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An 11-game night in the NBA, featuring a dramatic win for Luka Dončić's Lakers

Follow along with Wednesday's NBA action, featuring the best highlights, moments and stats from across the league.

Ben Lambert, for NBA.com

Luka Dončić and the Lakers held on to defeat the Spurs in the second half of our ESPN doubleheader.

Enjoy the best of Wednesday’s electric slate with the NBA.com live blog, featuring all of the meaningful moments, performances, observations, news, notes and highlights from around the league.

The Lakers’ dramatic win was the top story of the night. Read on to learn more!

What we know after Wednesday night’s games:

  • The Knicks beat the Timberwolves 137-114 behind OG Anunoby (25 pts, 8 rebounds) and Jalen Brunson (23 pts, 10 ast) in the first half of our ESPN doubleheader.
  • The Lakers held on to defeat the Spurs 118-116 in the latter half after Keldon Johnson missed a putback layup as time expired.
  • Shai Gilgeous-Alexander extended a 81-game streak of scoring 20+ points, but the Thunder suffered their first defeat to the Trail Blazers 121-119.
  • Donovan Mitchell had 46 points on 21 shots as Cleveland defeated Philly 132-121, passing LeBron James for the most games with 40 points and 5+ three-pointers in Cavaliers history.
  • The Nets won their first game of the season, beating the Pacers 112-103. Michael Porter Jr. had 32 points for Brooklyn.
  • Jalen Duren (22 pts, 22 reb) set the season high for rebounds in a game in Detroit’s 114-103 win over Utah.

1:22 AM / NOVEMBER 6, 2025

Lakers defeat Spurs in wild finish

It came down to the final play, but the Lakers held on to defeat the Spurs 118-116, coming back from nine down in the fourth quarter to take the victory.

Luka Dončić (35 points, 9 reb and 13 ast) keyed the Los Angeles attack, putting up eight points in the fourth.

The Lakers were in control until Marcus Smart stepped over the line while inbounding the ball with 0.1 seconds remaining. Julian Champagne was fouled on the subsequent play, but missed his first free throw. He intentionally missed the second, but Keldon Johnson was unable to convert the put back.

Dončić credited his teammates for their effort after the victory.

“To come back, being with (Austin Reaves) and (LeBron James) out, it’s unbelievable. They fight every moment of the game,” said Dončić. “It’s so fun to play with them.”

Victor Wembanyama (19 pts, 8 reb), Jeremy Sochan (16 pts) and Harrison Barnes (14 pts) all fouled out for San Antonio.

The Lakers are 7-2 — the best stretch by any team featuring LeBron James without the King in his illustrious career.

“What a wild finish,” said Mike Breen.

“The Lakers dodged multiple bullets,” said Tim Legler afterwards. “You’re talking about the anatomy of a collapse… but the Lakers ultimately get the win.”

1:03 AM / NOVEMBER 6, 2025

Blazers hand Thunder their first loss

Portland battled all night and eventually overcame the Oklahoma City Thunder 121-119, coming back from a 22-point deficit to send the Moda Center crowd home happy.

Deni Avdija (26 pts), Jrue Holiday (22 pts) and Jerami Grant (20 pts) led the way for the Trail Blazers, who raise their record to 5-3 in the win.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander had 36 points in the defeat.

12:48 AM / NOVEMBER 6, 2025

Will Richard with a breakout game for Golden State

12:47 AM / NOVEMBER 6, 2025

Lakers and Spurs battling down the stretch

The Spurs are up 110-108 with 3:02 to go. Get to your screen of choice to catch the finish on ESPN!

12:44 AM / NOVEMBER 6, 2025

Kings come back to defeat Warriors

While the Warriors led by as many as 13, the Kings rallied in the second half to defeat Golden State 121-116. Russell Westbrook (26 pts, 16 reb, 10 ast) made his presence felt.

12:35 AM / NOVEMBER 6, 2025

Luka drops a dime

But the Spurs are up 106-104 with 5:15 to go on ESPN.

12:22 AM / NOVEMBER 6, 2025

League Pass Alert: Thunder-Trail Blazers

105-104 Thunder with under four minutes to go. Check the finish on League Pass!

12:11 AM / NOVEMBER 6, 2025

Castle hangs and hits

The Spurs have opened up a 96-88 lead over the Lakers as the third quarter ends.

Stephon Castle’s smooth drive helped them do it.

12:04 AM / NOVEMBER 6, 2025

Duren’s a force on the glass

Jalen Duren set the season-high for rebounds in a game tonight against Utah.

11:54 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Thunder taking control in the third

84-70 Oklahoma City in the third quarter. SGA’s continued his march towards scoring history with 26 points on the evening.

