NBA roundup: Nikola Jokic goes for 31-22-21 in OT win over Suns
Sat Mar 8 2:08am ET
Field Level Media
Nikola Jokic produced 31 points, a career-high 22 assists and 21 rebounds as the host Denver Nuggets rallied after losing a 21-point lead to beat the Phoenix Suns 149-141 in overtime on Friday.
Jokic logged the first 30-20-20 stat line in NBA history. He notched his 29th triple-double of the season and 159th of his career with a rebound less than two minutes into the second half.
Aaron Gordon tied his career best with seven 3-pointers and finished with 27 points, Christian Braun scored 25 points and Jamal Murray contributed 19 points and eight assists for Denver.
Devin Booker had 34 points and seven assists for Phoenix, while Kevin Durant posted 29 points and nine rebounds, and he hit a tying 3-pointer at the end of regulation.
Cavaliers 118, Hornets 117
Donovan Mitchell poured in 24 points and Darius Garland posted 20 as the duo helped Cleveland escape with a win against host Charlotte.
Miles Bridges scored a career-high 46 points for the Hornets, who suffered their ninth consecutive loss. Bridges made 15 of 32 shots from the field and 12 of 13 free throws. LaMelo Ball tallied 13 points and seven assists before fouling out and Jusuf Nurkic posted 12 points and 15 rebounds for the Hornets, who trailed by as many as 13 points.
Evan Mobley provided 19 points and 10 rebounds, De'Andre Hunter had 15 points off the bench and Jarrett Allen provided 14 points and 11 boards for the Cavaliers, who have won 13 straight games.
Clippers 105, Knicks 95
James Harden scored 27 points and Kawhi Leonard added 20 as Los Angeles won consecutive games for the first time in nearly a month by defeating New York at Inglewood, Calif.
Ivica Zubac added 16 points with 14 rebounds as the Clippers improved to 2-0 on a three-game homestand following a 2-6 road stretch. They were without leading scorer Norman Powell (hamstring) for the eighth time in the past nine games.
Karl-Anthony Towns scored 23 points with 10 rebounds, and Josh Hart grabbed 20 rebounds with 14 points for the Knicks, who were playing without leading scorer Jalen Brunson following an ankle injury late in Thursday's loss to the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kings 127, Spurs 109
Zach LaVine poured in 36 points and DeMar DeRozan added 22 as Sacramento spoiled the return of De'Aaron Fox, rolling to a win over San Antonio. The Kings traded Fox to the Spurs in February.
Keegan Murray had 19 points for the Kings while Jonas Valanciunas racked up 15 points and 12 rebounds. Sacramento played without Domantas Sabonis (hamstring) and Malik Monk (right toe sprain) but still won for the fifth time in its past six games.
Stephon Castle led San Antonio with 25 points off the bench. Fox scored 16 (on 6-of-17 shooting from the field) as the Spurs lost for the second time in the past three contests.
Raptors 118, Jazz 109
Immanuel Quickley scored a season-best 34 points and Toronto defeated visiting Utah.
Scottie Barnes added 22 points, 12 rebounds, six assists and three blocks for the Raptors, who have won three straight. Ja'Kobe Walter scored 14 points, but did not play in the second half because of a right quadriceps strain. Jared Rhoden chipped in 14 points and Jamison Battle added 11.
Walker Kessler had 18 points along with career bests in rebounds (25) and blocks (eight) for the Jazz, who have lost four straight overall and 11 consecutive on the road. Keyonte George also scored 18 and Kyle Filipowski and Collin Sexton added 17 apiece.
Grizzlies 122, Mavericks 111
Ja Morant scored seven of his game-high 31 points in the final 1:35 to lift visiting Memphis past injury-depleted Dallas.
The Grizzlies closed the game on a 14-3 run to snap a four-game losing streak. Desmond Bane added 27 points and a career-high 16 rebounds for Memphis, which got 17 points and eight rebounds from Brandon Clarke and 12 rebounds from Zach Edey.
The Mavericks, who lost their fourth straight, were led by Brandon Williams, who scored a career-high 31 points off the bench, and Naji Marshall, who finished with 29 points and a career-best 17 rebounds. Klay Thompson added 15 points.
Timberwolves 106, Heat 104
Julius Randle had a near triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists as visiting Minnesota defeated Miami for its fourth straight win.
Miami had a chance to win late. Duncan Robinson made a 3-pointer with 3.2 seconds left. Minnesota then turned the ball over on what appeared to be a bad call. However, the Wolves didn't have a timeout left to challenge the call. Miami, trailing 106-104, in-bounded the ball with 1.9 seconds left. Bam Adebayo went for the win, but his 3-pointer was way off as time expired.
Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards, who averages 27.5 points, was held to 13 points on 4-or-10 shooting. But he also had 13 rebounds and six assists. Adebayo led Miami with a game-high 29 points and 13 rebounds.
Thunder 107, Trail Blazers 89
Aaron Wiggins scored 30 points and Jaylin Williams delivered his first career triple-double to lift short-handed Oklahoma City to a home win over Portland.
