NBA roundup: Darius Garland nets 40 in Cavs' 12th straight win
Fri Jan 10 3:09am ET
Field Level Media
Darius Garland scored 40 points on 14-of-22 shooting, helping the Cleveland Cavaliers narrowly avoid an upset with a 132-126 win over the visiting Toronto Raptors on Wednesday.
The Cavaliers, who trailed by 12 points in the third quarter, extended their winning streak to 12 games while handing the Raptors their fourth loss in a row.
Cleveland's Evan Mobley scored 21 points on 7-of-11 shooting in addition to grabbing 11 rebounds and dishing out six assists. Jarrett Allen chipped in 18 points on 8-of-9 shooting and grabbed a team-high 15 rebounds, while Caris LeVert also had 18 points.
Scottie Barnes led the Raptors with 24 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists and three steals. Chris Boucher followed with 23 points off the bench, hitting 5 of 8 from 3-point range, and pulled down 12 rebounds. RJ Barrett added 20 points, and Jakob Poeltl had 17 points, seven rebounds, six assists and three steals.
Mavericks 117, Trail Blazers 111
Jaden Hardy came off the bench to score a season-high 25 points and Dallas closed with an 18-2 run to rally for a victory over visiting Portland.
P.J. Washington recorded 23 points, 14 rebounds and three steals, and Dereck Lively II added 21 points, a season-best 16 rebounds and three blocked shots for the Mavericks. Spencer Dinwiddie scored 17 points and Quentin Grimes added 13 for Dallas, which won its second game in a row following a five-game skid.
Shaedon Sharpe had 22 points and eight rebounds, and Anfernee Simons also had 22 for Portland, which led nearly the entire contest before the late collapse.
Rockets 119, Grizzlies 115
Alperen Sengun collected 32 points, 14 rebounds and five assists, Jalen Green added 27 points and Fred VanVleet contributed 22 to lead Houston past Memphis for its fifth straight road victory.
Ja Morant paced the Grizzlies with 27 points, and Jaren Jackson Jr. had 21 points and eight rebounds. Santi Aldama came off the bench to finish with 12 points and nine rebounds. Jackson, the Western Conference Defensive Player of the Month for December, had a season-high six blocks.
Morant and Aldama returned to action Thursday after brief injury-induced absences. Morant had been out since Dec. 27 with a shoulder injury, and Aldama hadn't played since Dec. 26 because of an ankle sprain. Desmond Bane also returned after missing Monday's win over Dallas with an ankle injury. He scored 16 points.
Timberwolves 104, Magic 89
Julius Randle collected 23 points and 10 rebounds and Anthony Edwards added 21 points, lifting visiting Minnesota to a victory over Orlando.
Edwards had seven assists and joined Donte DiVincenzo in draining four 3-pointers to pace the Timberwolves to their third win in a row. Edwards, however, made just 5 of 19 shots from the floor and 4 of 11 from beyond the arc. Naz Reid scored 16 points off the bench, DiVincenzo finished with 12 and Rudy Gobert recorded 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Timberwolves.
Orlando's Goga Bitadze collected 15 points and eight rebounds and Caleb Houstan had 14 points. Kentavious Caldwell-Pope scored 13 points and Cole Anthony added 12 for the Magic.
Warriors 107, Pistons 104
Buddy Hield scored 19 points and Stephen Curry had 17 points, nine rebounds and six assists to help lead Golden State past host Detroit.
Trayce Jackson-Davis added 14 points and 10 rebounds for Golden State, which ended a two-game skid. Cade Cunningham had 32 points, eight assists, six rebounds and three steals, and Malik Beasley scored 21 points for Detroit, which had its five-game winning streak snapped.
After trailing by 18 midway through the fourth quarter, Detroit rallied and cut the deficit to 102-98 with 1:21 remaining in the game on a basket by Jalen Duren. A dunk by Beasley with 23 seconds left sliced the gap to 104-102, but the Pistons could not complete the comeback.
Suns 123, Hawks 115
Bradley Beal scored a game-high 25 points off the bench, leading Phoenix past visiting Atlanta for its second win in its last three games.
Grayson Allen and Kevin Durant added 23 points apiece for the Suns, and Devin Booker collected 20 points and 12 assists.
Trae Young led Atlanta with 21 points and seven assists and Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 17 points as the Hawks finished their road trip with a 2-4 record.
Heat 97, Jazz 92
Tyler Herro scored 23 points and Jaime Jaquez Jr. added 20 as Miami sent Utah to its ninth consecutive home loss in Salt Lake City.
