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Nightly Pulse: NBA News & Highlights from Dec. 5

Stay in the know on tonight's NBA action as we keep you updated with the latest news and happenings around the league.

NBA.com Staff

8-game slate Thursday🏀🏀

The Thunder and Cavaliers showcased their greatness, while the Rockets, Grizzlies, and shorthanded Warriors scrapped in tight games:

⭐⭐TOP PERFORMERS⭐⭐

  1. Nikola Vučević: 39 points (16-22 FG), eight rebounds, five assists, one steal
  2. Nikola Jokić: 27 points (13-26 FG), 20 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals
  3. Ayo Dosunmu: 27 points (9-13 FG), 10 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals
  4. Karl-Anthony Towns: 27 points (9-15 FG), 16 rebounds, two assists, two blocks
  5. Jonathan Kuminga: 33 points (13-22 FG), six rebounds, two assists, one block

Top Storylines👉📝

  1. Cleveland’s masterclass season continues, playing selfness basketball with hot shooting. The Cavaliers become the first team in the league to reach 20 wins.
  2. Brandon Miller’s trajectory continues rising. The 22-year-old is averaging 28.0 points and 6.2 rebounds across his last nine games. Miller and oft-injured center Mark Williams showed flashes of chemistry in Thursday’s defeat, which represented William’s first game action since Dec. 8, 2023.
  3. Dallas moves to 10-1 across their last 11 games as Luka Dončić records his first triple-double of the season and Daniel Gafford got a revenge game against the Wizards.

History for Jokić👑👑

Nikola Jokić moves into 3rd place for all-time triple-doubles, passing Magic Johnson. He stands 42 triple-doubles behind Oscar Robinson. Jokić and teammate Russell Westbrook now combine for 339 triple-doubles in their illustrious careers.

Kuminga seals win, sets career high 

Jonathan Kuminga stepped up without Stephen Curry (ankle management) and Draymond Green (calf), delivering a career-high 33 points including the game-clinching bucket in the final minute.

With Thursday’s 99-93 win, Golden State has now won 15 consecutive regular-season games against the Rockets. Kuminga and Andrew Wiggins (23 points, 8-15 FG) represented the only Warriors to exceed eight points in a rock-fight, defensively-oriented affair.

Neither team exceeded 10 made threes or 10 turnovers, symbolizing a gritty battle. The Rockets played through Alperen Sengun in the fourth quarter, with the big man accounting for 12 of his 16 points in the final frame. Jalen Green (14 points, 4-16 FG) had costly turnovers and could not convert contested drives down the stretch. Fred VanVleet (13 points, 5-16 FG) also struggled to hit shots in Q4. Dillon Brooks chipped in 15 points (6-13 FG).

Wiggins knock-down😤😤

Andrew Wiggins is unfazed by two illegal closeouts, hitting tough shots, plus the foul, to account for eight of his 18 points midway through the third quarter.

Ja Morant ejected, Grizzlies persevere

With Morant lacking rhythm (eight points, 2-13 FG) in an abridged showing, seven players scored between 10 and 18 points for the Grizzlies, co-led by Marcus Smart and Desmond Bane. Santi Aldama delivered a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double — representing his seventh double-double across 23 games this season.

DeMar DeRozan posted a game-high 26 points (6-15 FG, 13-14 FT), while Domantas Sabonis finished with 17 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. Malik Monk (23 points) airballed Sacramento’s final possession down 113-110, allowing Memphis to complete a 12-point comeback.

Pelican fly💃🏻🕺🏽

Brandon Ingram led all scorers with 29 points while Herb Jones blocked Devin Booker’s shot at the buzzer to seal New Orleans’ 126-124 victory. 

Ingram (calf) and Jones (shoulder) both returned from extended absences Thursday, representing huge components of New Orleans’ identity returning on both sides of the ball. CJ McCollum (25 points, six assists, zero turnovers) continues as a steady presence as well. Rookie Yves Missi pulled down 12 rebounds and is now averaging 10.7 rebounds across his last six games.

Bradley Beal (24 points, 10-18 FG) provided supplementary production to Booker on a night when Kevin Durant (ankle) and Jusuf Nurkic (thigh) were unavailable.

Vučević booms, Dosunmu triple-double; Bulls win 139-124

Nikola Vučević erupted, finishing one point shy of the fifth 40-point game of his career. Vučević’s 39 points (16-22 FG), eight rebounds and five assists paired with a 27-point, 10-rebound, 11-assist triple-double from Ayo Dosunmu propelled the Bulls to a dominant win. Thursday represents the first triple-double of Dosunmu’s career.

Jeremy Sochan posted his second consecutive double-double since returning from a multi-week absence due to a thumb injury. He has compiled 30 points and 26 rebounds across his last two games.

Keldon Johnson led San Antonio with 28 points (11-17 FG, 1-3 3PM, 5-8 FT), doing almost all of his damage from inside the arc. Johnson ranks in the 62nd percentile league-wide by converting 57.6% of his shots at the rim this season.

