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Nightly Pulse: NBA news & highlights from Nov. 29

Gear up for today's Emirates NBA Cup action with the latest news, scores and highlights from around the league.

NBA.com Staff

๐Ÿ†Emirates NBA Cup Scores Today ๐Ÿ†

Knicks 99, Hornets 98

Hawks 117, Cavaliers 101

Grizzlies 120, Pelicans 109

Timberwolves 93, Clippers 92

Magic 123, Nets 100

Celtics 138, Bulls 129

Heat 121, Raptors 111

Pistons 130, Pacers 106

Blazers 115, Kings 106

Thunder 101, Lakers 93

๐Ÿ—๏ธ Key Storylines for Friday ๐Ÿ—๏ธ

  • The Atlanta Hawks got the best of the Cleveland Cavaliers again in a matinee matchup down in Atlanta, their second straight victory over the East’s top team in three days. The Hawks had six scorers in double figures, led by Trae Young (21 points, 11 assists), De’Andre Hunter (23 points off the bench) and Jalen Johnson (17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists). Atlanta’s bench outscored Cleveland’s 50-28.
  • The Atlanta Hawks become the first team in the Eastern Conference to punch their ticket to the Knockout Round. Atlanta and Boston both finish 3-1 in group play, but the Hawks win Group C due to their win over the Celtics back on Nov. 12, even though Boston owns the higher point differential (+23).
  • Orlando cruised past Brooklyn 123-100 and are now 3-0 in Emirates NBA Cup Group Play. They lead all teams in point differential by a wide margin at +60. The Magic have won five straight and 11 of their last 12, pushing their record to 14-7 on the year.
  • Oklahoma City kept their NBA Cup hopes alive with a thrilling 101-93 win over the Los Angeles Lakers, giving them a 2-1 record and +18 point differential in West Group B. The Thunder, Phoenix Suns and San Antonio Spurs all sit at 2-1 in group play, so Tuesday’s final slate of NBA Cup games will have a lot on the line.
  • You can see where your team stands after all 10 games have wrapped in the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup standings.

๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ Friday’s Top Performers ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ๐ŸŒŸ

  1. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander: 36 points (13-28 FG, 3-10 3PT, 7-8 FT), six rebounds, nine assists, two steals and a block.
  2. Jayson Tatum: 35 points (12-18 FG, 4-8 3PT, 7-10 FT), 14 rebounds, five assists, a steal and a block.
  3. Nikola Vuฤeviฤ‡: 32 points (11-16 FG, 6-9 3PT), 11 rebounds, three assists and a block.

SGA was clutch down the stretch ๐Ÿ˜ฎโ€๐Ÿ’จ

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander hits the pull-up 3 after a tough and-1 on the previous possession for OKC, scoring 15 of his 36 points in the fourth quarter. He accounted for 80.8% of the Thunder’s points in the final frame (15 points, 2 assists, 6 points created from assists) to give his team the 101-93 victory in LA.

Jalen Williams came up with a steal off the Lakers’ inbounds pass with 22.4 seconds left in the game, sealing the dub to move his squad to 2-1 in West Group B. OKC still has a chance to advance to the Knockout Round when they host the Utah Jazz for the final game of group play on Tuesday.

Knecht brings Lakers within โœŒ

The rookie out of Tennessee has been lights out from distance, knocking down his sixth made 3 of the evening on this beautiful step-back. The defending NBA Cup champion Los Angeles Lakers are clawing back as they trail 92-91 with just under two minutes of game action left.

Simons gets the bank to stay open ๐Ÿ•™

Anfernee Simons stops on a dime and finishes with one hand through contact. Portland shoots 50% from the field (5-13 3PT) in the third quarter, outscoring Sacramento 33-22 in the frame.

The Kings are shooting just 40% from the field through three quarters, as they now trail 89-72 with 10:52 to go in the game. Portland has nearly twice as many points in the paint with a 48-26 advantage.

