Nikola Jokić with a board and a dime — with one hand — as he posts a box score never before seen in NBA history. 

THE LINEUP 🏀

Nov. 11, 2024 | What’s inside today’s edition?

3 Streaks: Nuggets win 5th straight, Suns’ 7-game streak snapped, OKC’s home run ends

East Roundup: Mathurin shines in Indy, C’s best Giannis’ 43, Philly wins in OT, Magic win

West Roundup: Wolves edged by Heat, Rockets rise over Pistons, Lakers & Grizzlies roll

Tonight: Cavs look to be the 8th team to open a season 12-0, Clips go for 5th straight victory

Cup Countdown: West Group C wraps our group previews on the eve of the first Cup Night

BUT FIRST … ⏰

One more night before the race for the Cup begins…

Cleveland Goes For A Dozen: Before Group Play of the Emirates NBA Cup opens on Tuesday night, Monday features five games all tipping off at 8 ET, headlined by the Cavs going for their 12th straight win when they visit the Bulls on League Pass.

1. NUGGETS WIN 5TH STRAIGHT, DUBS TOP OKC, KINGS SNAP SUNS’ STREAK

Nuggets 122, Mavericks 120: In a game that included 22 lead changes and 15 ties, it was Michael Porter Jr. that hit the game-winning floater with 6.5 seconds left to lift the Nuggets over the Mavs for their fifth straight win.

Denver got another monster triple-double (37 pts, 18 reb, 15 ast) from Nikola Jokić as the Nuggets overcame a 43-point night from Kyrie Irving. | Recap | Watch The Jokić-Kyrie Duel | Watch The Final 4:44

• One-Of-One: Jokić is the first player in NBA history with 37+ points, 18+ rebounds, and 15+ assists in a game
• Joker, Russ & Big O: This was Jokić’s 10th career game with at least 15 points, rebounds and assists, tying him with teammate Russell Westbrook for the second-most all-time behind Oscar Robertson (15)
• Joker, Luka & Big O: Jokić’s second career game with 35+ points, 15+ rebounds and 15+ assists tied him with Luka Dončić for the second-most all-time, behind Robertson (5)
• Four In A Row: During his four-game triple-double streak, Jokić has totaled 118 points, 63 rebounds and 58 assists – no other player in NBA history has hit at least these numbers in ANY four-game span
• Kyrie & Luka: Irving (43 pts, 5 reb, 5 ast, 6 3s) joins Luka (23x) as the only players in Mavs history to reach 40+ points, 5+ rebounds, 5+ assists and 5+ 3s in a game

Warriors 127, Thunder 116: The Warriors got 36 points and seven 3s from Steph Curry and used one of their trademark 3rd quarters – outscoring OKC 42-21 to build a 30-point lead – before holding off a late rally from the Thunder to hand OKC its first home loss and give both teams matching 8-2 records 10 games into the season. | Recap 

• Chipping In: Jonatha Kuminga scored 20 points off the Warriors’ bench, while Andrew Wiggins added 18 and De’Anthony Melton dropped a double-double (19 pts, 10 reb)
• Double Loss: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (24) and Jalen Williams (20) combined for 44 points for OKC, which lost for the second time in three games following a 7-0 start. Chet Holmgren played only five minutes before leaving the game after a hard fall with a hip injury that is expected to sideline him 8-10 weeks

Kings 127, Suns 118 (OT): The Kings outscored the Suns 16-7 in overtime to snap Phoenix’s seven-game win streak. Sacramento’s first eight points of OT were scored by DeMar DeRozan, the last eight were scored by De’Aaron Fox as two of the league’s top clutch players the past two seasons delivered with the game on the line. | Recap 

• King DeMar: DeRozan scored a game-high 34 points to give him 252 for his first 10 games as a King – joining Oscar Robertson (255) and Mitch Richmond (257) as the only players with 250+ points in their first 10 games with the franchise
• Triple Double-Doubles: Fox (21 pts, 11 reb, 8 ast), Domantas Sabonis (20 pts, 12 reb, 5 ast) and Keegan Murray (14 pts, 14 reb) each posted double-doubles for the Kings

2. MATHURIN SHINES, C’S OVERCOME GIANNIS, SIXERS WIN IN OT

Pacers 132, Knicks 121: In a game that saw four 30+ point scorers, Bennedict Mathurin (career highs of 38 pts, 7 3s) led the Pacers to the W in a battle of rivals.

