Scoreboard
Bucks 108, Trail Blazers 102
Celtics 113, Hawks 103
Suns 116, Knicks 113
Magic 130, Hornets 117
Timberwolves 119, Grizzlies 97
Nets 118, Bulls 109
Cavaliers 105, Raptors 102
Nuggets 132, Spurs 120
What went down
The Phoenix Suns who formed a Big Three in the offseason were without two of their best players in their road game against the New York Knicks today. Kevin Durant was out with a foot injury while Bradley Beal is still dealing with a back issue.
That left Devin Booker as the lone All-Star for the Suns to lean on. For most of the game, they didn’t need Booker to do the heavy lifting. The rest of the available Phoenix players were getting open looks because the New York defense was so focused on shutting down Booker. For his part, Booker was content to ping the ball around as the Suns built a double-digit lead.
New York stayed patient. They slowly chipped away at the Phoenix lead, eventually tying the count with 21.9 seconds left in the game. With the win on the line, there was no way Booker was going to let anyone else take the shot, no matter how hot his teammates were.
Booker received a handoff at the top of the key and he dribbled all the way to an open spot at the right wing. He rose up and fired the game-winner over two defenders to deliver the win.
DEVIN BOOKER FADEAWAY 3 FOR THE LEAD ??
— NBA (@NBA) November 27, 2023
1.7 seconds remaining Knicks ball...
Suns-Knicks | Live on the NBA App
📲 https://t.co/1VIDFw6r0U pic.twitter.com/O77I2jielr
Booker shot only 10-of-25 in the game accounting for 28 points. But he also had 11 assists as the team’s primary playmaker. Eric Gordon backed him up with 25, while Nassir Little and Jordan Goodwin combined for 25 off the bench.
Big-time baller
After a quick 7-2 start to the season, the Denver Nuggets have lost three of their last four games prior to their game against the San Antonio Spurs today. It also comes as no surprise that their losing streak is happening with one of their best players, Jamal Murray, out due to a hamstring injury.
The Nuggets needed a major game from Nikola Jokic to shake them out of their funk. Fortunately, their MVP delivered.
Jokic hammered the Spurs, finishing an assist shy of a triple-double. He delivered big with 39 points, 11 rebounds, and nine assists in the game.
A thing of beauty pic.twitter.com/TbRJxVhmsO
— Denver Nuggets (@nuggets) November 27, 2023
This win snaps a two-game losing streak for the defending champs.
What he said
Giannis Antetokounmpo was hyped after today’s win against the Portland Trail Blazers. That’s because his team just completed a 26-point comeback, the largest comeback so far this season.
I’m extremely proud of the group tonight. No matter if we face adversity we can come back and win the game. That’s a good habit we are building now 💪🏾💪🏾 pic.twitter.com/Qutr9doMqM
— Giannis Antetokounmpo (@Giannis_An34) November 27, 2023
The Bucks outscored the Blazers, 33-14 in the fourth quarter and Antetokounmpo scored the go-ahead tip-in with less than 20 seconds left in the game to complete the run. Antetokounmpo finished with 33 points, 16 rebounds, and six assists in the game.
This was also a statement win of sorts for Damian Lillard as this was his first time meeting his former team after the offseason trade. Lillard came up big with clutch shots to help chop away at the deficit in the final period. He finished with 31 points with four triples.
Did you see that?
Magic is for real pic.twitter.com/1vqmIhNMXW
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) November 27, 2023
Don’t look now but the Orlando Magic are the hottest team in the league. They’re tied with the Suns for the longest current win streak at seven games.
The longest win streak in franchise history is nine games. With the way the young Magic core are playing (30 points each from Franz Wagner and Cole Anthony, 23 points from Paolo Banchero in today’s win), breaking that record is looking like a real possibility.
Extra Pass
The Denver Nuggets and LA Clippers both need a big win to not only keep rising in the standings, but to keep their morale up as well. Both teams are coming off bounce-back wins and are looking to keep their runs going.
The Nuggets need to stay afloat in the rough West sea in their title-retention bid. Every win they get while Jamal Murray is on the shelf keeps their head above water and prevents them from sinking deeper in the standings. A huge win over the Clippers allows them to keep in step with the middle pack rather than fall into the murky play-in picture. Getting that win also shows that they have enough firepower on their roster to match up with the four-headed Clipper monster.
As for the Clippers, they’re still trying to find their way after the James Harden trade. They recently got a big win over the Dallas Mavericks, but they could nab an even bigger fish if they beat the defending champions. Harden has slowly been carving out a role on the team with Russell Westbrook, Paul George, and Kawhi Leonard all trying to make space for him. A win over the Nuggets could be the signature win that LA is looking for.
The Clippers and the Nuggets face off at 11:30 AM on NBA TV Philippines. You can also catch the game live on NBA League Pass.
