NBA roundup: Knicks crush Pacers in bounce-back win
Sat Oct 26 2:57am ET
Field Level Media
Jalen Brunson scored a game-high 26 points and Karl Anthony-Towns posted a double-double Friday night for the host New York Knicks, who shut down Tyrese Haliburton and rolled to a 123-98 win over the Indiana Pacers.
Towns and fellow newcomer Mikal Bridges both bounced back from their rough Knicks debuts by scoring 21 points each. Towns added 15 rebounds and Bridges had five assists. The duo had just 28 points combined on Tuesday in a 132-109 loss to the defending NBA champion Boston Celtics.
New York limited the Pacers to just 3-of-30 shooting from 3-point range three nights after yielding an NBA-record-tying 29 3-pointers to the Celtics.
Bennedict Mathurin scored a team-high 20 points off the bench for the Pacers, whose 3-point shooting percentage was their worst since Jan. 19, 2018. Haliburton was held scoreless in just under 26 minutes, going 0-for-8 from the field and 0-for-7 from long distance.
Raptors 115, 76ers 107
Scottie Barnes scored 27 points as Toronto defeated visiting Philadelphia. Jakob Poeltl added 19 points, nine rebounds and four blocked shots and Jonathan Mogbo had 12 points, nine rebounds and five assists for the Raptors, who have split their first two games of the season.
Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 28 points for the 76ers, who have lost their first two games of the season. Tyrese Maxey added 24 points, Kyle Lowry had 14, and Andre Drummond and Caleb Martin scored 11 apiece.
Joel Embiid (left knee management) and Paul George (left knee bone bruise) did not play for Philadelphia, while Immanuel Quickley (right pelvic contusion), RJ Barrett (shoulder), Kelly Olynyk (back) and Bruce Brown (knee) did not play for Toronto.
Magic 116, Nets 101
Franz Wagner scored 29 points to lead six Orlando players in double figures and the host Magic pulled away in the third quarter to beat Brooklyn.
Paolo Banchero added 15 points, nine assists and six rebounds. Banchero and Franz Wagner combined for 19 of Orlando's 32 points in the third. Jalen Suggs, Anthony Black and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope finished with 10 points apiece, and Wendell Carter Jr. grabbed 11 rebounds.
Cam Thomas scored 24 for the Nets, who are 0-2 in consecutive seasons for the first time in their NBA history. Dennis Schroder added 20 points for Brooklyn, which shot 42.2 percent but also committed 31 fouls after committing 32 in its season opener on Wednesday in Atlanta.
Hawks 125, Hornets 120
Trae Young poured in 38 points while stuffing the stat sheet, carrying Atlanta to a wire-to-wire win over visiting Charlotte.
Young hit five 3-pointers (on 14 attempts), dished out 10 assists, grabbed eight rebounds, nabbed four steals and committed seven turnovers. De'Andre Hunter supplied 24 points and seven boards for the Hawks.
Miles Bridges netted 27 points and Tre Mann chipped in 17 off the bench for the Hornets.
Cavaliers 113, Pistons 101
Dean Wade and Donovan Mitchell scored 19 points apiece and host Cleveland spoiled J.B. Bickerstaff's return to the city by beating Detroit.
Jarrett Allen had 17 points and 11 rebounds, while Evan Mobley supplied 16 points, six rebounds, three assists and four steals for the Cavaliers. Bickerstaff coached Cleveland to the Eastern Conference semifinals last season but was dismissed after Cleveland was eliminated from the playoffs. He was hired by Detroit over the summer.
Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 33 points and six assists, but he also committed nine of Detroit's 22 turnovers. Jaden Ivey had 22 points and Malik Beasley scored 13 points off the bench.
Warriors 127, Jazz 86
Buddy Hield continued his torrid start with a game-high 27 points, Stephen Curry went for 20 and Golden romped past Utah in Salt Lake City.
Andrew Wiggins snatched a game-high 13 rebounds and scored 10 points and Trayce Jackson-Davis contributed 12 points and nine boards, helping the Warriors go 2-0 on their season-opening road trip. Golden State routed the Portland Trail Blazers 140-104 on Wednesday.
John Collins put up 14 points, Lauri Markkanen had 13, Keyonte George and Collin Sexton logged 12 apiece, and Jordan Clarkson managed 11 for the Jazz, who completed a winless two-game homestand that began with a 126-124 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday.
Rockets 128, Grizzlies 108
Tari Eason scored 13 points off the bench, including a pair of 3-pointers during a 22-2 run in the third quarter, as Houston defeated visiting Memphis.
Jalen Green led seven Rockets in double figures with 22 points. Jabari Smith Jr. registered 14 points and 16 rebounds, and Alperen Sengun had 16 points and 15 rebounds for Houston. Green also totaled six rebounds, four assists and three steals. He made 4 of 8 3-pointers.
Ja Morant led the Grizzlies with 24 points, while Desmond Bane added 17. Rookie Zach Edey had 13 points and nine rebounds. Memphis shot just 14 for 46 after the intermission.
Bulls 133, Bucks 122
Coby White scored a team-high 35 points on 12-for-20 shooting with seven 3-pointers, helping Chicago past host Milwaukee for its first win of the season.