🟦🟧 Knicks’ starters dominate 🟧🟦

All but 12 points in New York’s 125-101 victory over Charlotte came from the starting unit. Karl-Anthony Towns boomed for 27 points and 16 rebounds to lead all players in both categories. OG Anunoby (25 points) and Jalen Brunson (24 points) made similar contributions in the scoring column. Mikal Bridges (19 points) and Josh Hart (18 points) rounded out a magnificent night from New York’s top-ranked offense.

The Knicks had just nine turnovers as a team while knocking down 54.5 percent of 33 3PA. Brandon Miller fell just short of delivering his third consecutive 30-point performance, finishing with 26 points (9-19 FG), six rebounds and three assists.

Vasilije Micić (14 points, 12 assists) posted his first double-double of the season and fifth of his NBA career after joining the league last season following multiple EuroLeague MVP awards. 

Wire-to-wire win for OKC

After a 3-3 tie in the opening seconds, Oklahoma City never trailed, defeating Toronto 129-92.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander lead all scorers with 30 points (11-22 FG, 1-10 3PM, 7-8 FT), while 20 points from Jalen Williams and 16 rebounds from Isaiah Hartenstein headlined other key contributions for the Thunder.

RJ Barrett notched a double-double with 17 (5-16 FG) points and 11 rebounds. Scottie Barnes flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 12 points (5-13 FG), 12 rebounds and eight assists.

Oklahoma City committed just six turnovers, compared to 19 for Toronto.

Luka Dončić nets triple-double, Mavericks cruise

Dončić recorded his first triple-double of the season with 21 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists, while Kyrie Irving’s 25 points led the Mavericks in scoring en route to a 137-101 victory over the Wizards.

Dallas had eight players post double-digit scoring and amounted a 42-point lead over the Wizards throughout the second half.

Marvin Bagley and Malcolm Brogdon co-led Washington with 16 points each. Rookie Alex Sarr chipped in 11 points, eight rebounds, one steal and two blocks.

Cleveland sharp in win over Denver

Donovan Mitchell, Darius Garland, Evan Mobley and Caris LeVert each scored at least 20 points while Jarrett Allen racked up 15 rebounds as Cleveland’s core swarmed Nikola Jokić en route to a 126-114 victory.

Jokić (27 points, 20 rebounds, 11 assists, three steals) boomed, but cold shooting from Denver could not keep up with Cleveland’s offense. Cleveland’s ball movement was immaculate, routinely generating open threes as a primary catalyst to move to 20-3 on the season.

Michael Porter compiled 24 points and seven rebounds in a solid co-starring effort for the Nuggets.

BODEGA KAT. BRANDON MILLER NOT DONE YET.

Karl Anthony-Towns’ highlight-filled week continues. The big man gets the transition slam in traffic plus the foul, bringing his total to 15 points and 12 rebounds through Q3.

Earlier in Thursday’s contest, Brandon Miller delivered the Dunk of the Night thus far (88.1 Dunk Score).

Miller’s buzzer-beater to end Q3 is a similarly insane highlight. Remarkable balance and shooting composure from the second-year forward.

🟥🟥🟥🐂🐂🐂

Ayo Dosunmu has 11 points and seven assists to lead all players in both categories. Chicago is out to a controlling 51-35 lead midway through the second quarter. Matas Buzelis is also responsible for a highlight dunk — adding to an impressive repertoire for the rookie.

Julian Champagnie (10 points, 4-7 FG) represents the only Spurs with double-digits points.

Battle Brewing: Jalen Brunson vs. Brandon Miller 

Charlotte leads New York 32-30 at the end of the first quarter, fueled by 16 points from Brandon Miller (6-8 FG), but countered by 19 points from Jalen Brunson (5-6 FG, 5-6 FT).

Cleveland raining in threes🎯🎯

Lightning strikes twice for Caris LeVert, who leads all scorers with 14 points at the beginning of the second quarter. Cleveland holds a 40-27 lead, with transition appearing to be a serious swing factor.

Brandon Ingram back in action

Ingram will return on a minutes restriction after a five-game absence due to a calf injury. Herbert Jones (shoulder) will make his return as well after a multi-week absence. The Pelicans inch closer to full strength, although still without Zion Williamson (hamstring).

Key Storylines for the Night 🍿🍿

  1. An unstoppable force meets an immovable object tonight as Nikola Jokić and Denver travel to take on the Cavaliers. Jokić is averaging 30.1 points, 13.0 rebounds, 10.4 points, 1.7 steals and 52.2% shooting on 4.3 3PA per game. He’s on pace for the best individual offensive rating in NBA history, with Denver improving by 32.7 points per 100 possessions with Jokić on the court. Jarrett Allen, Evan Mobley and the 19-3 Cavaliers present a formidable challenge, however.
  2. Representing the top four teams in the Western Conference thus far, the Thunder, Rockets, Mavericks and Grizzlies each take the court to scrap for another notch in the W column.
  3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Luguentz Dort return to their Canadian homeland to face the Raptors.

Wizards and Cavaliers in City gear

Washington and Cleveland don their 2024 city uniforms. Both looking good in new shades of blue.

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