Dalano Banton has been a menace all over the court tonight, scoring 17 points and swiping a career-high five steals in almost 21 minutes off the bench.

Knecht through two defenders for the poster ๐Ÿคฏ

Are you kidding me, Dalton?! Anthony Davis comes up with the steal and finds Knecht running the floor for the two-handed hammer, landing him at the top of the dunk score leaderboard for the day.

DK4 has been sensational as a rookie for the Lakers this year, whether it’s coming off the bench or stepping into a starting role. He’s got 14 points and four made 3s so far tonight as LA holds a 69-66 edge with just under two minutes to go in the third.

Kenrich at the buzzer! ๐Ÿšจ๐Ÿšจ

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander finds Kenrich Williams for the corner 3 to end the first half, giving OKC a 51-48 lead. SGA has 18 points and seven dimes to lead the Thunder in both categories, while Jalen Williams has chipped in 14 with two made 3s.

LeBron has ten points, six rebounds and five assists to spearhead a balanced attack for the Lakers, including this beautiful tip pass in mid-air to Knecht for the triple. Second half is now live on ESPN.

โœจ Magic win to go 3-0 in Group Play โœจ

Franz Wagner and the Orlando Magic handled business in Brooklyn tonight to secure a fourth straight victory, toppling the Nets by a score of 123-100. Franz posted a near triple-double with 29 points (12-20 FG, 3-6 3PT), eight rebounds and eight assists in 35 minutes of action.

Orlando leads the Emirates NBA Cup in point differential at +60. They travel to New York on Tuesday to square off with the Knicks in the final game of group play.

New York is also 3-0 in East Group A and has a +15 differential, meaning they would need to beat Orlando by 45 to win the group. However, the Knicks are still in the driver’s seat to advance to the Knockout Round as a wild card.

Hartenstein skies for the rejection โฌ†๏ธ๐Ÿšซ

Isaiah Hartenstein climbs the tallest ladder he could find to deny Dalton Knecht at the top. He’s got seven points and ten boards to go with this nasty block.

OKC holds a 45-42 lead over LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers with 1:47 to go in the first half.

The Lakers are 2-1 with a -16 point differential in group play thus far, so a win would go a long way for their chances at claiming one of the two wild card spots. Meanwhile, the Thunder are 1-1 with a +10 differential, and they’ll host the Utah Jazz on Tuesday for their fourth and final game of group play.

Cade shows the fans love after W ๐Ÿ™Œ

The Detroit Pistons are now 3-0 in group play after a 130-106 win over the Indiana Pacers. Cade Cunningham continues to shine for Detroit with another double-double, posting 24 points, six rebounds, 11 assists and two steals. Malik Beasley led all scorers with 25 off the bench, including five made 3s.

Detroit hosts Milwaukee on Tuesday with East Group B on the line.

Indiana fell to 0-3 in group play and has been eliminated from Cup contention.

๐Ÿšจ Hawks win Group C, advance to Knockout Round ๐Ÿšจ

The Atlanta Hawks become the first team in the Eastern Conference to punch their ticket to the Knockout Round.

Atlanta and Boston both finish 3-1 in group play, but the Hawks win Group C due to their win over the Celtics back on Nov. 12, even though Boston owns the higher point differential (+23).

Congratulations to Atlanta for advancing in the Emirates NBA Cup!

Lavine makes Bulls history ๐Ÿฅ‡

Zach Lavine passes Kirk Hinrich for most 3PM in franchise history with 1,050. Lavine ended the night with 23 points on 9-19 FG (2-8 3PT) in Chicago’s 138-129 loss to Boston.

Congratulations on making history, Zach!

Timberwolves take down Clippers ๐Ÿบ

A turnover by the Clippers and three offensive rebounds by the Wolves in the final 30 seconds gave fans a wild finish in West Group A. Minnesota hangs on to win 93-92, going 2-2 in group play.

The Clippers’ loss drops them to 1-2 in group play and a -6 point differential overall. They’ll host the Blazers on Tuesday, the final game of the group stages for both teams.

