Starting 5 Daily Newsletter

NBA Starting 5, Nov. 19: How’d Chet Holmgren make that?

The rook gets an early iconic moment against the Warriors, as he and SGA combine for 76 to win in OT. Giannis, Wemby make history. KAT comes up clutch.

November 18, 2023 3:27 PM

Friday had 11 games. Saturday, just six.

Slower night, right?

Not in this league. 🔥

THE LINEUP 🏀

Sunday morning must-see
Chet, SGA & OKC win in OT
Giannis, star duos shine
KAT clutch, Wemby historic
Sunday preview

📺 Suns-Jazz, 8 ET, NBA TV

📱 8 more games in NBA App

🏆 Tournament Returns Tuesday

SUNDAY MORNING MUST-SEE 👀

Late Winners

Chet Ties It, OKC Wins It: The star rookie splashed a long turnaround as time expired to send it into OT, setting up an OT win over the Dubs

KAT Comes Up Clutch: Towns hit a one-handed runner with 5.2 left to cap a comeback win for the red-hot Wolves

Giannis Ices It: Turn the volume up on this video of Giannis hitting a silky pull-up to cap the Bucks rally and reach 40 points – then have a great reaction with his team.

Master Of The Midrange: DeMar DeRozan put the Bulls up for good after coming back from 21 down

Stories To Know

Chet In KD’s Class: Holmgren became the second rookie in Thunder/Sonics franchise history with a 35-pt, 10-reb, 5-ast line. The other was Kevin Durant. (More below on Chet ⬇️)
Giannis became the youngest player ever with 16,000 points, 7,000 rebounds and 3,000 assists, passing Kevin Garnett. He turns 29 on Dec. 6.
Timberwolves Tied For Ist: This is the first time the Wolves have been 1st or tied for 1st in the West through their 12th game
History for Wemby: Victor Wembanyama became the fourth Spur ever with 15+ pts, 10+ reb and 8+ blks in a game, joining David Robinson, Tim Duncan and Artis Gilmore

Moments To See

Steph’s No-Look 3: A classic from The Chef.
Get Up Young Man: Watch how wildly high LaMelo puts this ball on this three-quarter-court alley-oop to Brandon Miller
POV, You’re Giannis & You Want That Ball: Track the Greek Freak as he chases down a fast break from the far 3-point line for a massive swat. Get the best angle
Creativity From Kyrie: How do you describe this bucket from Uncle Drew?
Wemby, Making Hard Things Look Easy: The No. 1 pick follows up his miss by cutting into the lane and throwing down a poster alley-oop. While barely jumping
The Worm Pulls Up: Dennis Rodman was in Chicago, to the delight of Bulls fans wearing – what else — a picture of The Worm himself
Yes, I’m Mic’d Up Bro: Jaylin Williams told him. Josh Giddey just wasn’t having it. 😂

CHET, SGA COMBINE FOR 76 AS THUNDER BEAT DUBS IN OT ⚡

🏀 Thunder 130, Warriors 123 (OT)
▶️ Recap | OKC 9-4, GSW 6-8

Talk about a statement.

Four years ago, Chet Holmgren was at one of Steph Curry’s camps as a rising junior in high school.

On Saturday night, the Thunder rookie poured in a career-high 36 points – including a game-tying, buzzer-beating three to send the game into OT – as OKC dropped Golden State, 130-123 in OT.

An Epic Finish: Andrew Wiggins hit what looked to be a game-winner with 1.6 left. Then Chet drilled a turnaround from 24 feet and OKC surged in OT. You know what … you can read about it. Or you can watch it. Tap here to do that.
SGA A-OK: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has turned into one of the league’s elite talents. On Saturday, the NBA’s fifth leading scorer took over. Putting up 40 for the second time this year, he added six dimes, six boards and two steals
Future’s Bright: SGA and Chet became first Thunder duo with 35+ in a game at the age of 25 or younger since KD (37) and Russell Westbrook (36) on Jan. 20, 2013

Wiggins Gets It Going: Hot-handed Andrew Wiggins put up a team-high 31 for the shorthanded Dubs – his first 30-pt game since 2022.

