NBA roundup: Kon Knueppel, Hornets hold off Cooper Flagg (49), Mavs
Fri Jan 30 2:42am ET
Field Level Media
Kon Knueppel set career highs with eight 3-pointers and 34 points as the visiting Charlotte Hornets withstood a career-high 49 points from fellow rookie Cooper Flagg to beat the Dallas Mavericks 123-121 on Thursday.
The matchup between the top Rookie of the Year candidates -- former Duke teammates -- lived up to expectations, with the Hornets emerging with their fifth straight win after Flagg's 20-foot jumper hit the back rim at the buzzer.
Knueppel, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2025 draft, shot 10-for-16 overall and 8-for-12 from 3-point range. Brandon Miller scored 23 points for Charlotte, while LaMelo Ball added 22.
Flagg, the first overall pick in last June's NBA Draft, scored 25 points in the first half and finished 20 of 29 from the field with 10 rebounds. Klay Thompson had 16 points for Dallas.
76ers 113, Kings 111
Tyrese Maxey made the decisive layup with 1.3 seconds left, guiding Philadelphia to a victory over visiting Sacramento.
Maxey finished with 40 points, while Joel Embiid added 37, and each of them chipped in with eight assists. Paul George notched 15 points for the 76ers, who overcame an 11-point fourth-quarter deficit. They have won two in a row for the first time in more than two weeks.
Dennis Schroder scored 27 points and DeMar DeRozan added 25 to pace Sacramento, which lost its seventh straight game and fell to 0-4 on its six-game road trip. The Kings are 3-21 away from home this season.
Timberwolves 123, Thunder 111
Anthony Edwards scored 26 points as Minnesota jumped on Oklahoma City early and rolled to a home win. Playing their fourth game in five nights, the Timberwolves built a 14-point first-quarter lead and led the whole way.
Jaden McDaniels added 21 points, going 5-for-5 on 3-point attempts, while Naz Reid added 18 points off the Minnesota bench. Rudy Gobert had 14 rebounds and 11 rebounds.
Oklahoma City's Shai Gilgeous-Alexander produced 30 points, eight assists and six rebounds. Isaiah Hartenstein returned from a calf injury that kept him out since Dec. 28, and he finished with 11 points and five rebounds in 18 minutes.
Nuggets 107, Nets 103
Jamal Murray scored 27 points, Jonas Valanciunas hit two free throws with 2.6 seconds left, and host Denver beat Brooklyn in Michael Porter Jr.'s return to the Mile High City.
Tim Hardaway Jr. had 25 points and tied his season with seven 3-pointers while Peyton Watson scored 19 points for the Nuggets, who earned their third win in four games.
Porter scored a season-high 38 points but missed his final four 3-point attempts after Brooklyn rallied to tie it. Terance Mann had 12 points for the Nets, who have lost seven straight.
Wizards 109, Bucks 99
Kyshawn George tallied 23 points, five rebounds and five assists and Alex Sarr recorded 16 points and a career-high 17 rebounds as Washington beat Milwaukee to earn a rare set of back-to-back wins.
Myles Turner led the way for the Bucks with 21 points, a season-high 14 rebounds and six blocks. Kyle Kuzma and Bobby Portis each scored 19 points. Milwaukee fell to 3-13 without star Giannis Antetokounmpo (calf) in the lineup.
The Wizards led by as many as 13 points in the fourth quarter, but a Turner 3-pointer cut the lead to 101-99 with 1:30 remaining. Washington, however, responded by scoring the final eight points.
Rockets 104, Hawks 86
Kevin Durant scored 31 points to spark Houston to a strong second half and a win in Atlanta.
Durant was 12-for-22 from the floor, hitting three 3-pointers. Atlanta native Jabari Smith Jr. added 14 points and eight rebounds for Houston, and Reed Sheppard scored 13. Josh Okogie had 10 points and 10 rebounds.
Atlanta was led by CJ McCollum with 23 points, including five treys,. Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 20 and Corey Kispert added 17 points. The loss ended the Hawks' four-game winning streak.
Heat 116, Bulls 113
Jaime Jaquez Jr. capped a standout performance with a key assist and a rebound, to help Miami escape with a win at Chicago.
Jaquez finished with 19 points and closed out a double-double with his 10th rebound in the closing seconds, as Chicago's Coby White missed a would-be game-tying 3-point attempt. Norman Powell put up 21 points as the Heat won for the third time in four games.
The Bulls' offensive woes included White shooting just 2-of-11 from the floor, with much of his 14 points coming on 8-of-10 production at the foul line. Ayo Dosunmu led all scorers with 23 points off the Chicago bench.
Suns 114, Pistons 96
Dillon Brooks scored a career-high 40 points and made four 3-pointers, Grayson Allen had 24 points, and host Phoenix topped Detroit.
On a night when the Suns distributed "Dillon the Villain" T-shirts to fans, Brooks was 13 of 22 from the field and added eight rebounds and four assists. Phoenix's Collin Gillespie scored 16 points.
