Giannis hits 59, Wemby’s career high, Cavs keep run going: NBA round up

The NBA’s latest game day featured 11 matchups, with several teams underperforming relative to early-season expectations. The Clippers suffered another loss, and the Suns, missing Kevin Durant due to injury, fell to the Kings after a strong start to the season. Jordi Fernández’s Nets endured a significant home defeat against the Celtics.

The Knicks lost again, while the Pacers were defeated by a Magic team playing without Paolo Banchero. The Thunder secured a comfortable win, Victor Wembanyama set a new personal scoring record, and the Lakers notched another home victory with an outstanding performance from LeBron James. The Timberwolves struggled, the Cavaliers continued their impressive form, and the Bucks clinched an overtime win against the Pistons, highlighted by a stellar display from Giannis Antetokounmpo.

Let’s dive into a number of the games as we summarize the action.

ORLANDO MAGIC 94 - 90 INDIANA PACERS

OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER 106 - 88 NEW ORLEANS PELICANS

PHILADELPHIA SIXERS 106 - 114 CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

The Cavs extended their phenomenal start with a victory over the Sixers, marking the sixth-best start in NBA history of 13-0. Only five records stand above them: the Warriors' 24-0 run (2015-2016), the 15-0 starts of Hakeem Olajuwon’s Rockets (1993-1994) and the Washington Capitols (1948-1949), and the 14-0 starts of the Mavericks (2002-2003) and Celtics (1957-1958). With this win, the Cavs surpassed teams like the 1996-1997 Bulls and 1982-1983 Supersonics, who both reached 12-0. Though 24-0 remains a distant target, the Cavs’ next two games at home against the Bulls and Hornets present an opportunity for a 15-0 start.

A potential 16th win would be more challenging, as they face the reigning champions, the Celtics, in the NBA Cup at the Garden. Currently, Kenny Atkinson is doing outstanding work with this team. The Sixers game proved challenging, ultimately resolved in the final moments. Donovan Mitchell nearly secured a triple-double (23 points, 13 rebounds, 9 assists), Garland added 25 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists, Jarret Allen contributed 11 points and 12 rebounds, and Evan Mobley tallied 14 points and 7 rebounds. For the Sixers, rookie Jared McCain impressed with 34 points (6 of 13 from three) and 10 assists, while Guerschon Yabusele recorded a 10+9+5 stat line in over 30 minutes.

NEW YORK KNICKS 123 - 124 CHICAGO BULLS

The Knicks’ struggles continued as they lost to the Bulls despite 46 points from Karl-Anthony Towns, their star acquisition in a trade for Julius Randle. Towns went 18 of 30 from the field, 6 of 12 from three, and 4 of 8 from the line, adding 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals. However, it wasn’t enough. The Knicks (5-6) had previously beaten the Sixers but committed crucial mistakes in the final moments against the Bulls. Down by 22 in the third quarter, the Knicks rallied to take a 123-121 lead after a Jalen Brunson shot with 4.6 seconds left. But Josh Hart fouled Coby White on a three-point attempt, and White converted all three free throws, bringing the score to 123-124 with 3.2 seconds remaining.

Brunson had a last-second shot to win it, but it rimmed out. Alongside Towns, Brunson contributed 24 points and 8 assists, while Mikal Bridges scored 20 points and grabbed 6 rebounds. In the Bulls (5-7), Zach LaVine led with 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 8 assists, White had 22 points, and Nikola Vucevic added 19 points and 11 rebounds.

BROOKLYN NETS 114 - 139 BOSTON CELTICS

The Celtics rebounded after an unexpected loss to the Hawks by defeating Jordi Fernández’s Nets in Brooklyn. Following a poor performance against the Hawks, the defending champions found their form again within 24 hours. The Celtics (10-3), second only to the undefeated Cavaliers in the East, saw a standout performance from Jayson Tatum, who scored 36 points (12 of 19 from the field, 5 of 6 from three) along with 8 rebounds and 10 assists. Jaylen Brown added 24 points and 12 rebounds, and Payton Pritchard led the bench with 23 points, 6 rebounds, and 8 assists.

The Celtics made 22 of 45 from three, dominated the boards (44-33), and controlled the second half (74-54). For the Nets (5-7), top contributors were Ziaire Williams (23 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists), Cam Thomas (17 points), and Dennis Schröder (16 points). Al Horford didn’t play for Boston, while the Nets were without Ben Simmons and Dorian Finney-Smith.

SAN ANTONIO SPURS 139 - 130 WASHINGTON WIZARDS

Victor Wembanyama’s slow start to the season is now definitively a thing of the past, buried in dust and ash. Early struggles with shooting percentages, missed outside shots, and limited impact on his team’s game could be attributed to various factors: a long summer, an Olympic stint (and a silver medal), his developmental journey as a player, or simply a brief rough patch that everyone goes through. None of that matters now; the Frenchman didn’t let it linger, and his response was swift: three wins for the Spurs in their last four games and a remarkable improvement that culminated in his best performance of the season—and a career-high 50 points against the Wizards. This impressive achievement underscores the steadily growing dominance of the towering star, while the Texans accumulate positive results, an unusual feat that goes beyond Wembanyama’s individual form.

The Spurs are riding a good wave, and Wembanyama is even hotter. They beat the Blazers with a strong showing from the Frenchman, who’s still on the brink of fully breaking out: 12 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists, 4 steals, and 3 blocks, though his shooting was off. His individual turnaround began against the Jazz: while they lost by a single point, Wembanyama recorded 24 points, 16 rebounds, and 7 blocks—an extraordinary display. He went even further in Texas’s unexpected but deserved win over the Kings: 34 points, 14 rebounds, 6 assists, and another 3 blocks. Against the Wizards, he raised the bar again, setting a new scoring high and leading the Spurs to another victory, bringing them to a 6-4 record—a mark they didn’t reach last season until January 10. And all this without Gregg Popovich, whose absence, announced due to a stroke, may be indefinite or even permanent as he nears 76. The relentless schedule and travel of the NBA weigh on anyone, especially someone with nearly 30 years in the world’s top league.

Wembanyama shot 18 of 29 from the field, 8 of 16 from three, and 6 of 9 from the line, setting career highs in the first two categories and showing improvement from deep, hitting six threes in each of the previous two games. He now totals 20 of 37 from three over the last three games, achieving or surpassing 50% shooting in each. Against the Wizards, he scored 10 points in the first quarter, 14 in the second, 19 in the third, and 7 in the final quarter, with the game already secured after an overwhelming 41-24 third-quarter run that sealed the deal for the home team.

MILWAUKEE BUCKS 127 - 120 DETROIT PISTONS (OT)

Giannis Antetokounmpo delivered a monumental 59-point performance, leading the Bucks to an overtime victory over the Pistons. This marked his second-highest NBA scoring game, just five points shy of his 64-point achievement against the Pacers last season. His 59 points set the highest single-game score this season, surpassing Wembanyama’s 50 points from earlier in the night.

Giannis shot 21 of 34 from the field (61.8%), made 1 of 2 from three, and impressively hit 16 of 17 free throws. He also contributed 14 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals, and 3 blocks. Without Damian Lillard for the second game due to concussion protocol, the Bucks (4-8) secured their second consecutive win. For the Pistons (5-8), Cade Cunningham led with 35 points, 7 rebounds, and 11 assists.

HOUSTON ROCKETS 111 - 103 LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

SACRAMENTO KINGS 127 - 104 PHOENIX SUNS

PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS - MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES

LOS ANGELES LAKERS - MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES

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