Curry Streak Continues: Curry’s 25 saw him hit five 3’s, extending his record season-opening streak of 4+ treys to 12 games

FOUR SUPERSTARS WALK INTO A GAME… ✨

🏀 Bucks 132, Mavs 125
▶️ Recap | MIL 9-4, DAL 6-8

26 All-Stars. 21 All-NBA selections. Across four players.

Saturday night in Milwaukee showcased four of the biggest stars in the game, when Giannis Antetokounmpo & Damian Lillard’s Bucks hosted Luka Doncic & Kyrie Irving’s Mavs. (

See ‘em all walk onto the floor in a cool edit)
The results, in a 132-125 Milwaukee comeback win, were electric.

Quartet Combines For 141: Giannis had 40 with 15 reb, Lillard had 27 and 12 assists. Kyrie and Luka combined for 74, including a season-high 39 from Kyrie – the second time the Mavs duo has had 35+ in the same game
Bucks Erase Late Lead: Down 11 in the fourth, Milwaukee caught fire, with (who else) Giannis and Dame combining for 25 in the period. Giannis went 6-for-6 with six rebounds. Watch the wild fourth here
KG Was A Giannis Idol: ‘Two of the guys I really relate to, and I can see the fire in their eyes, was Kobe and KG.’ In honor of Giannis passing KG, go back in time to see Garnett teaching Giannis and the young Bucks about his warrior mentality

KAT CLUTCH, WEMBY MAKES HISTORY AGAIN 🤯

🏀 Timberwolves 121, Pelicans 120
▶️ Recap | MIN 9-3, NOP 6-7

Comeback: The Wolves trailed 108-94 with 8:04 remaining, then went on a 25-9 run over the next 7:30 to go up 119-117. After falling behind 120-119, Towns hit his floater to send Minnesota to its eighth win in nine games. Watch the whole finish here
KAT Claws Back: Towns had 12 in the fourth his two late buckets, and a team-high 29. Brandon Ingram had 30, including the bucket to momentarily put the Pels up late
Jonas Valanciunas posted his 38th 20-point, 10-rebound with the Pelicans, passing DeMarcus Cousins for third in franchise history. Anthony Davis (222) and David West (75) are first & second

🏀 Bulls 102, Heat 97
▶️ Recap | CHI 5-9, MIA 8-5

Heat Win Streak Stops At 7: Miami led by as many as 21, but the Bulls used a 22-10 run in the final 6:39 of the fourth to end the NBA’s longest win streak. Longest now? The Celtics and Kings, at five
DeRozan Powers Run: DeMar scored 12 of his team-high 23 in the fourth. Jimmy Butler (25 pts) and Bam Adebayo (24 & 10) led for Miami

🏀 Knicks 122, Hornets 108
▶️ Recap | NYK 8-5, CHA 3-9

Big Night For Nova: Jalen Brunson dropped 32, while his college teammate Donte DiVincenzo notched career-highs in points (25) and threes (7), in the first time this season that 2+ of the ‘Nova Knicks’ scored 20 or more
No. 2 Pick’s Career-High: Brandon Miller scored 29, the most of his young career, while LaMelo Ball’s 34 points included a career-high-tying eight treys. Melo’s the first Hornet to record 25+ points, 5+ rebounds and 5+ assists in five straight games

🏀 Grizzlies 120, Spurs 108
▶️ Recap | MEM 3-9, SAS 3-10

Grizzlies Core Comes Through: With injuries rocking the Memphis roster, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Desmond Bane combined for 53 points, to give the Grizz their third win of the year
Wemby x Big Fundamental: Victor Wembanyama’s line of 19 points, 13 rebounds and 8 blocks made him the first Spurs rookie since Duncan in 1997 to go 15-10-8

SUNS TRY TO SWEEP JAZZ ON NINE-GAME SUNDAY ☀️

The Thunder just defeated the Warriors in San Francisco for the second time in three days.

There’s an early-season pattern brewing here to keep an eye on
OKC became the fourth road team to sweep a newer series type, where teams play consecutive games in the same city

Here’s the full rundown on the eight series that have been played this season: