Kia MVP candidates were everywhere Saturday, doing what they do best.
Including another smooth 30 from Shai — this time with a little history added.
Nov. 16, 2025
Luka Magic: Back-to-backs, Bucks and MVP competition can’t stop him
West’s Best: Shai sparks OKC to its 13th dub, Jokić & Nuggets extend win streak to 7
East Climb: Spida delivers down the stretch, Raptors remain red-hot
Strength vs. Strength: Houston’s sizzling offense meets Orlando’s elite defense
Heat Check: Curry aims to extend scoring streak, and six more Sunday tips
A full afternoon of action…
Seven-plus hours of hoops get underway today on League Pass, beginning with James Harden and the Clippers visiting Jaylen Brown and the Celtics (3:30 ET | Tap to Watch).
New Coach In NOLA: The Pelicans have relieved Willie Green of coaching duties 12 games into his fifth season and named James Borrego interim head coach.
Jeff Haynes/NBAE via Getty Images
In a matchup of two top-3 scorers on historic runs, Luka Magic was all gas, no brakes.
Lakers 119, Bucks 95: Dončić poured in 41 points to outduel fellow Kia MVP candidate Giannis Antetokounmpo (32 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast) as the Lakers never trailed by more than one for their eighth win in their last 10 games. | Recap
- Early Explosion: After scoring 20 in the 1st half on Friday, Dončić erupted out of the gates again, dropping 21 points and 5 dimes before the break to build the Lakers a 65-34 lead
- Giannis Responds: But Antetokounmpo wouldn’t go away, taking over the 3rd quarter with 15 points and 5 assists to fuel a 15-0 Milwaukee run
- Dončić Delivers: Combatting the takeover? Luka, who matched him with 15 in the 3rd before slamming the door in the 4th with the help of Austin Reaves (25 pts, 6 reb, 8 ast)
- Complete Win: Deandre Ayton (20 pts, 10 reb) logged his second straight 20-point double-double while the Lakers held the Bucks to 40% from the field, improving to 10-4
Early-Season Magic: Through 10 games this season, Luka now has four 40-pieces – more than any other player in the NBA – while averaging an NBA-best 34.4 ppg.
- Quick 50: Saturday marked Dončić’s 50th career 40+ point game, making him the fourth-fastest player in NBA history to reach the mark
- Legendary Company: The only three players to beat him there? Wilt Chamberlain, Michael Jordan and Bob McAdoo
- Legendary Luka: But only one player has tallied 340+ points, 80+ rebounds and 80+ assists in his first 10 games of a season: Luka Dončić – once in 2022-23, and again this year (344/89/89)
2. ROLLING WEST: SHAI’S THUNDER, JOKER’S NUGGETS STAY HOT
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Make that five straight wins for OKC since their lone loss, and a historically great interconference streak.
Thunder 109, Hornets 96: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (33 pts, 7 ast) collected his league-best 12th 30-point game this season as OKC never trailed in the 2nd half on the way to its league-leading 13th win. | Recap
- Thunder Greats: SGA’s 190th 30+ point game with OKC passed Russell Westbrook for 2nd-most in franchise history. He now trails only KD
- A Steady 30: In his 6+ seasons in OKC, Gilgeous-Alexander has recorded 30+ points in 48.2% of his games
- Unmatched Pace: SGA reached 30 in under 30 minutes played for the 7th time this season, matching his total for each of the last two seasons
- The record for most such games in a season? Nine, from Giannis (2019-20)
The win is OKC’s 22nd straight against the East in the regular season, extending the NBA’s longest interconference win streak ever.
- Piling Points: Chet Holmgren (25 pts, 8 reb) backed up SGA’s offense, while Ajay Mitchell (14 pts, 6 reb) matched his total points from last season (234) in 22 fewer games
- Locking Down: OKC’s top-ranked defense (102.8) held Charlotte to just 18 points in the 3rd quarter, allowing the Thunder to separate by as many as 20
While OKC owns the league’s best record, the longest win streak out West belongs to the team right behind it – the 2nd-place Nuggets.
Nuggets 123, Wolves 112: Nikola Jokić tallied his NBA-best 7th triple-double of the season (27 pts, 12 reb, 11 ast), while Jamal Murray, Aaron Gordon and Tim Hardaway Jr. all added 20+ to power Denver past Minnesota late, marking the Nuggets’ seventh straight win. | Recap
- Turning The Page: Denver hasn’t lost since Oct. 31, averaging 124.7 ppg in November while topping 120 points in six of its seven games
- Joker’s Wild: In that same span, Jokić is averaging 34.6 points, 12.0 rebounds and 11.0 assists
- Class Of His Own: The only other player in NBA history to tally seven straight triple-doubles in the first 12 games of a season? Jokić, last year
3. STAYING POWER: CAVS, RAPTORS CONTINUE EAST CLIMB
Last Saturday in Chicago, the Cavs trailed by 16 at halftime before Donovan Mitchell scored 26 2nd-half points to lead Cleveland to its largest comeback of the season.
Last night, he did it again.
Cavaliers 108, Grizzlies 100: The league leader in 2nd-half points came through again as Spida scored 14 of his 30 points in a four-minute span in the 4th to help Cleveland storm back. | Recap
- Win Creator: Mitchell scored or assisted on 18 straight Cavs points in the final 7 minutes, including this De’Andre Hunter dunk to retake the lead
- Comeback Cavs: The 2024-25 Kia DPOY Evan Mobley (22 pts, 13 reb) added 8 pts and 2 blk in the 4th as Cleveland outscored Memphis 32-16
- Grizz Gamers: Jaren Jackson Jr. (26 pts) led Memphis as Ja Morant exited early (calf). Zach Edey had 13 points and 7 rebounds in his season debut
After a 1-4 start, the Raptors stand just a half-game back of 2nd in the East.
