Scoreboard
Nuggets 122, Thunder 110
Magic 130, Warriors 129
What went down
If you went to your best last night thinking today's games were going to be blowouts, you must have had quite the time sipping your coffee and scrolling through the NBA app. The underdogs threw down today.
First, it was the Orlando Magic coming down on the defending champions Golden State Warriors in the clutch to grab their second win of the season. Like Mike McD playing heads-up Texas Hold ‘Em against Teddy KGB again in the climax of Rounders, the Magic just kept hanging around.
The Magic were down by double digits early in the second half but made a huge comeback just before the fourth quarter behind RJ Hampton and Kevon Harris – two unheralded pieces off their bench. Then, in the fourth quarter, the Magic’s youth movement had quite the eureka moment. The 2022 top overall pick Paolo Banchero, last year’s No. 4 overall pick Jalen Suggs, and the No. 7 overall pick in 2018 Wendell Carter Jr. came together in the fourth quarter to stay in step with Steph Curry and Klay Thompson.
This was the biggest and most encouraging moment of Suggs’ career. Hounded by injuries last season and for their first few games early this season, Suggs was due for his breakout moment.
CLUTCH @jalensuggs https://t.co/1V8h6HSWFc pic.twitter.com/apiYSJlS1g
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) November 4, 2022
Suggs went toe-to-toe with Curry in the final two minutes, drilling the go-ahead triple with 35 seconds remaining and getting the swipe on Curry on the following possession to seal the game. He finished with 26 points on 9-for-17 shooting with nine assists and four steals.
Curry still had a monster game, going for 39 points with eight triples and nine assists. But the Warriors left Orlando in a precarious spot in the standings, going 3-6 with some surprising losses to young teams like the Charlotte Hornets and Detroit Pistons.
Big-time baller
The Oklahoma City Thunder deserve some credit because they tried very hard to stop the Denver Nuggets. It worked for a bit but Nikola Jokic eventually got his.
"Its nice."
— NBA TV (@NBATV) November 4, 2022
Jokic's reaction to breaking Wilt Chamberlain's record 😂 pic.twitter.com/0JtqGj1i2m
The reigning, two-time MVP made a brilliant game look ho-hum. He had 15 points, 13 rebounds, and 14 assists – his 79th triple-double, passing Wilt Chamberlain for most by a center in NBA history. He’s been awesome to start the season.
What he said
Kyrie Irving, who received a five-game suspension after recently dominating headlines for promoting an antisemitic film on social media, finally issued an apology on his Instagram account today.
Did you see that?
Aside from the Irving issue, the NBA is also dealing with the Joshua Primo case. Hilary Cauthen filed a lawsuit against Joshua Primo and the San Antonio Spurs.
Buzbee Law Firm has filed a lawsuit against Primo and the #Spurs claiming that Hillary Cauthen lost her "dream job" because the Spurs "ignored her repeated reports of indecent exposure on the part of Primo."
— Tom Orsborn (@tom_orsborn) November 3, 2022
Primo was waived by the Spurs earlier this week. Later, it was revealed that Primo was released due to multiple sexual harassment allegations by Spurs employees. This lawsuit provides more details.
This feels like a pivotal time in NBA history. The Adam Silver regime, before today, has taken a moral stand numerous times. They banned Donald Sterling from the league and then pretty much forced Robert Sarver to sell the Phoenix Suns. Both were because of reported racism against African-Americans.