Tyrese Haliburton (35 pts, 14 ast, 4 3s, 2 stl), Jalen Brunson (33 pts, 10 ast) and Karl-Anthony Towns (30 pts, 9 ast) each dropped 30+ in the scoring outburst. | Recap | Indy duo combines for 73 

• 30+ PTS, 10+ AST: Haliburton posted his 10th 30-10 game as a Pacer for the most in team history, while Brunson tied Stephon Marbury for the third-most such games in Knicks history, trailing only Richie Guerin and Walt Frazier

Celtics 113, Bucks 107: Jayson Tatum (31 pts, 12 reb, 6 ast, 4 3s, including this clutch bucket scored 23 points in the 2nd half as the Celtics overcame a nine-point halftime deficit and 43 points from Giannis Antetokounmpo to improve to 9-2, while dropping the Bucks to 2-8. | Recap 

• Group Effort: Payton Pritchard scored 18 points with five 3s off the Celtics bench, while Derrick White and Jrue Holiday scored 15 points and hit 3 triples apiece for Boston
• Elite Company: Giannis (43 pts, 13 reb, 5 ast) became the eighth player in NBA history with 40 games with 40+ points
• Class Of Two: He also posted his 20th career game with at least 40-10-5 on 60% shooting, joining Wilt Chamberlain (22) as the only players with as many such games

Sixers 107, Hornets 105 (OT): Rookie Jared McClain scored 23 of his career-high 27 points in the 2nd half and OT, Guerschon Yabusele added a career-high 20 points, while Paul George had 15 points (including his first Sixers bucket in Philly) and a game-high nine assists as Philly overcame a 38-point effort from Charlotte’s LaMelo Ball. | Recap

• LaMelo & Kyle: Ball became the fourth player in Hornets history with 30 career 30+ point games, while Kyle Lowry passed Tony Parker (7,036) for 20th on the NBA’s all-time assist list

Magic 121, Wizards 94: The Wagner brothers – Franz (23 pts, 7 ast) and Moritz (16 pts, 6 reb) – combined for 39 points to lead the Magic to the win over Jordan Poole (24 pts, 3 3s), Bilal Coulibaly (20 pts, 9-11 FG, 6 reb, 6 ast) and the Wizards. | Recap

3. JOVIĆ SEALS HEAT WIN, ROCKETS EDGE PISTONS, LAKERS & GRIZZLIES ROLL

Heat 95, Timberwolves 94: Nikola Jović hit the game-tying layup (with a flex) and the and-1 free throw with 7.8 seconds left to help Miami end a three-game losing streak while simultaneously snapping Minnesota’s three-game win streak.

Jović finished with 15 points off the bench, while Tyler Herro had 26 points and four 3s to lead the Heat. | Recap | Watch The Final 3:37 

Lakers 123, Raptors 103: LeBron James posted his second straight triple-double (19 pts, 10 reb, 16 ast), Austin Reaves scored a game-high 27 points and Anthony Davis added 22 (before leaving in the 3rd quarter with an eye injury) as the Lakers swept the season series with the Raptors and improved to 6-4 on the season. | Recap 

Jalen Green Rockets 101, Pistons 99: After surrendering a 13-point 4th-quarter lead, the Rockets outscored the Pistons 7-4 in the final three minutes to come away with the win. 