Herro and Jaquez each drained key free throws in the waning moments as Miami improved to 2-1 on its six-game trip. Bam Adebayo contributed 15 points, seven rebounds, three assists, three steals and two blocked shots in the victory. Adebayo hit two buckets in a row with under three minutes left to break an 86-86 tie.
Lauri Markkanen and Collin Sexton each scored 23 points for the Jazz, who lost their second straight overall. Utah overcame an 11-point third-quarter deficit but fell short.
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Cavaliers' G Darius Garland scored 40 points on 14-of-22 shooting in a 132-126 win over the Raptors on Thursday, Jan. 9.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (illness) is questionable for Friday's matchup with the visiting Nets. The 29-year-old hasn't felt well, keeping him off the floor for the Nuggets' previous two games. DeAndre Jordan most recently started in his place, finishing with 12 points, nine boards, and two steals against the Clippers on Wednesday night. If Jokic misses another game, Jordan and Dario Saric should continue to benefit, although both are risky fantasy options. But if Jokic returns to the lineup, he's a must-start against a Brooklyn squad that has been decimated by injuries.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Santi Aldama (ankle) will play on Thursday night against the Rockets. He's had the best year of his career in 2024-25, averaging 13.0 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 3.0 assists while shooting 38.8% from behind the arc. The 24-year-old missed the previous six games because of a sprained left ankle. However, with Ja Morant (shoulder), Jaren Jackson Jr. (thigh), and Desmond Bane (ankle) all available, Aldama could have trouble getting involved at a high level on the offensive end. Still, his presence will likely result in less work for Jake LaRavia.
Memphis Grizzlies guard/forward Desmond Bane (ankle) will rejoin the action on Thursday against Houston. The team has upgraded him from questionable to available. Bane scored at least 22 points in four straight contests before an ankle sprain knocked him out of the lineup for Monday's tilt against Dallas. Luckily for the Grizzlies, Bane will be able to return to the lineup after missing just one game. Memphis also has Ja Morant (shoulder) back on Thursday, so Houston's top-class defense faces a big challenge. The two combined for 41 points in this season's first clash with the Rockets.
Memphis Grizzlies forward Jaren Jackson Jr. (thigh) will suit up versus the Rockets on Thursday. The 25-year-old missed the first two games of the 2024-25 campaign. However, he's been on the court ever since, with that trend continuing on Thursday against Houston. Jackson has had a fantastic season, averaging a career-high 22.7 points with 6.4 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 1.5 steals, making him a must-start in all fantasy formats despite a challenging matchup against a Rockets team that has allowed only 106.8 points per game, the third-best in the National Basketball Association.
Portland Trail Blazers center Robert Williams III (rest) will not play in Thursday's matchup against Dallas. He gets the evening off as Portland completes a back-to-back. Williams III made his first appearance of 2025 on Wednesday versus New Orleans, finishing with four points, six rebounds, and four blocks in 16 minutes. His minutes will go to Donovan Clingan, who rested on Wednesday. Clingan boasts bags of potential, but his fantasy value is limited, with Deandre Ayton starting at center for Portland.
Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant (shoulder) will play in Thursday's game against the Rockets. The 25-year-old sustained an AC joint sprain nearly a few weeks ago. However, his time on the shelf will end after only five games. While Morant's production is down this season, he remains a must-start in any fantasy format. But his presence will mean fewer minutes and scoring opportunities for Scotty Pippen Jr., who has averaged 13.9 points, 5.4 assists, and 1.6 steals in 16 starts during the 2024-25 campaign.
Detroit Pistons guard/forward Tim Hardaway Jr. (back) will not play in Thursday's contest against Golden State. He was a late addition to the injury report due to a back issue, and the injury will keep the veteran sniper sidelined on Thursday. Ausar Thompson (illness) will take over Hardaway Jr.'s spot in the starting unit. Thompson has been battling an illness lately, missing two games, and might not be at his best on Thursday.
Dallas Mavericks center Daniel Gafford (ankle) will return to action on Thursday against Portland. The team has upgraded Gafford from questionable to available. He ended up missing just one game after injuring his left ankle on Monday versus Memphis. Gafford will provide support to starting center Dereck Lively II, with Maxi Kleber likely seeing less action on Thursday. The Trail Blazers allow the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing centers, so Gafford and Dereck Lively II should enjoy a productive evening.