The win was the sixth straight for the Thunder, and perhaps their most unlikely of the season. Oklahoma City played well outside of its normal starting lineup as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (rest), Jalen Williams (right wrist sprain), Chet Holmgren (right lower leg contusion), Luguentz Dort (right knee soreness), and Isaiah Hartenstein (nasal fracture reinjury) were all out.
Wiggins finished 13-of-26 from the field, while Williams had 10 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists. Alex Caruso added 17 points off the bench. Scoot Henderson led Portland with 22 points and Shaedon Sharpe added 19.
- NBA roundup: Nikola Jokic goes for 31-22-21 in OT win over Suns
- Knicks' Jalen Brunson (ankle) out at least 2 weeks
- Kings' DeMar DeRozan fined $25K by NBA
- Mark Cuban rips Mavs' return in short sale of Luka Doncic to Lakers
- NBA roundup: Coby White’s 44 points lead Bulls past Magic
- NBA roundup: Two Celtics score over 40 in win over Blazers
- Knicks' Karl-Anthony Towns expected to return vs. Lakers
- NBA roundup: Lakers win as LeBron James hits milestone
- LeBron James reaches point-scoring milestone
- Grizzlies standout Jaren Jackson Jr. (ankle) out week-to-week
- Magic G Jalen Suggs has knee surgery, out for season
- Mavericks G Kyrie Irving has torn ACL, out for season
- NBA roundup: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (51), Thunder win 50th game
- Mavericks G Kyrie Irving (knee sprain) exits vs. Kings
- Mavs raise ticket costs, citing 'ongoing investments' in team, fans
- Kings C Domantas Sabonis out indefinitely with hamstring strain
- NBA roundup: Cavs edge Blazers with late 3 in OT
- Knicks waive Matt Ryan, Jacob Toppin
- Jazz sign G Jaden Springer to multi-year contract
- Thunder's Chet Holmgren (ankle) out vs. Spurs
Nuggets' C Nikola Jokic recorded a triple-double, finishing with 31 points, 22 assists and 21 rebounds in a 149-141 win over the Suns on Friday, Mar. 7.
Thunder's C Jaylin Williams recorded a triple-double, finishing with 10 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds in a 107-89 win over the Trail Blazers on Friday, Mar. 7. Williams is owned in very few, if any leagues.
Oklahoma City's F Aaron Wiggins scored 30 points on 13-of-26 shooting in a 107-89 win over the Trail Blazers on Friday, Mar. 7. Wiggins is owned in only 39.9% leagues.
Mavericks' G Brandon Williams scored 31 points on 10-of-15 shooting in a 111-122 loss to the Grizzlies on Friday, Mar. 7. Williams is owned in very few, if any leagues.
Hornets' F Miles Bridges scored 46 points on 15-of-32 shooting in a 117-118 loss to the Cavaliers on Friday, Mar. 7.
Denver Nuggets center Zeke Nnaji (ankle) is available ahead of Friday's game against the Phoenix Suns. As expected, Nnaji will suit up for this game after being listed as probable coming into it. Nnaji was dealing with a minor ankle issue, but it doesn't appear to be something that is going to stop him from playing. However, Nnaji is unlikely to have a big role in that role with Nikola Jokic and Aaron Gordon both healthy and active on Friday. Nnaji will probably play minutes in the teens, which normally doesn't offer much fantasy value.
Atlanta Hawks guard Caris LeVert (knee) is listed as questionable ahead of Saturday's game against the Indiana Pacers. LeVert has played in 11 straight games, but appears to be in danger of missing Saturday's game due to left knee inflammation. This doesn't sound like a serious issue, but the Hawks might take the cautious approach here. Terance Mann (quad) and Georges Niang are expected to have larger roles in the rotation if LeVert is unable to play. Both players have some low-end streaming appeal if LeVert is unable to go here.
Denver Nuggets center Nikola Jokic (ankle) is available to play ahead of Friday's game against the Phoenix Suns. The superstar big man has been dealing with an ankle issue, but it doesn't sound serious enough to hold him out of action. He played through the issue on Wednesday and recorded his fourth double-double in a row. Fantasy managers should feel safe about getting Jokic back into their lineups on Friday. Jokic is having an MVP-type season and won't let an ankle issue slow him down.
Denver Nuggets forward Aaron Gordon (ankle) is available ahead of Friday's game against the Phoenix Suns. Gordon was uncertain coming into this game due to an ankle issue, but has been cleared to play now. He'll make his return to the court after missing each of the last three games. There is no word on Gordon being limited, so fantasy managers should expect him to have a full workload on Friday. Gordon has been an inconsistent fantasy option this season, but he has been playing better as of late. Fantasy managers can get Gordon active in their lineups ahead of Friday's game.
Washington Wizards guard Jordan Poole (elbow) is tagged as questionable ahead of Saturday's game against the Toronto Raptors. Poole has missed the last three games due to an elbow issue and is in danger of missing a fourth straight contest. Before the injury, Poole was playing better with two straight games of 24 points or more. His absence has opened up the door for Bub Carrington to play more minutes in the rotation. Carrington nearly had a double-double during his last game and is looking like a solid streaming choice if Poole remains out on Saturday.
