Hours away: 11 games, the most of any In-Season Tournament night.

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The Lineup 🏀

1. Friday Morning Must-See ⏰
2. Group Play Nearing Midpoint 🏁
3. 11 Games In Group Play 🏆
4. In-Season Tournament Trivia 🤔
5. Heat & Thunder Stay Hot 🔥

1. Friday Morning Must-See 👀

• Heat hot, Thunder rolling: Miami’s seven-game win streak is its longest since 2017-18. The Thunder’s 8-4 start marks their best since 2013-14
• Not average, Joe: OKC’s Isaiah Joe came off the bench to shoot 7-for-7 from 3, making him the second player in OKC/Seattle franchise history to hit seven without a miss (Sam Perkins is the other)
• Howwwww … did Jonathan Kuminga flip this in?
• Going into Thursday, the Nets were the lone team to hold every opponent under 50% shooting this year. Until the Heat shot 52%.
• Speaking Of 50% … Jimmy Butler has his sights set on a big year from 3-point land. His teammates do, too 😂
• Bam goes big: Bam Adebayo’s playing some of the best ball of his career. Two reasons? Domination on the interior and just mind-blowing athleticism. Both on display last night
• OKC’s fits: The Thunder brought it on the court and in the tunnel
• Russ goes full circle: Russell Westbrook and his son shared a moment, as Westbrook opened a community court at LA’s Jesse Owens Park — where he first played ball as a kid

2. GROUP PLAY: (ALMOST) HALFWAY THERE 🎸

By the time tonight’s over, the NBA In-Season Tournament will be more than halfway through Group Play.

Happened fast, right? 

Here’s what’s at stake:

• Knockout rounds coming: Single elimination, starting Dec. 4. Top teams from each group + two wild cards. Tap for the standings
• First teams to 3-0? The Nuggets, Lakers and Jazz could all get to 3-0 in Group Play tonight. One fun thing about the Lakers and Jazz? They’re both in West Group A
• Which could set up … a huge showdown when Utah and L.A. meet on Tuesday. Here’s how tiebreakers work
• The last to debut: The Toronto Raptors become the final team to play their first Tournament game tonight. They’ll also debut their new In-Season Tournament courts, along with the Clippers, Hawks and Cavs

Have more questions? The answers are probably here. 

3. OK, WHAT ABOUT THE GAMES? 💥

📺 Kings at Spurs, 7:30 ET, ESPN
🏆 West Group C: SAC 1-0, SAS 0-2

The Kings (1-0) bring a four-game win streak into their second West Group C game when they visit Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs (0-2). 

• De’Aaron Fox is back and has the Kings’ offense looking elite, while averaging career-bests of 30 PPGS and 2.8 3PM. On defense, “Swipa” is swiping a career-best 1.8 steals per game
• Pass The Rock: Do you know Fox’s journey? Go back in time to see how he went from the No. 5 pick in 2017 to leading the Kings back to the playoffs for the first time in 17 years
• Points in the paint: Fox uses his speed, shiftiness and athleticism to get to his spots and finish inside the paint (13.6 ppg, 7th in NBA). How will that be affected by the presence of Wemby and his eight-foot wingspan?

📺 Suns at Jazz, 10 ET, ESPN
🏆 West Group A: PHX 0-1, UTA 2-0

• The Jazz are 2-0 in the In-Season Tournament and 2-7 in all other games. Can they make it 3-0 in Group Play and keep pace with the Lakers atop West Group A?
• Booker & Beal: Devin Booker, who’s scored 30+ in all three of the games he’s played in this year, is listed as probable. Bradley Beal is listed as doubtful

📱 Rockets at Clippers, 10:30 ET

🏆 West Group B: HOU 1-0, LAC 0-2

• Houston’s success has been one of the surprise stories of the season. After an 0-3 start, the Rockets have won six straight. Another win would match their longest streak since 2021 – and send them to 2-0 in West Group B
• LA has yet to win a game in November, dropping six straight. Another loss would be the Clippers’ longest losing streak since 2017. Can they stem the tide and avoid going 0-3 in Group Play?

📱 Lakers at Blazers, 10 ET

🏆 West Group A: LAL 2-0, POR 1-1

• LeBron is 77 points away from becoming the first player to reach 39,000 points. He’s most likely not going to get them all here. But just wanted you to know he’s getting close to yet another milestone. 

4. IN-SEASON TOURNAMENT TRIVIA 🏆

Think you’re ready for tonight?

Prove it.

5. JIMMY BUCKETS, SGA HIGHLIGHT THE NIGHT 🔥

🔥 Heat 122, Nets 115

🏀 Recap

Don’t look now, but Jimmy Butler & the Heat are on fire. 

Butler scored 11 straight points for Miami in the third quarter on the way to a season-high 36 points, with Duncan Robinson (26 pts) and Bam Adebayo (20) also going big.

• 7 straight wins: The Heat reached their longest win streak (7) since 2017, and snapped a five-game skid against the Nets
• Bam in good company: Bam Adebayo (20 pts) just joined LeBron and Alonzo Mourning as the only Heat players with 250 points and 100 boards in his first 11 games of the season

⛈️ Thunder 128, Warriors 109

🏀 Recap

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the way with 24 and seven assists and Chet Holmgren added a 13-10 double-double as the Thunder won their third straight and fifth of six. 

Jonathan Kuminga scored 21, while Chris Paul put up 15 with 8 ast for a Warriors team playing without Steph Curry (knee) and Draymond Green (suspension).

• Thunder for 3: As a team, OKC tied a season-high with 19 treys, shooting 59% from three. An early secret to the Thunder’s success? A real high True Shooting percentage
• Pride of Santa Clara: College teammates Brandon Podziemski and Jalen Williams swapped jerseys postgame