With Gainbridge Fieldhouse at full volume, the Greek Freak was in full command.
Turn. Fadeaway. Buzzer. Ballgame.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Epic Endings: Giannis silences Indy in thriller, Nurkić delivers just in time to beat Boston
East Dubs: Rockets & Pistons extend streaks, KAT makes history, Heat make statement
Best Out West: The Joker delivers a classic, Lakers stay hot, Wolves win
Coast 2 Coast Tuesday: OKC seeks its first 8-0 start, Magic vs. Hawks rematch
League Pass Spotlight: Maxey’s standard meets Giddey’s surge as the East’s top teams collide
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Coast 2 Coast Tuesday on NBC & Peacock headlines a six-game slate as the Hawks host the Magic (8 ET | Tap to Watch), before the unbeaten Thunder visit the Clippers (11 ET | Tap to Watch).
1. EPIC ENDINGS: GIANNIS & NURKIĆ CALL GAME
The Pacers ended the Bucks’ 2024-25 season with a last-second game-winner in the First Round.
In their first matchup of 2025-26, Milwaukee returned the favor.
Bucks 117, Pacers 115: Down 11 late, Indy stormed back with a 17-6 run capped by an Aaron Nesmith bucket with 14.5 seconds left to tie it at 115.
But with Gainbridge Fieldhouse rocking, Giannis was unshaken. He let the clock wind down, backed down Nesmith, then rose over a double-team to sink the game-winner at the buzzer – silencing the crowd to seal a thrilling road win. | Recap
- Greek Freak: Giannis finished with 33 points – his fifth 30-piece in six games – going 14-of-21 from the field while adding 13 boards and 5 dimes to improve Milwaukee to 5-2
- Hammer & Heroics: That included a full-extension poster in the 1st quarter, before nailing his sixth career game-winner in the final 10 seconds (regular season + playoffs) and his second buzzer-beater
- “You can live if you miss,” said Giannis on the winner. “You cannot live if you don’t shoot it.”
- Another Classic: In a rivalry brimming with intensity, these two keep delivering drama. Three of their last eight meetings have featured a game-tying or game-winning shot in the final five seconds – two from Tyrese Haliburton and one from Giannis
- Back In The Building: Myles Turner was sharp on both ends in his first game back in Indiana (9 pts, 7 reb, 5 blk, 2 3s), while Pascal Siakam led the Pacers with 32 points and 8 assists
Last-second winner? Make that two.
Jazz 105, Celtics 103: In a 2nd half featuring seven lead changes, the Jazz made the final move, staving off a late push thanks to Jusuf Nurkić’s go-ahead follow with just 0.6 ticks left, overcoming Jaylen Brown’s 36 points to snap a three-game skid. | Recap
- Center Stage: Nurkić’s second career game-winner in the final 10 seconds punctuated a double-double (11 pts, 11 reb), while Keyonte George led Utah with 31 points
- “That’s who we have to be,” said Jazz coach Will Hardy postgame. “We’re going to have to win ugly. We’re going to have to win close. We’re going to have to have a lot of people have moments.”
2. EAST DUBS: HOUSTON & DETROIT STAY HOT, KAT MAKES HISTORY, MIAMI WINS
The Rockets are on the rise – just ask Amen Thompson.
Rockets 110, Mavericks 102: Thompson put his hangtime – and his game – on full display with a team-high 27 points, while Alperen Sengun (26 pts, 11 reb, 6 ast) and Kevin Durant (21 pts, 5 ast) combined for 47 to lead Houston past Dallas, marking the Rockets’ fourth straight dub. | Recap
- Cooking With Gas: After its 0-2 start, Houston is averaging an NBA-best 128.5 points in its last four games
- Mavs Shine: P.J. Washington paced Dallas (29 pts, 12 reb), while Cooper Flagg added 12 points and 5 boards
Careful: Detroit’s engine is also revving.
Pistons 114, Grizzlies 106: With Jaren Jackson Jr. (21 pts) and the Grizz roaring back from 21 down, Cade Cunningham dropped 19 of his 33 points in the 4th quarter to hold on for the Pistons’ third win in a row, improving to 5-2. | Recap
- Do-It-All Detroit: Cunningham, who has the second-most assists this season (67) — behind only Nikola Jokić (68) — added 8 dimes and 5 boards, while Isaiah Stewart posted a monster double-double (26 pts, 14 reb)
- “He’s a bad man, and that’s it,” said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff on Cunningham. “When it’s winning time, you gotta have a guy like that on your team.”