๐Ÿ˜ฑ Jaylen Brown detonates at the rim ๐Ÿ˜ฑ

Brown gets WAY up on this poster slam against the Bulls. He has 20 points in the game as the Celtics hold on to a 119-115 lead with 5:13 to go in the contest.

Jayson Tatum has been in takeover mode with 32 points and 12 rebounds. Boston aims to advance to the Knockout Round with a win. Tune in live on NBA League Pass.

Herro drains 800th career triple ๐Ÿ”ฅ

Tyler Herro steps into and drains his 800th career triple, giving the Miami Heat a 77-67 lead midway through the third quarter. Both the Heat and Toronto Raptors have been eliminated from Emirates NBA Cup contention.

Naz says โŒ Donte goes for ๐Ÿ‘Œ

Naz Reid swats Tre Mann hard off the backboard, setting up a straightaway 3 for DiVincenzo. Minnesota and LA have locked in defensively, as both teams are shooting 43% from the field.

Wolves up 87-84 with just over five minutes to go in the fourth.

Giddey with the sweet dish to Dosunmu ๐Ÿ˜ฎ

Josh Giddey draws two Boston defenders and finds Ayo Dosunmu with a nifty behind the back pass for the hanging finish. Giddey hasn’t shot the ball well tonight with just two points (1-5 FG), but he’s grabbed seven rebounds, handed out six assists and has three steals on the evening.

Back and forth we go in Chicago, as Boston now holds a 93-89 lead with 2:18 left in the third. There have been nine ties and six lead changes.

Ivey with the steal and slam ๐Ÿ˜ค

Jaden Ivey reads the pass and takes off for the angry jam on the other end. He has 12 points, four rebounds and four assists to help the Pistons to a 63-53 at the half.

Detroit is just behind Milwaukee (3-0) in the standings for East Group B at 2-0 with a +4 point differential. With a win tonight, the Pistons will have a chance to win their group when they host the Bucks on Tuesday night. If they lose, however, they would still be alive for a wild card spot, depending how the rest of the games finish.

The Pacers have already been eliminated from Cup contention, but they still have a chance to play spoiler tonight.

Lonzo doing it all for Bulls ๐Ÿ‘€

Chicago and Boston are locked in a tight battle with first place in Group C and a ticket to the Knockout Round up for grabs.

Nikola Vuฤeviฤ‡ and Jayson Tatum each have 19 points in the first half to lead their respective teams. Tatum knocked down his third 3 on Boston’s last possession before halftime to tie things up at 67. Vooch hit four 3s in a row to give him 14 points in the second quarter.

You don’t want to miss the conclusion of this one, live on NBA League Pass.

Franz in his bag tonight ๐Ÿช„

Franz Wagner was feeling it in the first half, scoring 21 points (8-14 FG, 3-5 3PT) to go along with four rebounds and four assists. He’s a game-high +21 in almost 18 minutes on the floor.

Orlando used a 13-3 run to end the quarter, taking a 61-49 lead into half.

Tatum and Celtics on ๐Ÿ”ฅ from 3๏ธโƒฃ

Jayson Tatum and the Celtics keep letting it fly from deep, knocking down nine triples in the first quarter. This game has some big Emirates NBA Cup implications for Boston and Chicago, who both sit at 2-1 in Group Play.

The Bulls (+15) have a slight edge in point differential over the Celtics (+14), and this game will determine who wins Group C in the East between these two and the Atlanta Hawks.

Chicago erased a nine-point deficit at the end of the first and are now within two, down 44-42 with 7:14 to go before halftime. Check out the action now, live on NBA League Pass.

Harden ๐Ÿค Zubac

James Harden and Ivica Zubac have been incredible to begin the season for the LA Clippers. They’ve recorded the most assists as a duo this year with 56 and counting.

Harden has three rebounds, three assists and three steals to go with ten points in nearly 14 minutes of game action. Clippers trim the Timberwolves’ lead to six with 3:44 remaining in the first half after Minnesota went on a 17-6 run earlier in the second quarter.

