t overly focused on their undefeated record. “We don’t really talk about it,” he added. “Our focus is on taking it one game at a time. Every night is an opportunity to win, and we’ve done that through the first eight games. We just have to keep it going.” The Thunder had to battle back in the contest at the Clippers’ Intuit Dome, as Los Angeles opened with a 33-20 lead in the first quarter, sparked by a 17-point surge from James Harden.
Utah Jazz center Walker Kessler will miss the remainder of the 2025-26 season after it was confirmed he will undergo surgery on his left shoulder. The 24-year-old is set to have the procedure to repair a torn labrum, effectively ending his season after just five games. Kessler appeared in Utah’s first five regular-season contests before leaving the team during a road trip to undergo further evaluation of his shoulder. He subsequently missed two more games while the team assessed the injury. The Jazz announced that the surgery is scheduled for Nov. 6 in Los Angeles, with Dr. Neal ElAttrache performing the procedure. Following the operation, Kessler will be sidelined for the rest of the season.
Hornets Fall Short Against Pelicans, 116–112 The Charlotte Hornets battled hard on the road but came up just short against the New Orleans Pelicans, falling 116–112 on Tuesday night. Charlotte got off to a strong start, putting up 30 points in the first quarter and keeping pace throughout the first half. The Hornets found an offensive rhythm in the third, dropping 34 points to stay within reach. However, a late surge by the Pelicans in the final minutes sealed the win for New Orleans. The Hornets’ offense showed balance, but turnovers and second-chance opportunities down the stretch proved costly. New Orleans used a steady inside attack and timely perimeter shooting to close it out. With the loss, Charlotte moves to 3–5 on the season, while New Orleans improves to 1–6.
Hawks Fly Past Magic 127–112 The Atlanta Hawks picked up a strong home win over the Orlando Magic, 127–112, on Wednesday night. Atlanta came out sharp, building an early lead behind back-to-back 30-point quarters in the first half. The Magic tried to close the gap late with a 35-point fourth quarter, but the Hawks’ balanced offense kept control throughout. Atlanta’s energy and tempo set the tone, while Orlando struggled to keep pace defensively. The Hawks improve to 4–4, while the Magic drop to 3–5 on the season.
Stephen Curry scores 28 points, Moses Moody adds 24 as Warriors top Suns 118-107 Nov 5, 2025 The Golden State Warriors got off to a fast start and held on for a 118-107 victory over a short-handed Phoenix Suns on Tuesday night in San Francisco. Stephen Curry led the way with 28 points, including five 3-pointers, while Moses Moody came off the bench to add 24 points, also hitting five from beyond the arc. Devin Booker had a season-high 38 points for Phoenix, making all 11 of his free throws. Mark Williams grabbed a career-best 16 rebounds along with 16 points, and Grayson Allen also scored 16 for the Suns, who were without Dillon Brooks and Jalen Green due to injuries. Phoenix trailed 68-49 at halftime but closed the third quarter with a 20-6 run to cut the deficit to 92-83. Golden State got balanced contributions from Quinten Post, who added 14 points with four 3-pointers and six rebounds, Brandin Podziemski with 13 points, and Buddy Hield with 12. The win improves the Warriors to 4-0 at home and marks Phoenix’s fourth consecutive road loss to start the season. The Warriors are coming off a grueling stretch of seven games in five cities over 12 days and face a back-to-back with Sacramento on Wednesday. Coach Steve Kerr said Curry, dealing with a worsening cold, will sit out that game. Al Horford also sat out Tuesday to manage a left toe injury. Jimmy Butler, questionable with lower back soreness, played briefly and helped Golden State start with an 11-0 run. He finished with two points in 14 minutes and did not return for the second half, and his status remains uncertain for Wednesday. Final Score: Suns 107 – Warriors 118