Knicks 119, Wizards 102: Karl-Anthony Towns erupted for 33 points, 13 boards and 5 assists as the Knicks outscored the Wizards 41-24 in the 3rd to take control, rolling to their second win in two days. | Recap
- KAT 🤝 Dirk: Amid the performance, Towns (29y, 353d) became the youngest player ever to total 15K points, 7K rebounds and 1K 3s, surpassing Dirk Nowitzki (30y, 258d)
Heat 120, Clippers 119: One game after hitting a walk-off winner at the buzzer, Kawhi Leonard had a chance to do it again, but his potential go-ahead 3 just missed as time expired, and the Heat survived in LA to halt a two-game slide. | Recap
- Stars Shine: Bam Adebayo powered Miami (25 pts, 10 reb), while Leonard (27 pts, 4 ast, 4 stl) and James Harden (29 pts, 7 reb, 8 ast) led the Clips in a game that saw 18 lead changes
3. BEST OUT WEST: ANOTHER JOKIĆ ACE, LAKERS STAY HOT, WOLVES WIN
In a matchup of all-around greatness, two former Kia MVPs traded buckets. But it was the Joker who got the last laugh.
Nuggets 130, Kings 124: The triple-double king nearly added another as Russell Westbrook went off (26 pts, 12 reb, 6 ast), but Nikola Jokić was too much, pouring in a season-high 34 points on 14-of-22 shooting along with 7 boards and 14 dimes to lead Denver to its fourth dub. | Recap
- Pure Jokić: The Joker added 4 steals and 2 blocks, becoming the first player to post such a statline since Giannis in 2016 and the 11th since steals were first tracked in 1973-74
- Efficient Excellence: Denver has topped 130+ points an NBA-best three times this season, with Jokić averaging 22.7 pts, 13.2 reb and 11.3 ast on a ridiculous 60.2% shooting
Lakers 123, Blazers 115: With Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves out, Deandre Ayton (29 pts, 10 reb) and Rui Hachimura (28 pts) shined, helping the Lakers flip a 13-point deficit in the 2nd quarter into a 14-point win – their fourth in a row. | Recap
Wolves 125, Nets 109: Julius Randle notched his first triple-double with the Wolves (19 pts, 11 reb, 10 ast), while Donte DiVincenzo (25), Jaden McDaniels (22) and Naz Reid (21) combined for 68 points to steer Minnesota past Brooklyn. | Recap
4. COAST 2 COAST TUESDAY: OKC EYES 8-0 START, ORLANDO & ATLANTA REMATCH
Sixty-eight wins. The NBA’s best record. An unprecedented +12.9 point differential. And an NBA championship.
The Thunder were a buzzsaw last season, smashing record after record en route to a title. But even that championship team didn’t start 8-0.
In the second game of NBC’s Coast 2 Coast Tuesday (8 pm PT, NBC/Peacock), they’ll look to do just that – a mark they’ve never achieved in the OKC era – as they face the Clippers.
- “Personnel in the room hasn’t really changed much,” said Shai Gilgeous-Alexander on Sunday about this year’s squad. “But we’ve had a year to get better, play together, learn each other on and off the court…
- “We’re dealing with some injuries … but because we’ve gotten better 1 through 15 … we’re able to plug and play … so we’re definitely a better team than we were a year ago.”
OKC’s ‘1’ is No. 2. And tonight he’s going for his 80th consecutive 20+ point game, which would surpass Oscar Robertson for the third-longest streak in NBA history, while trailing only Wilt Chamberlain (126 in 1961-63 and 92 in ’63-64).
The last time SGA didn’t score 20? Over a year ago, on Oct. 30, 2024.
Since then, he’s:
- Won a scoring title, Kia MVP, Finals MVP and championship
- Earned First-Team All-NBA, All-Star and West Finals MVP honors
- Recorded all five of his career 50-point games
- Led the league with 54 30+ point games and 14 40+ point games
- Shot 52.5% from the field – No. 1 among guards
Winning Formula: While SGA’s currently averaging more ppg (33.6) than his career-best from last season (32.7), OKC’s defense has been just as strong, ranking first in DefRtg and opponent field goal percentage.