Ant is poetry in motion ๐Ÿ”ฅ

Ant goes to work and gets the fading jumper to go off glass. Minnesota (1-2) and the LA Clippers (1-1) both have the chance to earn a wild card spot in the Knockout Round. Wolves up 24-20 with 1:07 left in the first quarter.

It’s Magic, you know ๐Ÿ‘‰๐Ÿ’ฅ

Wendell Carter, Jr. finds a cutting Franz Wagner for the give-and-go hammer.

Orlando looks to stay unbeaten in Group Play, but Brooklyn has other plans for the visitors as they knock down five of their first six attempts from three. Magic up 18-17 with 5:42 remaining in the opening frame.

JJJ cannot be stopped ๐Ÿ˜ค

Jaren Jackson, Jr. spins and finishes through contact after getting tangled up with Yves Missi. JJJ finished the game with 23 points, eight rebounds and two blocks to help give the Memphis Grizzlies their first Emirates NBA Cup victory in franchise history (0-4 last season). It was also their fifth consecutive win.

Missi also had himself a game, dropping his fourth double-double to lead all rookies with 16 points, 14 rebounds and three blocks. CJ McCollum poured in 30 of his own, but it wasn’t enough to keep the Pels from dropping their seventh game in a row.

Emirates NBA Cup Updates ๐Ÿ†

Here’s an updated picture of the scenarios applicable for tonight’s games:

Pelicans shine on both ends ๐Ÿคฉ

Yves Missi ends a four minute scoring drought for New Orleans on one end, then comes down to deny access to the paint on the other.

The block leads to a DEEP three from Trey Murphy III to close the gap to ten for the Pelicans.

New Orleans has already been eliminated from Emirates NBA Cup contention, but Memphis still has a chance to claim a wild card spot if they win today.

Morant gets UP ๐Ÿš€

It never gets old watching Ja jump out of the gym. Brandon Clarke grabs his eighth rebound (second offensive) and finds Morant for the big time lob. This one gives Ja the top spot on today’s dunk score leaderboard.

Second half is now live on NBA TV and NBA League Pass. Memphis leads 81-66 with 5:49 left in the third quarter.

Ja with the tough and-1๏ธโƒฃ

Morant drives and finishes through the contact, giving him 12 points on the night to go along with five assists.

Santi Aldama leads the way for Memphis with 16 points (2-2 3PT) off the bench, helping his team to a 16-4 run to end the first half. The Grizzlies have 22 assists on 28 made baskets.

Dejounte Murray is the high man in the game with 17 points and three made 3s. Both the Grizzlies and Pelicans are shooting better than 50% from the field in this West Group C matchup. Grizz have a 67-56 advantage at the break.

๐Ÿ“ฉReturn to sender

Getting to the basket when New Orleans’ Yves Missi is patrolling the paint can be dicey.

Catch the Pelicans vs Grizzlies action now on NBA TV.

Hawks win, raise stakes for rest of Group C action

Hawks defeat Cavaliers 117-101

The Hawks seem to have the Cavaliers’ number this year with two wins against them in the last three days, including Friday’s convincing win. De’Andre Hunter led the team in scoring with 23 points off the bench while Trae Young and Jalen Johnson chipped in 21 and 20 points, respectively.

With Atlanta winning, Cleveland is eliminated from contention in Group C. Tonight’s showdown between the Bulls and Celtics is high stakes. If the Celtics win, Atlanta clinches the group. If the Bulls win, they will clinch.

๐Ÿ“ธ Picture Perfect

Trae Young snaps a picture worth a thousand words as Jalen Johnson hammers home the slam. The Hawks lead the Cavaliers by 18 early in the fourth quarter. Catch the action on NBA TV.

