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Monday's recap: Suns vs. Lakers, top moments and stats from a 9-game night

Follow along with live updates around NBA action

NBA.com Staff

DENVER, CO – DECEMBER 1: Nikola Jokic #15 of the Denver Nuggets and Anthony Davis #3 of the Dallas Mavericks

Monday’s headlines⬇️⬇️

  • Donovan Mitchell (43 points, 16-27 FG) becomes the 2nd player in NBA history to average at least 30 PPG, 50 FG% and record 80+ 3PM in his first 20 games of a season, joining Stephen Curry. Cleveland beats Indiana 135-119.
  • After a monster 40-point double-double Sunday in a 2OT victory, Jalen Johnson and the Hawks fall short against Cade Cunningham’s two-way play as the Pistons move to 17-4 on the year.
  • Miami gashes the Clippers in South Beach. The Heat’s innovative, pick-and-roll averse offense (co-led by former Grizzlies coach Taylor Jenkins) has run laps around the Clippers.
  • Denver’s ailing defense is a storyline, but eye-catching performances from the Mavericks’ Ryan Nembhard, the Nuggets’ Spencer Jones, and of course Nikola Jokić (29 points, 20 rebounds, 13 assists, two turnovers) were must-watch basketball.

Top Performers⭐⭐⭐

Big performances across the league:

  1. Nikola Jokić: 29 points (10-24 FG), 20 rebounds, 13 assists, one steal, two blocks, two turnovers
  2. Donovan Mitchell: 43 points (16-27 FG), nine rebounds, six assists
  3. Alperen Sengun: 31 points (12-19 FG), eight rebounds, 14 assists, two steals, five blocks
  4. Desmond Bane: 37 points (12-17 FG, 10-10 FT), six rebounds, five assists, one steal
  5. Kawhi Leonard: 36 points (12-21 FG), seven rebounds, two assists, three steals
  6. Jalen Johnson: 29 points (9-17 FG), 13 rebounds, seven assists
  7. Cade Cunningham: 18 points (7-15 FG), eight rebounds, eight assists, six steals, three blocks

12:25 PM / December 2, 2025

Suns dominate 2nd half, win without Booker (groin)

In a quest for their eighth straight win, the Lakers were denied by Phoenix, as hounding defense forced 21 Los Angeles turnovers and limited the Lakers to just 18 assists on their 41 made shots.

Suns 125, Lakers 108

Dillon Brooks (33 points, 15-26 FG) did the vast majority of his damage from inside the arc to lead Phoenix in scoring, while Collin Gillespie (28 points, four rebounds, five assists, two steals) scored 19 of his points in the second half to help fuel the Suns’ momentum.

Luka Dončić (38 points, 15-26 FG) finishes with a minus-25 net rating, blemishing his score line with nine turnovers versus just five assists. Austin Reaves posted a modest 16 points (6-12 FG) — snapping his streak of three consecutive 30-point games. He had five turnovers versus just three assists.

12:09 PM / December 2, 2025

Jazz earn quality win, beat Houston 133-125

In a game where the biggest Utah lead was 21 and Houston’s biggest lead was only four, the Jazz won the rebounding battle, racked up 33 assists on 45 made shots, and only committed 13 turnovers in a well-executed victory.

Turnovers are still a problem for Keyonte George (28 points, eight assists, six turnovers), but the 22-year-old bounced back from a scoreless effort Sunday to register his 11th game of the season with 25-plus points. He did so in efficient fashion Monday (8-14 FG, 10-12 FT).

Lauri Markkanen was similarly sharp, finishing with 29 points (9-17 FG) while drawing 10 fouls. A duo drawing fouls at this rate is a strong offensive floor.

Markkanen and Jusuf Nurkic (18 points, nine rebounds) battled with Alperen Sengun (31 points, 12-19 FG, eight rebounds) throughout Monday’s affair. Kevin Durant (32 points, 10-25 FG, 10-12 FT) was getting downhill as well, drawing 10 fouls of his own.