Zach LaVine added 25 points, while Nikola Vucevic tallied 22 points and 10 boards. Josh Giddey added 17 points and nine assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee with 38 points and added 11 rebounds and five assists. Damian Lillard poured in 28 points.
Trailing by a point at halftime, Chicago opened the second half on a 16-8 run, capped by Vucevic's 3-pointer with 7:34 left in the third.
Lakers 123, Suns 116
Anthony Davis scored 35 points and grabbed eight rebounds and Austin Reaves added 26 points and eight assists as Los Angeles rallied from a sluggish start to beat visiting Phoenix.
The Lakers improved to 2-0 to open a season for the first time since the 2010-11 season. Davis joined Jerry West and Elgin Baylor as the third Laker all time with back-to-back 35-point-plus games to open a season.
Kevin Durant scored 30 points to lead the Suns. Booker added 23 points and Bradley Beal chipped in 15 points and nine assists. Tyus Jones, who dished eight assists without a turnover in his Phoenix debut on Wednesday vs. the Clippers, scored 14 points but had two turnovers on Friday.
Pelicans 105, Trail Blazers 103
Brandon Ingram drained a 17-foot jumper with 5.2 seconds left and Herbert Jones blocked Anfernee Simons' driving attempt just before the buzzer as New Orleans notched a comeback victory at Portland.
Jordan Hawkins scored 15 of his team-best 24 points in the fourth quarter for the Pelicans, who recovered from a 16-point, second-quarter deficit. Ingram had 21 points and eight rebounds, CJ McCollum scored 20 points and Zion Williamson had 16 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists.
Jerami Grant scored 34 points but just had two in the fourth quarter when Portland was outscored 30-19. Simons registered 24 points and seven assists.
- NBA roundup: Knicks crush Pacers in bounce-back win
- Hornets' Brandon Miller (glute) sidelined for at least one week
- Bronny James to split time between Lakers, G League
- Pacers C James Wiseman has Achilles surgery
- Pelicans G Dejounte Murray (hand) out 4-6 weeks after surgery
- NBA roundup: Klay Thompson's 22 points in debut spark Mavs
- Pacers C James Wiseman (Achilles) seriously hurt in opener
- Pelicans G Dejounte Murray out indefinitely with broken hand
- Pelicans' Dejounte Murray broke hand in opener
- NBA roundup: Damian Lillard, Bucks win opener over 76ers
- Pelicans star F Zion Williamson (illness) scratched from opener
- NBA to investigate 76ers over Joel Embiid's playing status
- Thunder exercise options for Chet Holmgren, Jalen Williams
- History made: LeBron James shares floor with son Bronny
- Wolves give Rudy Gobert 3-year, $110M extension
- A-Rod, Marc Lore put $940M in escrow in move to buy Wolves
- Stephen Curry passes LeBron James as NBA's top earner
- Joel Embiid, Paul George out for Sixers' season opener
- Trends reveal why public is behind Celtics on banner night
- NBA season-preview capsules: Northwest Division
Portland's F Jerami Grant scored 34 points on 11-of-23 shooting in a 103-105 loss to the Pelicans on Friday, Oct. 25. Grant is owned in very few, if any leagues.
Suns' F Kevin Durant scored 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting in a 116-123 loss to the Lakers on Friday, Oct. 25. Durant is owned in very few, if any leagues.
Los Angeles Lakers' F Anthony Davis scored 35 points on 11-of-18 shooting in a 123-116 win over the Suns on Friday, Oct. 25. Davis is owned in very few, if any leagues.
Chicago's G Coby White scored 35 points on 12-of-20 shooting in a 133-122 win over Milwaukee on Friday, Oct. 25. White is owned in very few, if any leagues.
Hornets' G LaMelo Ball scored 34 points on 10-of-20 shooting in a 120-125 loss to Atlanta on Friday, Oct. 25. Ball is owned in very few, if any leagues.
Pistons' G Cade Cunningham scored 33 points on 14-of-24 shooting in a 101-113 loss to Cleveland on Friday, Oct. 25. Cunningham is owned in very few, if any leagues.
New Orleans Pelicans forward Zion Williamson (illness) will be under a minutes restriction for Friday's game against the Portland Trail Blazers. The good news is that Williamson is available after sitting out the season opener. However, he still must not be feeling 100 percent considering the team is going to limit him here. Head coach Willie Green didn't say exactly how much Williamson is going to play. Fantasy managers in season-long formats can go ahead and get Williamson in there. DFS players might want to look elsewhere for help as Williamson might not be worth his price for Friday's slate.
Phoenix Suns guard Bradley Beal (shoulder) is available ahead of Friday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. As expected, Beal will play after being considered probable earlier in the day. He's dealing with right shoulder soreness, but it won't be enough to hold him out of this game. He finished with 24 points, three rebounds, and one assist in 38 minutes during the season opener. Fantasy managers should double check their lineups and make sure Beal is in there.