Cade Cunningham put up 26 points, Jaren Duren had 23 points and 13 rebounds and Tobias Harris had 13 points for the Pistons, who had won six of seven.
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Minnesota Timberwolves point guard Mike Conley (back) will sit out the second leg of a back-to-back on Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The veteran logged 23 minutes of action off the bench in Wednesday's win over the Dallas Mavericks, but will rest his back on Thursday night. With Anthony Edwards returning to action, Bones Hyland was limited to 12 minutes against Dallas. On Thursday, Hyland is likely to have a larger workload, but this is an uncomfortable matchup against a Thunder team that boasts a league-best 105.3 defensive rating.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard/forward Cason Wallace (hip) will return from a one-game absence on Thursday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He recently hurt his left hip and didn't play in Tuesday's win over the New Orleans Pelicans. With Alex Caruso (adductor) and Ajay Mitchell (abdomen) out of the lineup, Wallace is a welcome addition to the rotation. His return will likely bump Aaron Wiggins to the second unit, but both players should have a similar workload. Across January, Wallace has averaged 23.0 minutes per game, contributing 5.3 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.8 steals.
Minnesota Timberwolves center Rudy Gobert (ankle) will be in the lineup on Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. The French giant played 21 minutes in Wednesday's win over the Dallas Mavericks and was initially listed as questionable for the second leg of a back-to-back. Gobert was quiet on Wednesday with six points and six rebounds, but he's had a strong month overall. Still, it won't be easy for Gobert to meet fantasy expectations on Thursday, as the Thunder give up the second-fewest fantasy points in the league to centers,
Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valanciunas (calf) has officially been cleared for Thursday's matchup against the Brooklyn Nets. He was initially listed as probable as Denver kicks off a back-to-back. Valanciunas has racked up 16.0 points and 12.5 rebounds per game since returning from a calf injury. He's in line for another solid outing on Thursday, as centers have been productive against Brooklyn all season. It's unlikely Valanciunas plays in both games of the back-to-back set, making Zeke Nnaji an appealing fantasy option for Friday.
Phoenix Suns guard Collin Gillespie (hand) will return to action on Thursday night against the Detroit Pistons. He has shaken off a right-hand sprain, which kept Gillespie out on Tuesday against the Brooklyn Nets. Gillespie's return will be huge for a Suns backcourt that's without Devin Booker (ankle) and Jalen Green (hamstring). On Thursday, Gillespie faces a difficult matchup against the NBA's second-best defense, but he has been among Phoenix's best performers all season. In January, the Villanova product has posted 11.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.4 steals per game.
Denver Nuggets point guard Jamal Murray (hamstring, hip) will suit up on Thursday night against the Brooklyn Nets. The team has upgraded Murray from probable to available, and the Canadian star will continue to lead Denver's offense, with Nikola Jokic (knee) still out. Murray has averaged 28.5 points and 8.8 assists in January, shooting 50.5 percent from the floor. That said, Murray faces a potential banana skin on Thursday, as Brooklyn has allowed the sixth-fewest fantasy points to point guards in 2025-26.
Dallas Mavericks guard/forward Klay Thompson (knee) will return to the lineup for Thursday's matchup against the Charlotte Hornets. The former All-Star sat out the first game of a back-to-back set on Wednesday night against the Minnesota Timberwolves. With Thompson out, Jaden Hardy returned to the rotation and logged 24 minutes against Minnesota. His minutes will take a hit on Thursday night. After enjoying a brief hot streak earlier this month, Thompson has scored only 12 points across his last two outings, and fantasy managers shouldn't expect much from him against Charlotte.
Dallas Mavericks point guard Brandon Williams (ankle) will play on Thursday against the Charlotte Hornets. He was initially listed as questionable for the game following a 24-minute outing in Wednesday's loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves. Williams has been among Dallas' main offensive threats in 2026, averaging 17.4 points over his last seven appearances. On Thursday, Williams may see even more scoring opportunities than usual with Naji Marshall (rest) out of the lineup.
Charlotte Hornets forward/center Grant Williams (knee) will sit out Thursday's meeting with his former team, the Dallas Mavericks. The Hornets conclude a back-to-back set, and, understandably, Williams won't feature on Thursday after returning from a serious knee injury only a few weeks ago. Across his first eight outings of the campaign, Williams has contributed 4.9 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.0 assists in 17.4 minutes. His numbers should pick up soon once Williams gets more comfortable on the court, as he is currently making under 32 percent of his field-goal attempts. With Williams out on Thursday, Tidjane Salaun could re-enter the rotation.
Charlotte Hornets guard/forward Brandon Miller (ankle) has been upgraded from probable to available on the injury report ahead of Thursday's tip-off against the Dallas Mavericks. Miller has heated up recently, averaging 24.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists over his last eight games, while shooting 45.3 percent from deep. Thursday's matchup will be challenging for Miller, as Dallas is among the NBA's top teams at limiting three-point shooting and boasts a top-10 defensive rating.