11:52 PM / December 1, 2025

Mavericks offense fuels 131-121 win

Ryan Nembhard (28 points, 12-14 FG), Cooper Flagg (24 points, 10-19 FG) and Anthony Davis (32 points, 13-23 FG) all erupted to fuel a 12-point advantage in the fourth quarter and stun Denver to pick up a road victory.

The Mavericks’ offense was unstoppable in the fourth quarter, and it was Nembhard who set the tone after halftime by pouring in 15 points in the third quarter alone. Brother of Pacers’ star Andrew Nembhard, Ryan — a Gonzaga product — is on a two-way contract with the Mavericks.

Jamal Murray (ankle) got banged up Monday, spraining his right ankle in-game, returning, but ultimately being forced to exit again. Nikola Jokić (29 points, 10-24 FG) shouldered extra burden, while two-way forward Spencer Jones (28 points, 11-15 FG) stepped up as well, but Denver’s supporting cast could not get stops defensively.

11:38 PM / December 1, 2025

Dillon the Villain

Dillon Brooks continues going toe-to-toe with Luka Dončić on Peacock. The Suns lead the Lakers 82-70 midway through the third.

Dončić is on pace for 50-point eruption, having already racked up 32 points (12-21 FG, 5-5 FT) with six minutes remaining in the third quarter. Brooks isn’t far behind, booming for 26 points (12-21 FG) in 23 minutes.

Brooks is amid a breakout season for the Suns, averaging career-highs with 21.5 points and 45.1% shooting from the field. His overall efficiency even accounts for a serious dip in his 3P%, as he’s knocking down just 32.2% of a sizable 7.7 3PA per game. Nonetheless, his 56.8 TS% is also a career high, serving as a testament to his mid-range game and slight uptick in free-throws earned.

11:22 PM / December 1, 2025

KD, Rockets clawing back

Trailing for almost the entirety of Monday’s contest, Houston has cut Utah’s lead to 124-118 with two minutes remaining. Kevin Durant has a game-high 32 points (10-25 FG), but Utah has forced him into an inefficient outing.

11:09 PM / December 1, 2025

Booker injured, Suns rally regardless

Devin Booker (groin) has been limited to just nine minutes of action thus far, but Phoenix ended the first half on 31-11 run over the final seven minutes, amassing a 66-52 lead over the Lakers.

Luka Dončić (27 points, 10-17 FG) and Dillon Brooks (23 points, 11-16 FG) have been one-man armies.

10:46 PM / December 1, 2025

Jokić masterclass, Mavericks going punch for punch

After starting the game with 15 points, nine rebounds and six assists in the first quarter, Nikola Jokić is up to 26 points, 16 rebounds and 12 assists in 28 minutes of action as Denver clings to a 104-102 lead over Dallas entering the fourth quarter.

Undrafted rookie point guard Ryan Nembhard (26 points, seven assists, zero turnovers) poured in 15 points in the third quarter and is displaying awesome chemistry with Cooper Flagg (20 points, 8-16 FG).

Denver is having a young breakout performer of their own, as two-way forward Spencer Jones has a career-high 28 points (11-14 FG, 4-5 3PM).

10:28 PM / December 1, 2025

Lake Show vs. Book

The Lakers and Suns are underway in Los Angeles. Tune in live on Peacock!

Devin Booker is off to a hot start with 11 points (4-7 FG) and continuing to add to an impressive scoring resumé. He becomes the 107th player in NBA history to reach the 17,000 point threshold.

10:23 PM / December 1, 2025

Desmond Bane stays hot, Magic win

Bane now has back-to-back 37-point performance — marking his first games of the season exceeding 30. He was remarkably efficient Monday (12-17 FG, 3-7 3PM) 10-10 FT), contributing at all three levels.