Alperen Şengün (27 pts, 10 reb), Tari Eason (18 pts, 9 reb, including this clutch hustle play) and Jalen Green (15 pts, 5 reb, this huge slam) led the way for Houston, while Cade Cunningham (26 pts, 8 reb, 9 ast) had his triple-double streak snapped for Detroit. | Recap 

• 2nd-Highest Dunk Score Of The Season: Green’s one-handed slam registered a 111.3 Dunk Score and included the first 40+ inch vertical jump on any dunk this season

Grizzlies 134, Blazers 89: Jaren Jackson Jr. (20 pts, 7 reb, 3 stl, 3 3s) led seven Grizzlies with at least 12 points as the Grizzlies took the lead for good four minutes and four seconds into the game and never looked back, posting the fourth-largest win in franchise history (45 pts). | Recap

4. TONIGHT: CAVS GO FOR 12-0, CLIPPERS GO FOR 5TH STRAIGHT W

Cavaliers at Bulls (8 ET, League Pass): On Saturday, the Cavaliers overcame a 14-point deficit against Brooklyn to extend their perfect start to the season, becoming the 12th team to ever open a season 11-0.

Tonight in Chicago, they’ll look to join an even more exclusive club as only seven teams have ever began a season with a dozen straight wins.

• Golden State Warriors (2015): 24 games
• Houston Rockets (1993): 15
• Washington Capitols (1948): 15
• Dallas Mavericks (2002): 14
• Boston Celtics (1957): 14
• Chicago Bulls (1996): 12
• Seattle SuperSonics (1982): 12

The last time these teams met – on Feb. 28 – the Bulls prevailed in double overtime to snap a seven-game losing streak to the Cavs that dated back to the start of the 2022-23 season. Can Chicago make it two in a row over Cleveland and spoil the Cavs’ historic start?

Clippers at Thunder (8 ET, NBA TV): When these teams met in Los Angeles on Nov. 2, the Thunder held the Clippers to a season-low 92 points, kept the Clippers winless at the Intuit Dome (0-4) and handed the Clippers their third straight loss (2-4).

The Clippers have not lost since – embarking on a four-game win streak, including their first three wins at their new home arena. Tonight in OKC, the Clippers look to extend their win streak to five in a row against a Thunder team coming off a 127-116 loss to Golden State on Sunday night.

• Powell Power: Over LA’s last four games, Norm Powell is averaging a team-best 26 points per game while shooting a blistering 61.3% from 3 on just under eight attempts per game
• Finding The Way: After the best start of the OKC era (7-0), the Thunder have dropped two of their last three games and will look to get back on track in their first game without Chet Holmgren

Three more games tip off at 8 ET on League Pass: Kings at Spurs; Nets at Pelicans, Wizards at Rockets.

5. EMIRATES NBA CUP COUNTDOWN: WEST GROUP C PREVIEW

The Emirates NBA Cup 2024 tips off tomorrow, with the first eight games of Group Play on the first of seven Cup Nights – all games played on Tuesdays and Friday from Nov. 12-Dec. 3 will all count toward the Emirates NBA Cup group standings.

Our countdown previewing every group in the competition wraps up today with West Group C – a group that features the past three teams to represent the West in the NBA Finals: Golden State (2022, won title). Denver (2023, won title) and Dallas (2024).

Here are the five teams in West Group C, ranked in order of win percentage in head-to-head matchups from last season against the other teams within the group.

• Denver Nuggets: 12-2 (.857)
• Dallas Mavericks: 8-7 (.533)
• New Orleans Pelicans: 7-7 (.500)
• Memphis Grizzlies: 5-10 (.333)
• Golden State Warriors: 4-10 (.286)

The full 10-game Group Play schedule is above. Here are three matchups to circle:

• Mavs at Warriors (Nov. 12, 10 ET, TNT): Klay Thompson returns to Golden State for the first time since joining the Mavericks in the offseason. The Warriors will “Salute Captain Klay” prior to tip-off to honor the four-time champion before his first game as a visitor at Chase Center
• Mavs at Nuggets (Nov. 22, 10 ET, ESPN): A clash of the past two Western Conference champions and two of the biggest global stars in the game – Dallas’ Luka Dončić and Denver’s Nikola Jokić, the reigning scoring champ and league MVP, respectively
• Warriors at Nuggets (Dec. 3, 10 ET, TNT): Both teams have tasted championship success – the Warriors in 2022, the Nuggets in 2023 – and are eager to get back to the mountain top. Denver swept the season series a year ago, but three of the four games were decided by six points or less

In case you missed any of the other group previews, they can all be found here.