Houston Rockets center Alperen Sengun (ankle) has received the green light to play on Thursday night against the Atlanta Hawks. The Turkish star sprained his right ankle in Wednesday's loss to the San Antonio Spurs and was initially listed as questionable. Injuries have taken out Atlanta's two primary centers in Onyeka Okongwu (mouth) and Kristaps Porzingis (Achilles), and the frontcourt may struggle to contain Sengun, who has averaged 20.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, 6.1 assists, and 1.6 steals over his last 10 outings.
Miami Heat forward Kel'el Ware (hamstring) will be active on Thursday against the Chicago Bulls. The talented big man returned from a hamstring injury on Wednesday against the Orlando Magic and was listed as probable on the original injury report. After missing four games, Ware was used for only seven minutes in Wednesday's contest. Ware's fantasy value has declined recently, and injuries only make it harder for him to re-establish himself as an important contributor for the Heat.
Miami Heat guard/forward Norman Powell (back) will play in Thursday's contest against the Chicago Bulls. The team has upgraded Powell from probable to available. The 32-year-old played through a back issue on Wednesday against the Orlando Magic, scoring 22 points in 28 minutes. With Tyler Herro (ribs) battling health issues, Powell has been Miami's leading scorer in 2025-26, posting 23.0 points per game on 47.3 percent shooting. Facing one of the league's weakest defenses on Thursday, Powell has an excellent opportunity to surpass his usual production.
Chicago Bulls forward/center Jalen Smith (calf) will suit up on Thursday against the Miami Heat. The big man is dealing with calf soreness and was initially listed as probable on the injury report after he logged 28 minutes in Wednesday's loss to the Indiana Pacers. Smith dropped to the bench on Wednesday night as Josh Giddey (hamstring) rejoined the first unit. However, Giddey has been ruled out for Thursday's game, opening the door for Smith to return to the starting lineup. Smith has been sneaky good in recent weeks, finishing four of his last eight appearances with a double-double.
Miami Heat guards Tyler Herro (ribs) and Davion Mitchell (shoulder) won't be in action against the Chicago Bulls on Thursday. Due to a rib issue, Herro will sit out an eighth consecutive game, while Mitchell must skip his fifth straight contest with a shoulder injury. As a result of the backcourt injuries, Kasparas Jakucionis has recently filled in as the starting point guard. After initially showing promise, the rookie struggled in Wednesday's loss to the Orlando Magic, registering two points, one assist, two steals, and two turnovers in 20 minutes. Dru Smith outperformed Jakucionis off the bench with 13 points, three rebounds, and seven assists in 22 minutes, potentially earning himself a larger role for Thursday's game.
Chicago Bulls point guard Tre Jones (hamstring) will miss his fourth consecutive game on Thursday against the Miami Heat. Last Friday, Chicago ruled out Jones for two weeks due to a left hamstring strain, but he popped up on the injury report with a doubtful tag this week, suggesting his comeback may happen sooner. Josh Giddey (hamstring) also won't play on Thursday, which will give Coby White more playmaking duties. At the same time, Jevon Carter could re-enter the rotation, while there will also be additional backcourt minutes available for Ayo Dosunmu and Kevin Huerter.
Chicago Bulls point guard Josh Giddey (hamstring) will exit the lineup on Thursday against the Miami Heat. Chicago will complete a back-to-back, and the team has decided to rest Giddey, who only recently returned from a hamstring injury. Jalen Smith (calf) made way for Giddey in the starting lineup on Wednesday against the Indiana Pacers and is likely to return to the first unit for Thursday's tilt. Meanwhile, Ayo Dosunmu and Kevin Huerter could get additional run-outs in the rotation.
Sacramento Kings guard/forward Zach LaVine (back) will come off the bench in Thursday's matchup against the Philadelphia 76ers. LaVine is back in the lineup following a two-game absence, and he was expected to reclaim his starting position from Nique Clifford. Clifford, however, keeps his place with the starters and will open the game alongside Dennis Schroder, DeMar DeRozan, Precious Achiuwa, and Domantas Sabonis. Schroder is filling in for Russell Westbrook (foot). LaVine last came off the bench in two games during the 2023-24 campaign.
Sacramento Kings guard Malik Monk (ankle) will miss a second consecutive game on Thursday against the Philadelphia 76ers after the team downgraded him from questionable to out. Sacramento's backcourt will also be without Russell Westbrook (foot), putting Dennis Schroder and Keon Ellis in a position to shine. Schroder will start the contest in Westbrook's place. Monk's next chance to return will be on Friday against the Boston Celtics.
Philadelphia 76ers guard/forward Paul George (knee) will play on Thursday against the Sacramento Kings. The team has upgraded George's status on the injury report from probable to available. George will look to gain further momentum on Thursday after opening the week with a 32-point performance against the Milwaukee Bucks. Only two teams have a worse defensive rating than Sacramento, so there should be plenty of scoring opportunities for George and his crew.