Bane getting the chance to find rhythm in the offense while Paolo Banchero (groin) is unavailable for a ninth consecutive contest is a silver lining of the injury. Franz Wagner (25 points, 11-18 FG) was sharp as well Monday.

Anthony Black and Jalen Suggs combined for 32 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, five steals and three blocks in what is one of the most defensively formidable backcourts in the association.

Chicago was still able to knock down 50% of their shots overall, including 43.2 percent of 37 3PA, but 20 turnovers and porous defense ultimately led to the Bulls demise.

10:09 PM / December 1, 2025

Utah leading Houston at the break

Right on cue, Amen Thompson flashes his defensive playmaking as the commentators are raving about him. The 22-year-old co-leads all scorers with 16 points (7-12 FG) along with five rebounds, two assists and two blocks.

Utah holds an upset lead over Houston at halftime, with a 68-57 advantage largely fueled by a plus-10 advantage on the glass — very uncharacteristic of the Rockets, even with Steven Adams (rest) inactive.

Lauri Markkanen (16 points, 6-10 FG) matches Thompson’s scoring output for the Jazz.

9:56 PM / December 1, 2025

MPJ stars, youngsters pop, Brooklyn wins

Michael Porter Jr’s 35 points (13-24 FG), seven rebounds, four assists and two steals anchored Brooklyn’s offense, while Noah Clowney and Danny Wolf delivered mean dunks as exclamation points in a 116-105 win over Charlotte on Monday.

While Brooklyn got up 11 more shots than the Hornets, both teams posted high 30s 3P% and near identical free throw quantity. A key difference — 11 turnovers for Brooklyn versus 17 for the Hornets. LaMelo Ball racked up 14 assists alongside a modest scoring night (12 points, 3-9 FG, 29 minutes). Kon Knueppel led the Hornets with 18 points (7-18 FG).

9:32 PM / December 1, 2025

Wizards stun Bucks, veterans takeover

While its been a slow start to the year for CJ McCollum (28 points, 11-21 FG) and Khris Middleton (15 points, 6-10 FG, six assists) in Washington, both were sharp and clutch down the stretch helping Washington defend homecourt with a 129-126 victory over Milwaukee.

The blend and infusion of youth also made the difference. Cam Whitmore (17 points, 8-14 FG) was consistently punishing the rim. Tristan Vukcevic notched a new season-high with 16 points (4-7 FG, 7-8 FT).

Washington committed just 10 turnovers as a team compared to 16 for Milwaukee — squandering a 30-point performance (12-15 FG) from Kevin Porter Jr.

Giannis Antetokounmpo finished with 26 points (10-17 FG), seven rebounds, four assists and five turnovers.

9:23 PM / December 1, 2025

CADE CUNNINGHAM CLUTCH, PISTONS WIN 99-98

This bucket says it all. Cunningham takes on the entirety Atlanta defense and comes away with the lefty layup.

That proved to be the game-winning bucket, despite back-to-back clutch threes from Nickeil Alexander-Walker keeping the Hawks within arm’s reach.

Cunningham (18 points, eight rebounds, eight assists, six turnovers) had modest output by his own lofty standards, but he stuffed the stat sheet defensively as well — snatching six steals and three blocks. Jalen Duren posted a double-double (21 points, 11 rebounds) while leading Detroit in scoring.

Jalen Johnson (29 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists) continues delivering All-NBA production. The 23-year-old is blossoming into a perennial All-Star in front of our eyes.

Alexander-Walker (26 points, 10-19 FG) is beginning to make noise as arguably the top free agent addition of the summer. He’s been critical to Atlanta overcoming the absence of Trae Young (knee), even if they fell short Monday.

9:08 PM / December 1, 2025

Heat onslaught continues

It’s a revenge game for Norman Powell as Miami is cooking offensively — all of the starters joining the fun.

The Heat lead the Clippers 95-64 with seven minutes remaining in the THIRD QUARTER.

8:53 PM / December 1, 2025

Miami scoring at will

A 15-0 run as part of a 30-2 run has blown open a halftime lead for Miami, up 76-56 on the Clippers.

