Starting 5 Daily Newsletter

NBA Starting 5, Nov. 7: Absolutely Monster Nights From MVPs

Joel Embiid scores 48 in 3 quarters, Nikola Jokic makes history and Anthony Edwards dominates in an OT win vs. Boston.

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THE LINEUP ✅

  1. Huge nights from Embiid, Joker 
  2. Ant-Man, Wolves give Celtics their 1st loss
  3. Fantastic Finishes: MIL, MIA win
  4. Last night in under 1:00
  5. Election Day in the U.S.

🏀 No games tonight

☑️ Visit nba.com/elections for voting resources


  1. HISTORIC NIGHTS FOR LAST TWO KIA MVPS 🏆

Nikola Jokic and Joel Embiid have finished 1-2 in the Kia NBA MVP voting in each of the past three years. 

On Monday, they made their case to be frontrunners again.

🔔 Sixers 146, Wizards 128

Embiid was simply unguardable, putting up 48 points on 17-25 shooting in 31 minutes as the Sixers improved to 5-1.

He rewrote the record books in one of the most brilliant performances of his career:

  • Scored 29 points on 10-10 shooting in the 3rd quarter, joining LeBron James (10-10, 4/1/2008) and Klay Thompson (13-13, 1/23/2015) as the only players since 1997-98 to shoot 10-for-10 or better in a quarter
  • Recorded his sixth 45-point, 10-rebound, 5-assist game, passing Wilt Chamberlain for most in Sixers history
  • Joined Donovan Mitchell at the top of the league in scoring (32.5 ppg) as he pursues his third-straight scoring title

⚒️ Nuggets 134, Pelicans 116

Jokic made history himself on Monday, as he recorded his 108th career triple-double (with a 35 pts, 14 reb, 12 ast masterclass) to break a tie with LeBron James and Jason Kidd for fourth place all-time.

  • Trailing 71-59 at the half, Denver outscored New Orleans 75-45 in the second half to improve to 7-1
  • Jokic’s triple-doubles have increased in each of his first eight seasons, peaking at 29 last season. With three in his first eight games, he’s on pace to do it again

The Joker is one of two players this season to average at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. The other? Embiid.


  1. EDWARDS, WOLVES HAND CELTICS THEIR FIRST LOSS

🐺 T-Wolves 114, Celtics 109 (OT)

Monday night was a prime example of why NBA GMs touted Anthony Edwards as the player most likely to have a breakout season.

  • Facing the NBA’s last undefeated team, Edwards put the Wolves on his back in the fourth quarter and OT – scoring 13 of his game-high 38 points – to hand Boston its first loss and push Minnesota to 4-2
  • During his summer with Team USA, Edwards earned “The Guy” status from coach Steve Kerr. Watching tonight’s finish in Minnesota – with back-to-back-to-back clutch buckets in OT – shows that status has carried over to the season
  • Watch the entire final two minutes of regulation and all of OT of this fantastic finish

This wasn’t just a one-night thing for the Ant-Man. Take a look at his last four games:

  • Nov. 6 vs Celtics: 38 PTS, 60% FG
  • Nov. 4 vs Jazz: 31 PTS, 68% FG
  • Nov. 1 vs. Nuggets: 24 PTS, 50% FG
  • Oct. 30 at Hawks: 31 PTS, 62% FG

Jayson Tatum (32 points, five rebounds, five steals) and Jaylen Brown (26 points, including a poster dunk) combined for 58 for the Celtics, who are now tied with Philadelphia at the top of the East at 5-1.


  1. MORE FANTASTIC FINISHES: BUCKS, HEAT GET CLUTCH WINS

🦌 Bucks 129, Nets 125

Giannis Antetokounmpo had 36 points and 12 boards while Damian Lillard added 21 points and seven assists as the Bucks withstood a furious fourth-quarter rally from the Nets in Brooklyn to get a win and improve to 4-2.

🔥 Heat 108, Lakers 107

Bam Adebayo posted the first 20/20 triple-double in Heat franchise history as Miami edged out the Lakers in a rematch of the 2020 Finals.

  • Adebayo finished with 22 points, 20 boards and 10 dimes, while Miami also got 20+ points from Jimmy Butler (28) and Tyler Herro (22)
  • LeBron James scored 13 of his game-high 30 points in the fourth quarter, but a potential go-ahead bucket in the final two minutes ended with a very Heat Culture play — a charge taken by Kyle Lowry
  • Austin Reaves fell one assist shy of his second career triple-double, but got two points and one board with this putback jam

  1. FAST BREAK: LAST NIGHT IN UNDER 1:00

The Pacers tied a franchise record with 152 points to send Rick Carlisle to his 900th coaching win, after giving up 155 six days ago. Must-see: this Isaiah Jackson block on Wemby

🌉 Warriors 120, Pistons 109

Stephen Curry (34 pts) hit four first-quarter 3-pointers, giving him 4+ 3PM in all eight games so far — breaking his own season-opening record of seven such games (2018-19)

🐴 Mavericks 117, Magic 102

NBA’s 3rd leading scorer Luka Doncic dropped 29 pts with 6 ast (including this thru the legs dime) to send the Mavs to their best start  since 2004-05, at 6-1

🗽 Knicks 111, Clippers 97

Julius Randle had a season-high 27 pts with 10 boards to spoil James Harden’s Clippers debut (here’s his 1st bucket) and reunion with Russ

🐂 Bulls 130, Jazz 113

Zach LaVine (24 pts) led eight Bulls in double-figures, while Andre Drummond reached 10,000 rebounds in the fourth-fewest games (793) since the ABA-NBA merger (1976-77)

🚀 Rockets 122, Kings 97

Three straight wins for Houston, led by Jalen Green’s 23 points and punctuated by this Dillon Brooks poster

⛈️ Thunder 126, Hawks 117

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had it going, with 30 pts on 55% shooting, while Chet Holmgren added 16 pts, 12 boards, 3 blocks and this nice coast-to-coast behind-the-back dime


  1. ELECTION DAY: NO GAMES TONIGHT

Building upon the League’s history of supporting voter access, and to create maximum flexibility for the NBA community to exercise their civic duty, no games will be played today — Election Day in the United States.

Live in the U.S.?

  • Visit NBA.com/Elections to confirm if there are elections in your state or locality, check voter registration status, locate your polling place, learn who’s on the ballot and see how NBA teams are using their local platforms to encourage voting

This season, NBA players, teams, and the League will continue to leverage their platforms to bolster awareness and education for the elections in November through in-game and community messaging, events, and support.

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