Toronto Raptors guard Davion Mitchell (calf) will be active against Cleveland on Thursday. He has been upgraded from probable to available. Mitchell has not been part of the regular rotation lately but might have a role on Thursday due to the absences of Ochai Agbaji (back) and Bruce Brown (knee). However, it's unlikely that Mitchell will log enough minutes to warrant a spot on fantasy squads.
Toronto Raptors guard/forward Bruce Brown (knee) will not play on Thursday against Cleveland. After playing in each of the last three games, Brown will sit out Thursday's action for knee management purposes. The 28-year-old has appeared in only five games this season, providing 5.4 points in 18.0 minutes, so he won't be a significant miss for the team. Rookie Ja'Kobe Walter might pick up some additional work on Thursday, but he has been quiet recently after the Raptors got their key players back from injury.
Golden State Warriors guard/forward Moses Moody (knee) has been ruled out for Thursday's contest against Detroit. He has been downgraded from questionable to out. Moody will get a quick chance to return to the lineup, as the Warriors also play on Friday night when they face Indiana. On Thursday, we should see more of Lindy Waters III, Kyle Anderson, and Buddy Hield because of Moody's absence. The latter will replace Andrew Wiggins (personal) in the starting lineup.
Golden State Warriors forward/center Draymond Green (ankle) will suit up against Detroit on Thursday. He's dealing with an ankle injury, but the team has upgraded Green from questionable to available. The veteran forward went close to a triple-double on Tuesday against Miami and has kicked off 2025 strongly. Green has averaged 10.3 points, 5.5 rebounds, 6.0 assists, 1.3 blocks, and 1.0 steals across four January appearances.
Golden State Warriors guard Dennis Schroder (hip) will be in the lineup against Detroit on Thursday. He was initially iffy for the contest due to a hip contusion, but the Warriors have upgraded him from questionable to available. Schroder's fantasy stock has taken a bad blow with his trade to Golden State, as he's been limited to 9.5 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 4.6 assists on his new team. However, the German star might have a larger role to play offensively on Thursday due to Andrew Wiggins' (personal) absence.
The Milwaukee Bucks X account announced that Milwaukee Bucks forwardGiannis Antetokounmpo(knee) is probable for Friday's matchup with the Orlando Magic. Despite dealing with right patella tendinopathy, the 30-year-old has played in five consecutive contests. He has been sidelined for a few games this season but the team have managed his knee issue well. Antetokounmpo will have a full workload during this contest if he suits up. Fantasy managers know that a superstar forward is a must-start when available to step on the floor.
Golden State Warriors point guard Stephen Curry (knee) will play on Thursday against Detroit. He landed on the initial injury report with a questionable tag, but Golden State has now upgraded its main man to available. Curry has opened 2025 in excellent form, averaging 29.0 points with 60.6 shooting from three-point range. The Pistons typically struggle to guard the three-point line, allowing the opposition to sink 37.9 percent of attempts from deep, so this is a perfect spot for a big night for Curry.
The Milwaukee Bucks X account announced that Milwaukee Bucks forwardKhris Middleton(ankle) is listed as probable for Friday's game against the Orlando Magic. Middleton is expected to play in his second straight contest on Friday despite dealing with bilateral ankle issues. If the 33-year-old does suit up he will likely come off the bench like against the Spurs on Thursday. He posted eight points, five rebounds and three assists in 21 minutes during the 121-105 Bucks win.
Due to rest purposes, Portland Trail Blazers centerRobert Williams III (personal) is questionable for Thursday's matchup with the Dallas Mavericks. Williams isn't injured, but the Blazers may give him the evening off since it's the second half of back-to-back games. If the 27-year-old is sidelined, the backup center, Donovan Clingan, will likely take on extra minutes. Clingan collected four points, five rebounds, and one assist across 13 minutes in his last appearance on Tuesday against the Pistons.
Portland Trail Blazers forwardJerami Grant(face) will remain sidelined for a sixth consecutive game on Thursday versus the Dallas Mavericks. He has yet to recover from a facial contusion.Deni Avdija joined the starting five while Grant was missing in action. Kris Murray has also seen an uptick in minutes when the 30-year-old has been out. Murray registered six points and one rebound across 21 minutes in a 119-100 loss to New Orleans on Wednesday.
Milwaukee Bucks guardDamian Lillard (calf) will likely play against the Orlando Magic on Friday despite dealing with a left knee contusion. If he does suit up, the 34-year-old won't have any restrictions placed on him, as he posted 26 points, five rebounds, and eight assists across 35 minutes in the Bucks' 121-105 win over the Spurs on Wednesday. Fantasy managers in season-long formats should feel comfortable getting Lillard back in their lineups.
