39 points for the career high.
One pass for the win.
Jaylon Tyson paced a Friday night full of high scorers and late heroics.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION
Jan. 17, 2026
Friday’s Finishes: Jaylon Tyson erupts & executes, Harden wills OT win, MPJ saves day
Crowd Pleasers: KD sets new personal Houston high water mark, Kings stay hot at home, buckets for blocks leader
Wemby’s Project: Reimagining Spurs’ fandom with The Jackals ahead of clash with Wolves
On NBA TV: Luka & LeBron lead Lakers to Portland amid skid, Knicks host rising Suns
On-Off Impacts: John Schuhmann’s midseason analysis sets up six more League Pass games
BUT FIRST … ⏰
From Friday’s fireworks to Saturday’s showdowns…
Today’s nine-game slate features an NBA TV doubleheader, starting at MSG where the Suns visit the Knicks (7:30 ET | Tap To Watch), and the Blazers host the Lakers (10 ET | Tap To Watch).
The league’s international tour makes its way from Berlin to England, as the Magic and Grizzlies get set to run it back in tomorrow’s NBA London Game (Noon ET, Prime). Here’s everything you need to know for this European rematch.
1. FRIDAY’S FINISHES: CAVS, CLIPS AND NETS THRILL WITH LATE HEROICS
Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images
With a career-high 39 points on the board, Jaylon Tyson drew a crowd when he drove baseline in a tie game with 8 seconds left.
His feed behind Joel Embiid’s back to Evan Mobley for an open dunk proved to be the game-winner.
Cavaliers 117, Sixers 115: Tyrese Maxey’s (22 pts, 5 reb, 9 ast, 5 stl) halfcourt heave at the buzzer was off, as Tyson’s 39 helped Cleveland come back from 11 and 7-point deficits in the 4th quarter to sweep a two-game stop in Philly and win its third in four games. | Recap
- “I was just playing my game, playing off our really good players,” Tyson said, who also hit a career-high seven 3s. “They were finding me and I was hitting [shots].”
- Bigs Battle: The game-winning bucket gave Mobley 15 points, while Embiid led Philly with 33
- “This is special,” Donovan Mitchell (13 pts, 9 reb, 12 ast) said of Tyson. “No one else is doing this in their second year. He needs to win the [Most Improved Player] award.
“He’s the reason we won the game. To do that and to guard Tyrese Maxey for 48 minutes, that’s a special kid. I’m so happy for him.”
Down by eight on the road with 3:35 to play, The Beard blew up.
Clippers 121, Raptors 117 (OT): James Harden (31 pts, 10 ast) forced overtime with an 8-0 personal run to end the 4th quarter, and added eight more points in OT, outscoring Toronto 16-8 in that span to stun the Raps and ensure LA’s fifth straight win. | Recap
- “There’s no better point guard to play with,” Ivica Zubac (16 pts, 14 reb) said of Harden. “I’ve been playing my best basketball ever since he got here.”
- Backing The Beard: Five other Clippers stepped up with Kawhi Leonard out (ankle) to join Harden in double figures, including 19 points from Jordan Miller
- Toronto Tallies: Scottie Barnes (24 pts, 7 reb, 6 ast) led seven double-digit Raptors scorers
LA moves past Memphis into tenth place and SoFi Play-In position.
- Clips’ Climb: After starting 6-21, LA has won 12 of its last 14 games, with the league’s second-best offensive rating in that span (121.6)
- “Its been a fun process and we’re still growing, so that’s the beautiful thing about it,” Harden said.
Nets 112, Bulls 109: Michael Porter Jr. (26 pts, 7 reb, 5 3s) knocked in the game-winning basket with 5.4 seconds to play to overcome Chicago’s 20-point 4th-quarter rally, as Brooklyn snapped a five-game losing streak. | Recap
- “This is how a losing team becomes a winning team, learning how to win games like this,” Porter Jr. said. “We’re growing, we’re getting better, so it’s great.”
- Winning Time: 12 of MPJ’s 26 points came in the tense 4th quarter. Noah Clowney (23 pts, 11 reb, 4 3s) backed Porter Jr. up
- Bulls’ Best: Nikola Vučević (19 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast, 2 blk) led six Bulls in double figures and Jalen Smith scored 12 of his 14 points in the late rally
2. HOME COOKING: KD’S OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION, KINGS & PACERS CRUISE
After OKC’s top defense frustrated Houston Thursday, KD was ready to launch on Friday.
Rockets 110, TWolves 105: Durant ignited for his highest scoring night in a Rockets jersey, pouring in 39 points as Houston weathered the Wolves’ double-digit 1st-half lead to pull within 1.5 games of Minnesota for 4th place in the West. | Recap
- Final Boost: Durant (7 ast, 6 3s) netted 14 of his 39 points in the 4th quarter where Houston built a nine-point lead to pull away
- Two-Man Game: Alperen Sengun (25 pts, 14 reb) starred alongside KD with force and finesse
- Magic Number: Without Anthony Edwards (foot), Julius Randle matched KD’s 39 points, which was also his highest scoring night as a member of the TWolves
“I just love that we’re staying together,” Durant said. “We’re just showing up every day and trying to figure it out. We wanna keep getting better, keep learning.”
