Top Stories

• Spurs lose, but Wemby plays well

• Mobley drops 23 and 16 on ATL

• Bronny makes G league debut

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Games of the day

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

Collin Sexton scored 23 points, Lauri Markkanen added 20 and the Utah Jazz held off the San Antonio Spurs 111-110 on Saturday, overcoming 24 points, 16 rebounds and seven blocks from Victor Wembanyama. Markkanen stayed in the game after landing directly on his left hip with 3 mins remaining. He was down on the court for a few minutes before being helped to his feet. The 7-footer was hobbling noticeably in the final minutes. Jordan Clarkson had 16 points and John Collins scored 15 for Utah (2-7). San Antonio rookie Stephon Castle had a career-high 23 points in his third NBA start. Wembanyama shot 6 for 9 on 3-pointers and Castle was 3 for 7. Devin Vassell had 18 points in his season debut after missing seven months with a fractured right foot.

Evan Mobley had 23 points and 16 rebounds, and Donovan Mitchell scored 22 as the Cleveland Cavaliers rallied for a 105-100 win over the Brooklyn Nets, becoming the 12th team in NBA history to start a season 11-0. Darius Garland scored eight of his 20 points in the fourth quarter for Cleveland, which trailed 82-68 with 35 seconds left in the third. Garland put the Cavaliers ahead for good at 97-96 with two free throws. The 2015-16 Golden State Warriors hold the league record after winning their first 24 games. They lost to the Cavaliers in the NBA Finals. Cam Johnson scored 23 points and Dennis Schroder and Cam Thomas had 22 apiece for the Nets. Brooklyn trailed by 15 in the second quarter, but held Cleveland to a season-low 13 points in the third with Johnson and Thomas combining for 19. The Cavaliers failed to score 110 points for the first time, ending their NBA-record streak of doing so in 10 consecutive wins to open a season.

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League News

Around the League

• Bronny James started and scored six points in his first G League game as the South Bay Lakers defeated the Salt Lake City Stars 110-96. James was 2-for-9 from the field, including 0-for-4 on 3-pointers. The 6-foot-3 guard also had three rebounds, four assists, two steals and a blocked shot. LeBron watched the game from courtside seats on the opposite side of the main stands with his wife, Savannah, and their 10-year old daughter Zuri. Gloria James, Bronny’s grandmother, also was in attendance, along with Anthony Davis, D’Angelo Russell and Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka. LeBron and Lakers coach J.J. Redick have said repeatedly Bronny will spend ample time this season in the G League as he works on his game. The Lakers affiliate plays its games at the team’s training complex.

• 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 longer than expected. 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. Zion Williamson (hamstring) will be out multiple weeks. Ja Morant (hip) will be be out at least 2 weeks. Kevin Durant (calf) 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 put 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 offense-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. 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 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

Wemby stuffed the stat sheet again

Overtime Thoughts