Miami is shooting a remarkable 57% from the field and 67% from beyond the arc! It’s been a balanced scoring effort, but Bam Adebayo’s 14 points and eight rebounds lead both categories.

 

8:42 PM / December 1, 2025

Kevin Porter Jr. cooking🔥🔥🔥

Porter (23 points, 9-11 FG) is on fire from deep, helping Milwaukee open up a double-digit lead in the third quarter —  currently up 81-70 over the Wizards.

Monday represents KPJ’s third game of the season and his second game back from an extended absence due to knee injury. The 25-year-old hasn’t missed a beat and his offensive firepower is a huge addition to the Milwaukee lineup.

Giannis Antetokounmpo brought some defensive thunder as well!

8:29 PM / December 1, 2025

Rookie flashes👀👀

Kon Knueppel crosses the lane and scores the running layup.

No left hand, no problem. Knueppel has the angle and this is a shot that is in his bag🔒🔒

Charlotte leads Brooklyn 52-47 with three minutes remaining in the first half, fueled by 11 points (4-7 FG) from Collin Sexton.

8:20 PM / December 1, 2025

JULIAN PHILLIPS HOW DO YOU DO

Poster.

Phillips is a low-usage contributor, but he belongs in the conversation among the most athletic combo-forwards in the league, a la Peyton Watson and Derrick Jones.

8:10 PM / December 1, 2025

Hustle and heart⚡⚡

Jalen Suggs shows off his hops and nearly hits his head on the backboard for this bucket-saving chasedown block!

Prime example of never giving up on the play — Suggs saves a basket after committing the turnover on the other end. This is accountability leadership basketball.

8:01 PM / December 1, 2025

Tough drive from Franz💪💪

Franz Wagner shows off his strength, agility and finesse on his way to a bucket-plus-the-foul early versus Chicago.

Wagner leads all scorers with nine points (4-6 FG), but the Bulls possess a 21-15 lead late in the first quarter. Chicago has connected on 5-of-8 3PA, while assisting on seven of their nine made shots thus far.

7:54 PM / December 1, 2025

Cam Whitmore dunks💥💥

Whitmore puts the exclamation point on a Washington transition break. The third-year guard has struggled to find efficient self-creation in Washington, but there is plenty of talent to mold in his new environment.

7:43 PM / December 1, 2025

Donovan dancin’ 🕺🕺

Dribble drive, high pick-up, tough lay. The Donovan Mitchell special.

Cleveland leads Indiana 42-27 early in the second quarter. Mitchell has 10 points (4-7 FG) to represent the game’s only double-digit scorer thus far.

7:35 PM / December 1, 2025

Pistons making plays

Cade Cunningham turns defense to offense with a huge block while Jalen Duren continues showing off an expanded face-up and downhill skillset.

Cunningham and Duren are making a case as one of the best guard-big duos in the league overall. Having Isaiah Stewart as a legitimate hybrid PF-C is a key component of Detroit’s success as well.

That being said, Atlanta has a 27-25 lead over Detroit at the end of the first quarter, fueled by 12 points (5-6 FG) from Onyeka Okongwu.

6:48 PM / December 1, 2025

Buttery warmup from Giannis

After reaching 21,000 points in Saturday’s win over Brooklyn, Giannis Antetokounmpo discussed his vision of climbing the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

The 30-year-old’s task gets much more viable if the jumper becomes a nightly threat over coming seasons. Antetokounmpo is not giving up on it, that’s for sure.

6:40 PM / December 1, 2025

Tough test for the Hawks

Following a booming 142-134 2OT win less than 24-hours ago, there is no load management in Atlanta. The Hawks’ core gets back at it Monday versus Detroit🍿🍿🍿

6:28 PM / December 1, 2025

Stat Leaders📌📌

Turning the page on November and a historic scoring stretch to open the season.

 

 

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