Kings 128, Wizards 115: Sacramento won its fourth in a row, trailing for just 17 seconds and using a 19-0 1st-quarter closeout to roll past Alex Sarr (19 pts) and Washington. Russell Westbrook (26 pts, 6 ast) hit a season-high six 3s to lead six Kings in double figures. | Recap
- Sabonis’ Return: In his first game since Nov. 16, Domantas Sabonis (knee) logged 13 points, six rebounds and five assists in 21 minutes
Pacers 127, Pelicans 119: Blocks leader Jay Huff (90 blk) scored a career-high 29 points and Pascal Siakim added 27 to top Zion Williamson (27 pts, 6 reb, 7 ast) and New Orleans for Indy’s 4th win in 5 games. | Recap
- Like Lou Will: T.J. McConnell recorded his 3,000th career assist as a reserve, joining Lou Williams as the only players to reach 3K dimes off the bench since 1970
3. “I AM A JACKAL.” WEMBY AND HIS SPURS SUPERFANS WELCOME WOLVES
From drum beats to bald heads, something special is happening in the San Antonio stands.
Wemby’s reimagined Spurs’ fan club is making an impact on the court and in the community, as reported by Jared Weiss for The Athletic on NBA.com:
Wembanyama introduced a full-fledged concept for the first true ultras fan section in the NBA, modeled after the Paris Saint-Germain soccer club supporters he admired as a kid growing up in France. It is a members-only section that stands all night long, banging drums and singing songs to build a European arena atmosphere that does not exist in the NBA. It is more than a group of loud fans. It’s a source of civic pride.
When it was time to choose a name, Wembanyama proposed the Jackals, the wild canines that are Europe’s counterpart to the Spurs’ mascot, the North American Coyote. It was his way of honoring the Spurs tradition he has joined, with a little French twist. | Read More >>
The Jackals will be called upon tonight as the 4th-place TWolves come to town just 1.5 games behind the Spurs in the West (8 ET, League Pass).
Ant Edwards (foot) is questionable but Julius Randle’s pack looks to rebound for a seventh win in nine games.
4. ON NBA TV: LAKERS LOOK FOR ANSWERS IN PORTLAND, KNICKS HOST RISING SUNS
Adam Pantozzi/NBAE via Getty Images
NBA TV’s Saturday night doubleheader features two Playoff-position teams looking to shake off slow January starts facing two West teams rising in the ranks.
Lakers at Blazers (10 ET): Despite eye-popping numbers from Luka and LeBron, the Lakers look to rebound from four losses in five games, visiting a Blazers team holding their own with All-Star hopeful Deni Avdija questionable (back).
- Luka + LeBron: The league’s leading scorer (33.6 ppg) and all-time scoring leader (27.9 ppg in Jan.) make up the highest scoring duo so far in 2026, combining for 61.7 points per game in January
- Luka’s Firsts: Coming off a 19-point 1st quarter vs. Charlotte, Luka gets out to fast starts with the highest-scoring opening periods, already tying the modern-era mark for most 20+ point 1st quarters (4) in a season
- Time Goes Fast: James, the oldest player in the league at age 41, is averaging the most fast break points of any player (6.0)
So how can the 6th place Lakers — one of the NBA’s elite clutch teams, just three games out of 2nd in the West — steady the ship? Law Murray takes a look for answers for The Athletic on NBA.com:
If the Lakers have this kind of performance in them, why can’t they do it more consistently? So much of how the Lakers play is driven by their best players…
The Lakers’ next stretch could define their season. They’ll have five games in seven days. They’ll have to fly to Portland for a weekend back-to-back. On the other side, an eight-game road trip looms. So does the NBA trade deadline.
“I think there’s probably 27 or 28 teams going through something similar right now,” Redick said. “This is how the NBA works over 82 games. You know, hopefully we can find that consistency.” | Read More >>
In Portland, Deni Avdija has driven to the top of the league – most drives per game (20.4), 3rd-most points off drives (417) – and into Blazers fans’ hearts. While he heals a strained back, Shaedon Sharpe has led the offense in back-to-back games (21.5 pts).
NBA TV’s doubleheader starts at MSG where the Suns and Knicks jump it up for the second time in eight days (7:30 ET).
- Rising Up: Last Friday, Devin Booker (31 pts) and Dillon Brooks (27 pts) guided Phoenix late, as their 5th-ranked defense (112.1 DefRtg) contained the Knicks’ 3rd-ranked offense (116.2).
5. ON-OFF LEADERS SHAPE SIX MORE SATURDAY GAMES
Dylan Buell/NBAE via Getty Images
Despite three-time Kia MVP Nikola Jokić missing his 10th straight game today (Wizards at Nuggets, 9 ET), Denver has held its top-three position in the West with a 6-3 record in his absence.
Only Giannis Antetokounmpo (20.6) has a higher total on/off differential than Joker (15.9) — a measure how much better a team is with a player on or off the floor. Jokić also ranks 4th offensively.
So when the Nuggets had to go without their leader, things could have gone downhill fast.
And yet.
Denver’s kept up its offensive mastery thanks in large part to two other Nuggets that also rank in the top 12 of offensive on/off: Jamal Murray and Peyton Watson.
Meanwhile, a secret to the Celtics’ scalding start, despite missing Jayson Tatum?
Hugo Gonzalez, the league leader in defensive on/off.
Read more from NBA.com’s John Schuhmann, who broke down the league’s midseason on/off leaders before Celtics-Hawks & Nuggets-Wizards on League Pass today. | Read More >>
Elsewhere, the Thunder and top-10 on-off offensive powerhouse Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (13.2) have won five straight after a 6-6 hiccup. They head to Miami (8 ET) where the Heat look to avenge Sunday’s 124-112 loss in OKC.
- Jazz at Mavericks (5 ET)
- Pacers at Pistons (7:30 ET)
- Hornets at Warriors (8:30 ET)