Atlanta Hawks guard Trae Young (Achilles) is listed as probable ahead of Saturday's game against the Indiana Pacers. Unsurprisingly, Young is listed on the injury report due to an Achilles issue that has bothered him most of the season. Despite that, Young has suited up in eight straight games, so fantasy managers should expect him to play on Saturday. During that span, Young has played 35 minutes or more in all of those contests, so it doesn't appear that the Achilles issue is impacting Young on the floor. Fantasy managers should expect Young out there, barring any pre-game setbacks.
Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (hip) is listed as probable ahead of Saturday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. The fact that Nesmith is considered probable means he should be able to play through the minor hip issue. He has been playing starter minutes lately which has resulted in increased fantasy value. Nesmith has scored 20 points or more in two of his last three games. Tyrese Haliburton (hip) is questionable for Saturday, so Nesmith might be asked to take on a bigger scoring role on Saturday.
Indiana Pacers guard Bennedict Mathurin (wrist) is listed as questionable ahead of Saturday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. Mathurin has missed the last four games due to a left wrist sprain. His possible absence could be bad news for the Pacers with Tyrese Haliburton (hip) also listed as questionable for this game. The continued absence of Mathurin should mean increased run for Aaron Nesmith (hip) and Obi Toppin in the rotation. Nesmith has been playing starters minutes recently and is the much better streaming choice between the two players for Saturday's slate.
Indiana Pacers guard Tyrese Haliburton (hip) is listed as questionable ahead of Saturday's game against the Atlanta Hawks. Haliburton sat out Thursday's game and is in danger of missing a second straight contest due to a lingering hip issue. If he sits, Andrew Nembhard and T.J. McConnell are expected to see increased roles in the rotation. Nembhard is already averaging nearly 30 minutes per game, so it's unclear how many more minutes he'd receive. McConnell would likely see a spike in fantasy value, but fantasy managers will have to check back on Haliburton's status on Saturday.
Chicago Bulls forward Patrick Williams (quad) is listed as doubtful ahead of Saturday's game against the Miami Heat. Williams has missed the last eight games and it doesn't appear that he is quite ready to get back on the floor yet. His continued absence should mean that Julian Phillips and Matas Buzelis should continue seeing more minutes in the rotation. Phillips isn't much of a fantasy option right now, but Buzelis has played well during each of his last three games. The rookie forward is well worth a look as a streaming option while the Bulls are shorthanded.
Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball (wrist) is considered doubtful ahead of Saturday's game against the Miami Heat. It seems likely that Ball is headed towards a fourth straight absence due to a right wrist sprain. It's not shocking to see the Bulls being extra cautious with the oft-injured guard. Another absence of Ball should mean increased playing time for Kevin Huerter and Tre Jones in the rotation. Jones is looking like the better streaming choice between the two after a 20-point outing during Thursday's game. However, both guards could be worth a look while Ball is out.
Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (calf) is listed as doubtful ahead of Saturday's game against the Miami Heat. Vucevic has missed six games in a row and appears to be headed towards a seventh absence. This is a shame because Vucevic was having an excellent season up to this point, but can't seem to shake this calf strain. Zach Collins and Matas Buzelis should both continue seeing increased roles while Vucevic is sidelined. Buzelis has played nearly 30 minutes in each of the last three games and is producing decent streaming value right now.
Chicago Bulls guard Coby White (toe) is listed as probable ahead of Saturday's game against the Miami Heat. White appears to be dealing with a minor toe injury, but that shouldn't stop him from suiting up for this game. He has been a strong fantasy option lately and is coming off a 44-point performance during Thursday's game. White should be out there on Saturday, so fantasy managers better make sure to get him active in their lineups, barring any pre-game setbacks. The expected absence of Lonzo Ball (wrist) should continue giving White increased ball handling responsibilities.
New Orleans Pelicans guard Jose Alvarado (hip) is listed as questionable ahead of Saturday's game against the Houston Rockets. The 26-year-old appears to have picked up a left hip injury during his last game which could leave the Pelicans shorthanded this weekend. It's worth noting that Bruce Brown (rest) has been ruled out for Saturday's contest, so Jamal Cain might actually see significant minutes in the rotation if Alvarado is out as well. Cain hasn't done much this season, even in games where he gets increased playing time. That being said, fantasy managers should look elsewhere for help on Saturday.
Houston Rockets guard Reed Sheppard (thumb) has been ruled out ahead of Saturday's game against the New Orleans Pelicans. The rookie guard has been diagnosed with an avulsion on his right thumb. The team hasn't given a timetable on his return, but Sheppard is likely to miss multiple games. His absence from the rotation doesn't mean too much considering he was only averaging 11 minutes per game. However, Fred VanVleet (ankle) is also sidelined, so losing Sheppard does make the Rockets a bit more shorthanded at the guard spot. Amen Thompson has been playing big minutes lately and that is likely to mean the case while these two are sidelined.