11:42 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Kings take lead over Golden State

Sacramento’s up 83-80 with just over two minutes to go in the third quarter. Dennis Schröder is a reason why.

11:31 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Oklahoma City goes deep

65-57 at the break in Portland.

The Blazers are styling and keeping it close.

11:23 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Warriors and Kings enter second half

62-57 Warriors with the third quarter just underway in Sacramento.

Jonathan Kuminga put a stamp on the first half.

Russell Westbrook leads the Kings with 13 points.

There’s a classic Sacramento pick-and-roll combination in the building tonight, as Brad Miller and Mike Bibby take in the action. 13,501 points in a Kings uniform between them.

11:19 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

The Don doesn’t need to look

60-59 Lakers at the break. Catch the second half on ESPN!

11:17 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

JB achieved Celtics history

So many special scorers — Sam Jones, John Havlicek, Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, Paul Pierce, Jayson Tatum — in Celtics history.

Tonight, Jaylen Brown did something they never did.

Just another night in the Association.

11:15 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Ant made a memory tonight

We love this game.

11:13 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Majestic, Victor

11:10 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

MPJ leads the Nets to victory

Michael Porter Jr.’s jumper was pure tonight as the Nets earned their first win in the season. Marvel at the stroke.

11:08 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Pelicans win a close one in Dallas

New Orleans earned a 101-99 road victory over the Mavericks.

Cooper Flagg and Derik Queen shared a moment afterwards, enjoying their rookie seasons in the Association.

11:02 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Shai spinning and shooting

The reigning Kia MVP at work.

11:00 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Will Richard makes an impact for the Dubs

Warriors are up in the second quarter, thanks in part to the effort of the Florida alum.

10:58 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

An unearthly slam from The Alien

43-40 Spurs with 6:50 to go in the second quarter.

10:57 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

The Thunder are rolling early

OKC had 41 points in the first quarter at Portland — their highest-scoring opening stanza of the season.

10:55 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

The core connects in Denver

Another moment of genius from Jokić.

10:47 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

A triple-double for The Joker

Nikola Jokić (23 pts, 10 reb, 12 ast) makes it look so simple. 92-82 Nuggets in the fourth.

10:41 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

League Pass Alert: Pelicans-Mavericks

New Orleans’ up 96-93 with 2:16 to go. Check out the finish on League Pass!

10:38 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

The long arms of Wembanyama

What a rebound and finish from the agile Spurs center. Spurs are up 23-18 with 2:21 to go in the first.

10:25 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

History for Donovan Mitchell

10:16 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Pelicans and Mavericks dueling on League Pass

The Pelicans are up 78-77 entering the fourth quarter.

Saddiq Bey has 20 points for New Orleans, including four threes.

Cooper Flagg is showing off his all-around game.

Jeremiah Fears helped the Pelicans’ cause earlier with this quick-release buzzer-beater.

9:57 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Amen Thompson is a problem

22 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists tonight. 27 points last time out against the Mavericks. Keep an eye on Amen’s growth.

9:49 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Spurs-Lakers coming up on ESPN

Watch Wemby warm up and get excited for a matchup of Western Conference rivals.

9:38 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

“Not everybody can do that, folks”

My goodness, Cade Cunningham. Pistons beat the Jazz 114-103.

9:30 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Your nightly dose of the Murray and Jokić two-man game

9:28 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Why not, Minott?

Another soaring alley-oop for the Celtics’ swing. Impressive.

9:24 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Knicks up entering the fourth quarter

New York stand up. It’s a nine-point game entering the final period on ESPN.

9:20 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Aaron Nesmith makes his presence felt

Plenty of posters across the Association tonight!

9:16 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Fly, Cooper Flagg

The Mavericks announcers were left laughing by this soaring slam from the No. 1 pick.

9:13 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Cavaliers break away from Philly

Cleveland’s opened up a 21-point lead over the Sixers. Jarrett Allen and Evan Mobley have the chemistry going.

And Donovan Mitchell has 40, as has become customary for the Cavaliers’ star.

9:06 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Nets and Pacers in a tussle

Check out this find by the No. 8 pick Egor Dёmin.

A little unconventional — but so is this ridiculous reverse stuff by Jay Huff.

Nets up 90-86 with 8:38 to go in the fourth quarter as they seek their first win.

8:55 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

The Celtics are soaring

Josh Minott has been revelatory for the Celtics so far this season, bringing energy, athleticism and length while breaking into the starting lineup. Here, he brings the TD Garden crowd to its feet.

Celtics 75-62 in the third.

8:47 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Woah, Noah

Noah Clowney was determined to create a poster here.

8:40 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Amen on one

A scoring burst from the Rockets’ forward here, including a smooth three-pointer.

