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Live Updates: Knicks defeat Cavaliers; Wemby dominates in Cooper Flagg's debut

Follow along with the top moments, performances and highlights from around the NBA.

Ben Lambert, for NBA.com

Victor Wembanyama was dominant in the first game of his third season, leading the Spurs to a 125-92 victory over the Mavericks.

Enjoy the best of a 12-game night across the league!

Follow along with the NBA.com live blog, as we bring you the top moments, performances, observations, news, notes and highlights.

What we know about Wednesday night’s games

  • Cooper Flagg made his NBA debut against the Spurs, but Victor Wembanyama earned the headlines and the 125-92 victory over the Mavericks with a massive double-double (40 points, 15 rebounds, 3 blocks), breaking the team record for points in a season opener in the process.
  • The Knicks defeated the Cavaliers 119-111 in the first game of our ESPN doubleheader, led by 24 points from OG Anunoby.
  • Khris Middleton made his return to Milwaukee with 23 points, but the Bucks took the 133-120 win over the Wizards.
  • Philly’s VJ Edgecombe set the NBA record for most first-quarter points in a debut with 14, surpassing LeBron James, in a 117-116 Sixers win over the Celtics. He had 34 in the contest.
  • Anthony Edwards dropped 41 in the Timberwolves’ 118-114 win over the Trail Blazers, setting a franchise record for points in a season opener.
  • The Raptors set a franchise record for points in a single game, beating the Hawks 138-118.

12:50 AM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

A dominant highlight reel from The Alien

12:45 AM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Anthony Edwards has put in the work

12:29 AM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Suns and Kings going down to the wire

Enjoy a great finish in Sacramento, available live on League Pass.

12:15 AM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

An absurd season opener from Wemby

Wembanyama set the Spurs record for points in a season opener with 40.

He, along with Tim Duncan, are the only players to tally more than 30 points and 10 rebounds in an opening game for the franchise.

12:02 AM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

The Suns come roaring back in Sacramento

11:53 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

A glimpse of Wemby in slow-mo

11:47 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

LaVine in the zone in Phoenix

11:29 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Stir it up, Wemby

11:25 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Cooper Flagg’s first NBA bucket

A sweet pull up from the Mavericks’ prized rookie.

11:13 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Jaden McDaniels with the poster jam

11:00 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Only Wemby

The Spurs are up 60-51 at the half. Ernie, Kenny, Shaq and Chuck are up to break down the action on ESPN.

10:56 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Jrue is in the books for the Blazers

10:51 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Westbrook is making plays in Sacramento

10:39 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Buzelis’ slam puts the Bulls up one

A clutch time situation in Chicago.

10:17 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

A moment between champions

With 2:11 to go in the fourth, Middleton has 23 points in his return to Milwaukee, while Giannis has 35.

10:10 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

VJ’s historic debut leads Sixers to victory

VJ Edgecombe, the No. 3 pick out of Baylor, had a special debut for the 76ers.

VJ Edgecombe scored 34 points in his rookie debut, making history as he led the 76ers to a 117-116 win over the Boston Celtics in TD Garden.

Edgecombe scored 14 points in the first quarter – the most in NBA history by a rookie in their NBA debut, surpassing LeBron James.

By the end of the contest, he had 34 – the third-most in a rookie debut, behind Wilt Chamberlain (43 points in 1959) and Frank Selvy (35 points in 1954).

Payton Pritchard had a chance to win it at the buzzer for Boston, but couldn’t convert the jumper over two defenders.

10:06 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Wemby rocks the rim

9:59 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

A poster jam for the Greek Freak

9:55 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Cooper Flagg hits the floor in Dallas

9:50 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Ace Bailey enters the scoring with a slam

9:40 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

VJ Edgecombe with a special debut

9:32 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

League Pass Alert: Heat-Magic

The Miami Heat and Orlando Magic are tied at 115 with 2:35 to go. Norman Powell has 25 points; Franz Wagner has 24. Go check it out on NBA League Pass!

9:30 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Maxey and VJ at work for Philly, but Celtics lead

Tyrese Maxey has 34 points for Philly as well. But the Celtics are up 10 with 9:17 to go.

9:23 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Knicks making a run on ESPN

9:15 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

A three for Tre

The No. 6 overall pick out of Texas is making his debut for the Wizards tonight.

9:08 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Myles Turner debuts in Milwaukee with a poster

9:03 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Wemby’s in a groove

Watch the net ripple.

Mavericks-Spurs will follow Cavs-Knicks at 9:30 ET on ESPN, featuring the launch of Victor Wembanyama’s third NBA season.

9:00 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Cavs take the lead in MSG

The Cavaliers have come back to take an 86-85 lead behind Donovan Mitchell, who has 21 points in the third quarter and 29 on the night.

“Some Mitchell madness here in the third quarter,” said Mike Breen after a Spida three prompted a Knicks timeout with 1:30 to go.