Hunter shines as Hawks lead at half

Atlanta’s De’Andre Hunter has led the scoring charge for the Hawks with 17 points on 5 of 7 shooting off the bench. The Hawks held the Cavaliers to just 29.2 percent from 3-point range thanks to suffocating perimeter defense. Catch the second half on NBA TV.

Dyson says no free leftovers

Atlanta’s Dyson Daniels, who is establishing himself as one of the best young defenders in the league this season, is not in a forgiving mood this holiday season. Look at the hustle and the swat here.

Knicks battle back for win, stay undefeated in Group Play

The Hornets got out to a hot start Friday and the game hung in the balance for much of its duration. However, the Knicks got into a groove at the right time, headlined by a 12-3 run late in the fourth quarter.

The Hornets made the Knicks earn it as they battled hard without LaMelo Ball.

Josh Green hit a three at the buzzer but the Hornets ultimately fell 99-98 to the Knicks

Starting ๐Ÿ–’s for Cavaliers vs. Hawks

The Cavaliers are fighting to stave off elimination against a Hawks team that upset them earlier this week. Here are the starting lineups for todays Hawks vs Cavaliers action.

๐Ÿค”What’s at stake in Cavaliers vs Hawks?

East Group C in the Emirates NBA Cup has plenty of intriguing storylines entering Friday’s action. When the Cavaliers and Hawks square off, here’s what’s at stake

  • A Hawks win and a Bulls loss clinches Group C for Atlanta
  • A Hawks loss and a Boston win would eliminate Atlanta
  • A Cavaliers loss would eliminate them

Stay up to date on all the Emirates NBA Cup developments and scenarios with our NBA Cup Tracker.

๐Ÿ“ˆ Career day for Salaรผn from 3๏ธโƒฃ

Charlotte’s Tidjane Salaรผn has knocked down four triples thus far this afternoon, marking a new career high. Catch the thrilling conclusion of Friday’s Hornets vs Knicks clash now on NBA TV.

The Hornets currently hold a narrow lead over the visiting Knicks early in the fourth quarter.

๐Ÿ›— Elevator going up ๐Ÿ”ผ

Brandon Miller got all the way up for his one-handed slam in transition during Friday’s game against the Knicks. He paces the dunk score leaderboard thus far today. He’s no stranger to that list as he has the third-highest dunk score in the league this season with a ferocious throwdown against the Rockets.

Close game brewing in Charlotte

The Knicks were down by eight points after the first quarter but settled into a groove in the second. They outscored the Hornets 31-26 to cut into the margin. The Hornets got the last word, though, scoring four points in the final second of action.

Josh Green put the team on his back, canning a jumper with one second left and then intercepted the inbounds pass to set up a layup at the buzzer.

The reverse angle is even better ๐Ÿฅถ

Hornets lead after 1

Charlotte has jumped out to a 23-15 lead going into the second quarter. Tidjane Salaun has led the way early with eight points including a pair of made 3’s.

Knicks look to stay undefeated in group play

Group A will be decided Tuesday when the Knicks and Magic square off. Still, the Knicks could use a win in today’s matchup against the Hornets to bolster their position for a Wild Card spot in the knockout round if they do end up losing to the Magic. Tune in now to catch the action on NBA TV.

Group C clinching scenarios

Here’s what you need to know for today’s Group C action in the Emirates NBA Cup.

Knicks at Hornets tip off today’s action

๐Ÿ”‘ Key NBA Storylines Today ๐Ÿ”‘

  • Emirates NBA Cup play takes center stage: Hoops fans are treated to a feast of NBA games today with 10 games. Action tips at noon eastern and goes all the way until the 10 PM games on the west coast.
  • Hawks vs Cavaliers rematch: Atlanta upset Cleveland on Wednesday with a 135-124 victory on the road in which Trae Young went for 20 points and 22 assists. It was just the Cavaliers’ second loss all season.
  • Group C up for grabs: The Bulls are currently in the driver seat in the group but will need to defeat the Celtics in order to stay there. The Celtics need a win and a Cavaliers loss to win the group based on the tiebreakers.

 

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