Raptors 129, Pacers 111: Jakob Poeltl and RJ Barrett each scored 22 and Brandon Ingram added 19 as Toronto topped Pascal Siakam (30 pts) and Indy for its third straight win and seventh in eight games. | Recap
- Dino Strength: Toronto’s 78 points in the paint (+40) gives it two of the three best interior scoring games of the season. It’s the only team to top 75 points in the paint twice this season
- Barnes In The Books: Scottie Barnes (14 pts, 11 reb, 6 ast) topped 5,000 career points, becoming the first Raptor in franchise history to reach 5K points, 2K rebounds, and 1K assists by age 24
4. TONIGHT ON LEAGUE PASS: SURGING SQUADS COLLIDE
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One team is 8-1 in its last nine games, fueled by one of the game’s most prolific offenses.
The other is 6-2 in its last eight, anchored by one of the NBA’s stingiest defenses.
Tonight (7 ET, LP), the Rockets and Magic clash in a matchup of strength versus strength – each seeking its fourth straight win.
Houston Heater: Amid their 8-1 stretch, the Rockets have poured in an NBA-best 127.2 ppg – the 2nd-highest nine-game scoring clip in franchise history.
63.7 of those points have come from Kevin Durant (24.0), Alperen Sengun (21.1) and Amen Thompson (18.6) – all shooting 50% or better amid the run.
- KD Catalyst: Houston’s scoring centers around Durant, who entered Saturday with the 10th most isolation points in the NBA this season
- His Office? The midrange, where he’s scored 23.2% of his points – the 4th-most of any player
Durant is shooting 50.8% from the midrange on 5.8 FGA per game. The last time he didn’t shoot over 50% off middies? 2017-18, when he went 49.4%.
Durant’s isolation scoring doesn’t just stabilize the Rockets – it opens the floor for their young talent, with five other players, all 25 or younger – Sengun, Thompson, Jabari Smith Jr. (14.9), Reed Sheppard (12.3) and Tari Eason (11.5, now injured) – averaging double figures this season.
- The Connector: With KD demanding attention as a scorer, Sengun has thrived as a playmaker, averaging a career-best in points (22.4) and assists (7.4)
- His Favorite Target? Thompson (17.7 ppg), who’s scored on 19 assists from Sengun – the most of any Rocket – and leads the league in points off cuts
KD draws the double and hits a slipping Sengun, who immediately finds a cutting Thompson. He outjumps Ja for the catch and goes right back up for the and-1.
Defensive DNA: After allowing the fewest points last season, Orlando’s defense has fueled its 6-2 stretch, giving up just 108.3 ppg in that span. The formula is simple: Nothing easy and nothing extra.
- Winning Ways: Orlando ranks 2nd in contested 2-point shots and 7th in defensive rebounds, a combination that chokes off high-percentage looks and limits possessions
Anthony Black fights through the screen to cut off Chicago’s P&R action. A weakside give-and-go leaves Orlando beat, but Tristan da Silva erases it with a perfectly timed rotation before Wendell Carter Jr. swoops in for the board.
Orlando’s discipline is even more crucial tonight, as Houston leads the league in offensive rebounds, resulting in an NBA-best 20.5 second-chance ppg.
Which team will impose its identity to extend its win streak?
5. STEPH’S SCORING SHOW MOVES TO NOLA, AND 6 MORE GAMES
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Four NBA championships, two Kia MVPs and the all-time 3-point crown. The NBA’s highest career free-throw percentage came in handy last time out, too…
Tonight, Steph Curry chases a new first.
Warriors at Pelicans (7 ET): Curry laces up with a chance to add to his historic 45+ point scoring run, as the Warriors’ six-game roadshow (2-1) moves on to New Orleans on League Pass.
- BIG In Texas: A top-10 scorer this season, Curry leads everybody over the last two games (47.5 ppg) after 46 and 49-point extravaganzas over a 3-night stop in San Antonio (2-0)
- 40+ Club: One of the game’s greatest scorers, Steph has logged the 3rd-most 40+ point games (74) among active players – behind LeBron (79) and James Harden (106) – and 4th-most since 2020-21
- New Heights: But he’s never netted three straight 45+ point games, a feat only five players have achieved since 1990
Will we see another splash into the history books? “You always have a chance when Steph is on your team,” said Jimmy Butler III.
- Feeling The Splash: Butler himself has expanded his role alongside Steph since arriving in the Bay, improving his scoring from 17.0 to 19.2 ppg, including 28- and 21-point outings in his last two games
- New Equation: Butler and Steph (29.1 ppg) combine for 42.0% of Golden State’s scoring (115.1 ppg) while Draymond Green (105.7 DefRtg) anchors the league’s 8th best defense (112.4)
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The Pelicans look to end a four-game skid and embark on a fresh start under new head coach James Borrego, who had served as associate head coach since 2023.
- Fresh Legs: In their last 5 games, rookies Derik Queen (14.2 ppg, 7.0 reb, 4.0 ast) and Jeremiah Fears (16.0 ppg, 2.8 stl) have stepped up with Zion Williamson and Jordan Poole out
- Give & Take: Fears has the second-most points (173) for New Orleans this season, behind Trey Murphy III, while also leading the team in steals (24), including 7 on Friday
In San Antonio, Wemby and the Spurs look to bounce back as they host De’Aaron Fox’s former team, the Kings (4 ET).
In Boston, Jaylen Brown and the Celtics lock up with James Harden and the Clippers (3:30 ET), opening today’s slate on League Pass.
- Nets at Wizards (6 ET)
- Blazers at Mavericks (7:30 ET)
- Hawks at Suns (8 ET)
- Bulls at Jazz (8 ET)