8:54 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

A 6-7 connection

Both LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller are 6’7″, for the record.

8:49 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

History for the Sixers’ new shooting guard

Most points in the first quarter of an NBA debut:

  • VJ Edgecombe: 14 (tonight)
  • LeBron James: 12 (Oct. 29, 2003)

Pretty special company.

8:46 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Speed walking shenanigans

A little laughter from the first “Inside The NBA” broadcast on ESPN.

8:38 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Hornets drop 77 points in the first half

Brandon Miller leads Charlotte with 17 points.

No. 4 pick Kon Knueppel has 5 points on 2-of-2 shooting, including his first NBA bucket.

8:34 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Ausar Thompson has springs

8:31 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Maxey is taking over

The Philly point guard averaged 27.3 ppg versus the Celtics last season.

8:29 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Ja puts a jolt into the 2025-26 season

8:26 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

A few words from Cooper Flagg

The prized rookie will debut with the Mavericks against the Spurs tonight in the second half of our ESPN doubleheader (9:30 ET).

8:18 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Franz is shining in the new Magic uniforms

8:09 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Lonzo activates the dimer badge

The former No. 2 pick is making his debut for the Cavs tonight.

8:07 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Check out VJ Edgecombe

The No. 3 pick got it rolling for Philly in the first quarter with 10 straight points, including a crossover and forceful jam.

8:02 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Minott rocks the rim in Boston

The fourth-year forward came over from Minnesota as a free-agent signee.

7:58 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

BI gets rolling in Toronto

7:56 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Connecting in a New York minute

Check out the tight window on this dime from Tyler Kolek.

7:54 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

A moment with the Young family

7:51 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

New faces debuting in Atlanta

7:43 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Bridges is at work for the Knicks tonight

7:32 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Desmond Bane is in the books for Orlando

Bane averaged 19.2 ppg for Memphis before being traded to the Magic in the offseason.

7:30 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Jalen Brunson’s starring in the Knicks game

Check out the torque on JB’s crossover as he slashes to the rim. Cavs-Knicks is live on ESPN.

7:24 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Payton Pritchard will start for Boston

New acquisition Anfernee Simons, traded to Boston from Portland in the offseason, will come off the bench.

Pritchard, the 2024-25 Kia Sixth Man Of The Year, has started 17 of the 347 games he’s played for the Celtics.

7:18 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Eric Collins joyously rings in a new season

“This is going to be fun, folks!”

7:10 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Knicks and Cavaliers are underway in New York

Go inside the Cavs’ quest to rise to the top of the East, then check out the game on ESPN.

7:00 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Cooper Flagg is in the house in Dallas

6:40 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

Khris Middleton returns to Milwaukee

Middleton, a 2020 NBA Champion with the Bucks, stands at third on the Bucks’ all-time scoring list with 12,586 points.

6:30 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

“Inside The NBA” on ESPN

Join Ernie Johnson, Kenny Smith, Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley on ESPN!

5:30 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

A Flagg rises in Dallas

Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 pick in the Class of 2025, has been looming on the horizon of the NBA since he was barely in high school.

He was the Maine Gatorade Player of the Year as a high school freshman in 2021, then transferred to Monteverde Academy, winning 2022 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year and 2024 National High School Player of the Year.

He showed out against the USA Basketball Select Team as a 17-year-old, holding his own against NBA talent, and electrified Rucker Park with a game-tying buzzer-beater.

“He’s a special young man,” said Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley, who coached the select team, at the time. “His talent level, his basketball IQ, his level of toughness, not afraid of those moments, protect the rim, make the right play, make the right read. He had all that.”

Flagg went on to play for a year at Duke, earning ACC Rookie of the Year, ACC All-Defensive Team and National College Player of the Year, before coming to Dallas and building a connection with fellow former No. 1 picks Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving.

He’s made plays throughout the preseason, flashing the offensive and defensive versatility that makes him a special prospect.

Coach Jason Kidd has trusted him with the ball; he’s expected to start at point guard tonight for the Mavericks, facing No. 2 pick Dylan Harper, his top competition on the initial Kia Rookie Ladder for the season, and the San Antonio Spurs.

Tonight, a special NBA journey begins. What will Flagg do as he steps into the fray against the best players in the world?

5:00 PM / OCTOBER 22, 2025

The season begins in earnest

We’ve got 12 games on tap tonight in the National Basketball Association!

The schedule includes a battle between the beasts projected to stand at the top of the East in the Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks (7 ET, ESPN), the debut of No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg with the Dallas Mavericks against Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs (9:30 ET, ESPN) and a series of battles between traditional rivals, including 76ers-Celtics, Pistons-Bulls and Heat-Magic.

We’ll have all the top highlights and updates, making sure you’re getting all the best the NBA has to offer.

Check out the complete schedule and get excited for tonight’s action!

If you need NBA League Pass, you can purchase it here.

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