- Fresh Face: Sophomore guard Ajay Mitchell, stepping in for the injured Jalen Williams, is stepping up everywhere else
- Plug, Play, Ignite: Mitchell doesn’t just rank third on the team in scoring (17.3 ppg) – he’s also emerging as yet another defensive stalwart for OKC, holding his opponents to 13-of-51 shooting (25.5%)
- Lockdown: That’s the best defensive field goal percentage among players to contest at least 50 shots this season
- His Next Test? A potential matchup with James Harden (23 pts, 9 ast), who entered Monday ranking third in total iso points this season (36)
Magic at Hawks (8 ET, NBC/Peacock): Before OKC and LA square off, the Magic visit the Hawks, with Orlando seeking its third straight win in response to a four-game skid.
- Locking In: After finishing first in points allowed last season, Orlando’s bounce-back starts its defense, which is allowing 100.5 ppg in its last two games
- Paolo & Franz: The star duo has powered the Magic offensively, leading the NBA with five games of each scoring 20+
- Jalen’s Jump: After a career year was cut short last season due to injury, Jalen Johnson has powered Atlanta with Trae Young out, averaging 21.2 pts, 9 reb and 5 ast on 58.4% shooting
- Run It Back: These two met on Oct. 24 – a 111-107 Hawks win in Orlando – setting the stage for an early rematch with both squads looking to move to 4-4
5. ON LEAGUE PASS: MAXEY MEETS GIDDEY IN BATTLE ATOP THE EAST
Every season, new stars emerge, while others make an even greater leap – from playing at an All-Star level to that of a Kia MVP.
Tyrese Maxey and Josh Giddey are doing the latter in real time.
Tonight on NBA League Pass (8 ET), the two stars go head-to-head as the Sixers visit the Bulls in a matchup between the East’s top two teams.
- “The biggest thing that I’m trying to accomplish is – be the standard,” said Maxey at Media Day on his goals this season. “This is who we are every single day…
- “When you see ‘Philadelphia 76ers’ this is what you see … that team every single night.”
Maxey’s embodied that message night after night.
He joins Allen Iverson (2005-06) as the only Sixers to open a season with six consecutive 25+ point games, and he’s just the fifth player in league history with six consecutive games with 25+ points and 5+ assists.
- The Four Others? Luka Dončić (‘22-23), James Harden (‘16-17), Iverson (‘05-06) and Nate Archibald (‘72-73)
- Clutch Certified: Maxey’s also stepping up in big-time moments. Three of Philly’s five wins have been decided by 5 points or less – the most in the NBA
- Leading The Charge? Maxey, who ranks first in total combined 4th quarter and overtime points (71)
- Young Buckets: Coinciding with his leap is the emergence of rookie VJ Edgecombe (20.3 ppg) and fifth-year guard Quentin Grimes (18.2), giving Philly three guards 25 or younger averaging 18+ points
- The Result: The Sixers boast the league’s top offense (125.7 ppg) and are one win shy of just their fourth 6-1 start in 40 years
Like Maxey, Giddey has elevated both his game and his team, posting career-highs in every major statistical category (22 pts, 9.3 reb, 8.7 ast) while leading Chicago to a 5-1 start.
- Windy City Flow: Chicago leads the NBA in assists (30.2), ranks 3rd in 3-point percentage (40.7) and is on track for a franchise-best 121.7 ppg
- Orchestrator: That starts with Giddey, leading the team in dimes, while averaging the third-most passes per game in the NBA
- Elite Company: The only other players averaging 22/9/8 this season? Luka and Jokić
- “There’s nothing I don’t think he physically cannot do,” said Bulls coach Billy Donovan on Giddey last Friday. “He can do everything.”
- Battle For 1: Tonight, he’ll face Maxey as Chicago and Philly square off for sole possession of first place
Three more games get underway tonight on League Pass, beginning with Giannis and the Bucks seeking their second win in two days as they face the Raptors (7:30 ET).
- Hornets at Pelicans (8 ET)
- Suns at Warriors (10 ET)
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