Top Stories

• Cleveland is 10-0

• KAT drops 32 and 11 on Bucks

• Trouble in LA?

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Games of the day

Last Night’s Top Games! (link to the box scores of every game from yesterday)

Darius Garland scored 27 points and Evan Mobley had 23 as the Cleveland Cavaliers routed the Golden State Warriors 136-117, extending their franchise-best start to 10-0 this season. The Cavaliers became the first team in NBA history to win their first 10 games and score at least 110 points in each of them. Wilt Chamberlain and the 1961 Philadelphia Warriors had shared the record with nine. Cleveland also set a franchise record with a 41-point halftime lead at 83-42 — tying the eighth largest in the NBA’s history — and equaled its record for points in a half. Ty Jerome scored 13 of his 20 points before the break. Jonathan Kuminga scored 21 points and Stephen Curry had 12 points and six turnovers for Golden State, which lost for the first time in six road games this season. Draymond Green had six points, six assists and four fouls.

Karl-Anthony Towns had 32 points, 11 rebounds and five assists and the New York Knicks snapped a two-game losing streak with a 116-94 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. New York (4-4) did not trail, and six different Knicks scored in double figures. Jalen Brunson chipped in 15 points and nine assists, and Josh Hart had 11 points, nine rebounds and seven assists in the Knicks' third win of at least 20 points this season. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 24 points and 12 rebounds, and Damian Lillard had 19 points. Milwaukee (2-7) lost for the seventh time in eight games and is 1-5 on the road this season.

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League News

Around the League

• The Los Angeles Lakers have replaced D’Angelo Russell with Cam Reddish in their starting lineup in an attempt to shake up the slumping team. Russell began the game on the bench for the first time this season when the Lakers tipped off against Philadelphia on last night in their first game back from a 1-4 road trip. Russell is off to a slow start under rookie coach JJ Redick, managing just 12.0 points and 5.8 assists per game. The offense-minded point guard has hit just 37.5% of his shots while looking passive at times on both ends of the court. Redick benched Russell in the second half of the Lakers’ loss at Memphis on Wednesday night after Russell made a handful of dubious decisions. Redick said Russell had played well at times, but was also guilty of “just reverting back to certain habits” this season. In a moment replayed widely on social media, Redick twice slammed his chair into the ground at courtside in frustration immediately after one mistake by Russell. Redick said Friday that his frustration wasn’t directed specifically at Russell, but at “25 plays” by the Lakers — and the coach made sure Russell knew it in a pregame meeting.

• Injury Updates: Joel Embiid (conditioning) will be re-evaluated soon to see when he can make his debut (after serving his 3 game suspension. Kawhi Leonard (knee) is out indefinitely, and his recovery might “take longer than expected” according to the team. Kristaps Porzingis (foot) is still recovering from offseason surgery and will miss some games. Khris Middleton (ankle) will miss a few games. Isaiah Hartenstein (hand) will be re-evaluated in 5-6 weeks with a fracture. Dejounte Murray (hand) is confirmed to have fractured it and will miss a few weeks. James Wiseman tore his achilles and will be out indefinitely. Taylor Hendricks (leg and ankle) suffered a fractured fibia and dislocated ankle and will be out for the season. Scottie Barnes (orbital) will miss at least 3 weeks with a fracture. Paolo Banchero (oblique) has a tear and will be out indefinitely, and re-evaluated in 4-6 weeks. Herb Jones (shoulder) will be out for a minimum of 2-4 weeks. CJ McCollum (adductor) will miss at least 2-3 weeks. Isaiah Jackson (achilles) will be out for the season. Jeremy Sochan (thumb) underwent surgery to repair a fracture and will be out indefinitely. Aaron Gordon (hamstring) will miss multiple weeks. Tyrese Maxey (hamstring) will be out multiple weeks. (We wish all these guys speedy and successful recoveries.

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NBA MVP Ladder

1. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers

Season stats: 32.6 ppg, 11.6 rpg, 1.7 bpg

His case: Nobody had a better start to 2024-25 than Davis, who gobbled up big numbers and devoured opposing centers through the first few weeks. He seems famished, as if he … never won MVP before? This opening run ranks with the best stretches we’ve ever seen from Davis. He’s leading the league in scoring and doing it at both ends.

2. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Season stats: 30.2 ppg, 7 rpg, 4.8 apg

His case: He’s giving off vibes of a player on a redemption tour. That’s strange for someone who won an NBA championship and Olympic gold medal in three summer months. But, he wasn’t awarded Finals MVP and was benched twice in the Paris Games, so maybe on the inside, Tatum burns a bit.

We know this much: Tatum is dropping 3-balls at a personal-best pace (4.2 makes on 11.4 attempts per game). He’s spearheading the shot-happy Celtics as his game looks sharp and so does his team.

3. Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

Season stats: 28.8 ppg, 13.5 rpg, 11 apg

His case: He was the league’s most impactful player last season and therefore won MVP for the third time and nothing has changed so far. The Joker is averaging a triple-double. He’s top-five in scoring, rebounds and assists — and coming off a massive 26-20-16 demolition to hand OKC its first loss. He’s a handful, basically, once again.

The difference is that the Nuggets are struggling (or were initially). That’s not all on Jokić though, and it’s early. The gap between his No. 3 spot and No. 1 — a place in which he’s familiar — can close quickly.

4. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Season stats: 26 ppg, 6 rpg, 6.8 apg

His case: His team is winning and he’s producing. Usually, that’s the recipe for MVP success and of all the players in this top-five, Gilgeous-Alexander brings the best of those credentials.

Both must hold up over the next few months to give him an edge, and all signs are positive so far. He dropped 28 points with eight assists and seven rebounds in the opener against Jokić, which was a telling start.

5. Donovan Mitchell, Cleveland Cavaliers

Season stats: 23.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 4.1 apg

His case: Much like Gilgeous-Alexander, Mitchell benefits from a solid start individually with the bonus of being on a conference leader. His 30.2 mpg are the fewest of his career and yet his production per minute is stellar. Mitchell’s game-winner against the Bucks ranks among the best shots so far this season.

Mitchell is worth watching if the Cavaliers remain afloat in the East attic. With the Sixers and Bucks stumbling and needing a few weeks to catch up, the Cavs could be Boston’s biggest threat between now and Christmas. If Mitchell continues to deliver as a playmaker, it’s very possible.

The Next Five:

6. Kevin Durant, Phoenix Suns
7. Anthony Edwards, Minnesota Timberwolves
8. Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks
9. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks
10. Tyrese Maxey, Philadelphia 76ers

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Fantasy Leaders

LeBron dropped a triple double for his score

Overtime Thoughts