8:33 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Pritchard went to work on this one

The reigning Kia Sixth Man of the Year has moves on moves. Celtics up 57-50 with 3:40 to go in the second.

8:31 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Cavs, Sixers in a scoring battle

It’s 70-67 Cleveland at the half, as Donovan Mitchell (21 pts) and Tyrese Maxey (18 pts) trade buckets.

8:22 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Day’ron detonates

The fourth-year Nets center wants Brooklyn to earn their first win tonight, but the Pacers are up five at the half.

8:16 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

1,000 points for Alex Sarr

The Wizards center has sweet post skills and more than 1,000 career points to his name.

8:11 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Holland has bounce

Ron Holland II shows off the springs on both ends. The Jazz have the lead at the half, though, 55-53.

8:01 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

The Ant Man returns

With a change of speeds and a quick slash to the rim, Anthony Edwards is back in the stat book.

7:55 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Check the flow in Minnesota

7:45 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Spida has it rolling

46-36 Cavaliers with 9:50 to go in the second quarter.

Donovan Mitchell’s in the groove early as Darius Garland makes his return for Cleveland.

6:40 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Shai stays consistent

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander brings a special scoring streak into Portland to face the Trail Blazers tonight.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander leads the 8-0 Thunder to face the Portland Trail Blazers tonight, building on a near-unprecedented streak of scoring consistency.

He’s looking for his 81st consecutive game with 20+ points, trailing only Wilt Chamberlain. The Big Dipper did it twice – over 60 years ago – putting up 126 games of scoring brilliance from 1961-63 and 92 from ‘63-64.

SGA showed off his bag against the Clippers last night.

He’s almost impossible to knock off balance, all hips and elbows with surprising core strength. He always has an angle to get off a shot, with his trusty step back as the ultimate counter.

He’s never hurried, always a threat, and always working. Just look at him move, grooving in hops and starts and smooth transitions. No one’s harder to keep out of the lane.

Plus, if you bring a double, he brings the vision of an elite point guard, following in the footsteps of his fellow Kentucky alums like Rajon Rondo and John Wall.

He’s averaging a career-high 33.1 ppg and shooting a career-best 61.3 percent from two-point range. He’s at his customary 90 percent from the line, and the three-ball isn’t even really falling yet, at 32.1 percent.

It’s skill deployed with algebraic efficiency and ceaseless creativity.

“I just put in the work. I take care of my body. I get enough rest, and I do it all over again,” Gilgeous-Alexander said of his consistency after last night’s win. “I found a formula that works for me, and I try to hammer it home.”

6:00 PM / NOVEMBER 5, 2025

Welcome to an 11-game night in the NBA!

Luka Dončić and the Lakers take on the San Antonio Spurs tonight on ESPN.

We’ve got an ESPN doubleheader for you tonight, headlined by Luka Dončić and the Los Angeles Lakers traveling to San Antonio to take on Victor Wembanyama and the Spurs (10 ET).

It’s two of the top players in the Association and two teams playing at the top of their games. Let’s dive in.

Dončić is averaging a cool 41.3 ppg so far on the young season, shooting 55 percent from the field, including a sterling 78 percent mark from two-point range. He’s also pulling down 11.5 rebounds and dishing out 8.3 assists.

Along with Austin Reaves (31.1 ppg, 9.3 ast), who is out tonight, Luka’s served as the fulcrum for a talented crew of veteran role players, including Deandre Ayton, Marcus Smart  Rui Hachimura and Jake LaRavia.

The Lakers have posted a +3.1 net rating so far this season, good for ninth in the Association.

They’re tops in field goal percentage (52.8 percent), fifth in offensive rating (117.7) and third in points in the paint (57.3).

But they haven’t faced a force around the rim like Victor Wembanyama.

Wembanyama (26.7 ppg, 13.7 reb, 4.7 blk) is a singular presence in the post, blocking and making shots with an awe-inspiring 8-foot wingspan. Can he bother Luka’s float game? Can Ayton and Jared Vanderbilt, both mobile pivots, slow him down?

The Spurs have run out to a 5-1 start and the fourth-best net rating in the league at +8.8 behind Wemby.

He’s received help along the way from second-year guard Stephon Castle (20.0 ppg) and Dylan Harper (14.0 ppg, fifth on the latest Kia Rookie Ladder), both of whom are talented, athletic slashers.

It’s a special matchup tonight.

In the opening game on ESPN, we’ve got the Timberwolves and the Knicks (7:30 ET), as former Knicks star Julius Randle leads Minnesota into Madison Square Garden to face Karl-Anthony Towns and New York.

Lock in for a great night of NBA action.

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