Phoenix Suns guard Grayson Allen (personal) has been ruled out ahead of Friday's game against the Los Angeles Lakers. Allen was on the injury report due to an Achilles issue, but will end up sitting out this game for personal reasons. His next chance to play would be on Saturday against the Dallas Mavericks. Allen finished with eight points and three assists in 21 minutes during the season opener. His absence could mean more minutes for Damion Lee, Royce O'Neale, or Ryan Dunn. None of them are likely to see a large enough increase to warrant streaming on Friday.
Golden State Warriors guard De'Anthony Melton (chest) is available ahead of Friday's game against the Utah Jazz. As expected, Melton will be available after being considered as probable heading into this contest. He figures to continue seeing minutes in the teens off the bench. He finished with 11 points, four assists, and three steals across 19 minutes in the opener. The Warriors have a few options at the guard spot, which is going to limit the upside to Melton. He's a possible deep league option, but can be ignored in most fantasy formats right now.
Houston Rockets guard Dillon Brooks (knee) is available ahead of Friday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. He was considered probable coming into this game, but will officially be active now. Brooks struggled during the season opener as he only connected on 1-of-6 field goal attempts. The 28-year-old finished with two points and three rebounds across 31 minutes of action. Brooks has some deep league value, but isn't worth rostering in most fantasy formats right now.
Houston Rockets forward Cam Whitmore (knee) is available ahead of Friday's game against the Memphis Grizzlies. Whitemore was able to play through the knee issue on Wednesday, so it appears to be a minor issue. He finished with four points across eight minutes of action. He's unlikely to see consistent playing time with Jalen Green and Dillon Brooks (knee) both healthy. The 20-year-old can probably be avoided in most fantasy formats right now.
Indiana Pacers center Isaiah Jackson (groin) is available ahead of Friday's game against the New York Knicks. The big man is set to make his season debut after sitting out the season opener. Normally, Jackson's status isn't noteworthy, but he's now the primary backup center with James Wiseman (Achilles) done for the season. The assumption is that Jackson will absorb some of the playing time that Wiseman was going to get this season. Unfortunately, Jackson probably will still only see minutes in the teens, which makes him tough to trust while Myles Turner is healthy.
Charlotte Hornets forward Josh Green (Achilles) is available ahead of Friday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. Green appears ready to make his team debut after missing Wednesday's contest. Green could see a larger role in the rotation than normal with Brandon Miller (glute) sidelined for at least a week. The 23-year-old didn't light up the box score last season, but he could be a decent contributor if he's given enough playing time. Green has some low-end streaming appeal with the Hornets shorthanded without Miller.
Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee) is available for Friday's game versus the Bulls. He was also on the injury report ahead of the opener against the 76ers. However, it didn't stop The Freak from finishing with 25 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists. With Khris Middleton (ankles) still sidelined, Antetokounmpo may continue to flourish. While fantasy managers already had intentions of starting him, he could be more productive than anticipated.
Charlotte Hornets forward Tidjane Salaun (finger) has been upgraded to available ahead of Friday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. The rookie forward is set to make his season debut after sitting out on Opening Night. Salaun figures to be a rotational piece to begin the season. He could immediately get consistent minutes with Brandon Miller (glute) already sidelined. His absence could mean that Josh Green shifts over to shooting guard which should given Cody Martin and Salaun more minutes at small forward. For now, fantasy managers can use a wait and see approach with Salaun.
Milwaukee Bucks guard Gary Trent Jr. (calf) will suit up for Friday's meeting with the Chicago Bulls. He appeared on the injury report because of a calf contusion. However, it's apparent the injury won't be enough to keep him off the floor. Trent played relatively well in the opener versus the 76ers on Wednesday, finishing with 11 points and two rebounds. With Khris Middleton (ankles) still on the shelf, Trent could benefit on the scoring end even more on Friday night, giving him some upside for those participating in deeper fantasy setups.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (hamstring) has been ruled out ahead of Friday's game against the Houston Rockets. As expected, Jackson will miss his second straight game due to a hamstring issue. It sounds like Jackson is trending in the right direction, so hopefully he's available for Saturday's contest versus the Orlando Magic. Santi Aldama figures to remain in the starting five for at least one more game. He finished with 27 points, five rebounds, and two assists across 31 minutes in the season opener. Aldama is looking like a reliable streaming option until Jackson is ready to play again.
Toronto Raptors guard Immanuel Quickley (pelvis) will be sidelined for both Friday's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers and Saturday's game against the Minnesota Timberwolves due to a right pelvic contusion. With Quickley unable to play, Davion Mitchell is expected to step into the starting role for Friday's game. Mitchell logged 25 minutes off the bench in the season opener on Wednesday and will likely see increased responsibility as a starter. Quickley's next opportunity to return to action could be on Monday when the Raptors face the Denver Nuggets.
Orlando Magic forward Jonathan Isaac (hip) will miss Friday's game against the Brooklyn Nets due to a left hip contusion. The 27-year-old left early in Wednesday's game versus the Miami Heat after just 11 minutes of play, where he posted three points and three rebounds. His absence will likely lead to an increase in minutes for Moritz Wagner and Wendell Carter. Isaac's next opportunity to get back on the court could be as soon as Saturday when the Magic take on the Memphis Grizzlies.