• League Pass
  • Teams

Top Stories

Live Updates: Raptors-Magic, Pistons-Warriors lead a 9-game night in the NBA

Friday night in the NBA will also feature Nuggets-Clippers and Lakers visiting Washington on League Pass.

NBA.com

Nikola Jokić (knee) is back in the lineup tonight versus the Clippers after missing the last 16 games.

Enjoy the best of Friday’s 9-game slate with the NBA.com live blog, featuring all of the meaningful moments, performances, observations, news, notes and highlights.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 10:29 ET

Tonight’s final scores:

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 11:17 ET

Pistons extending lead in 2Q

Cade Cunningham (13 pts, 6 ast), Duncan Robinson (12 pts) and Isaiah Stewart (12 pts, 2 blk) are doing work to keep Detroit ahead of the Warriors in The Bay, as the Pistons hold a 72-60 edge with 1:51 remaining before halftime.

Draymond Green (15 pts) and Steph Curry (10 pts, 2 ast) are two of the four Warriors in double figures so far.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 11:10 ET

Nuggets leading Clippers in 4Q

Jamal Murray’s (18 pts, 7 ast) runner at the buzzer gives Denver a 33-30 scoring advantage in the third. The Nuggets are staying in front of the visiting Clippers, 108-97, with 4:32 remaining in the contest.

Nikola Jokić has 28 points, 11 boards, 4 assists and 3 steals,  and Tim Hardaway, Jr. sparks with 22 points and five made 3s off the bench.

James Harden (25 pts, 9 ast) and Kawhi Leonard (21 pts, 6 ast) are pacing the Clips as they go for a fourth straight victory.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 11:00 ET

Cam cooks in the 2Q

Brooklyn’s Cam Thomas scores 14 straight points in the second quarter against the Jazz, and he’s up to 19 on 6-for-9 shooting in the third.

Keyonte George leads all scorers with 21 points (7-8 FG, 7-9 FT) to go along with 2 boards, 4 assists and one block for Utah, but it’s the Nets who own a 66-61 edge with 7:40 left in the third on League Pass.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 10:53 ET

Pistons, Warriors dueling after 1Q

Duncan Robinson drops 12 points on 4-for-6 from 3-point range, while Cade Cunningham adds 8 points and 6 assists in 10 minutes to give the Pistons a 45-37 edge over the Warriors after one.

Stephen Curry has 10 points to lead the Warriors, and Draymond Green (9 pts) and De’Anthony Melton (8 pts, 2 ast) are keeping Golden State within striking distance.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 10:44 ET

Knicks win 5th straight

New York gets production from up and down the roster in their 127-97 victory over Portland, securing a fifth consecutive dub to keep the Knicks slightly ahead of the Celtics for second-place in the Eastern Conference.

Shaedon Sharpe tallies a team-high 26 points on 10-for-16 shooting with 4 3PM in 28 minutes, but it wasn’t enough to stop the Blazers from dropping their fourth in a row.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 10:32 ET

Butter from Kawhi

Kawhi Leonard is so smooth on this turnaround jumper, and he’s got 12 points (5-10 FG) to go along with 3 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals as the Clippers trail the Nuggets, 68-67, midway through the third.

James Harden has a game-high 25 points on 8-for-16 shooting, adding 4 rebounds, 6 dimes and one block in 25 minutes.

The Joker is up to 18 points (4-7 FG, 9-12 FT), 9 boards, 3 assists and 2 steals in only 16 minutes in his first game back in over a month.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 10:26 ET

Magic dominate 4Q in win

Orlando outscores Toronto 44-21 in the fourth quarter on their way to a 130-120 victory. The Magic get heroics from Desmond Bane (32 pts, 7 3PM) to take down Brandon Ingram’s game-high 35 points (13-23 FG).

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 10:18 ET

Cavs trail Suns at half

Despite Phoenix holding a 52-47 advantage over Cleveland after 24 minutes, ‘The Fro’ went off for 12 points with 6 rebounds to lead his team in scoring. The Cavs have turned it over 15 times already, resulting in 21 points off for the Suns (7 TOs as a team).

Dillons Brooks is the high man for Phoenix with 10 points, while Grayson Allen and Jordan Goodwin each have 8 points apiece.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 10:09 ET

Young scorers start hot

Keyonte George (10 pts) and Egor Dëmin (11 pts) are going toe-to-toe tonight in Utah.

Brooklyn holds a 27-26 lead over the Jazz after one quarter.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 10:04 ET

Magic-Raptors getting good

Desmond Bane (29 pts) and Brandon Ingram (32 pts) are battling late in the fourth quarter on ESPN, and the Magic lead the Raptors 112-109 with 4:33 remaining in the contest.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 10:00 ET

Pelicans tame Grizzlies

New Orleans gets their third win in four games thanks to three 20-point scorers in Saddiq Bey (22 pts, 8 reb, 3 stl), Derik Queen (22 pts, 9 reb, 7 ast) and Zion Williamson (21 pts, 7 reb, 2 blk), defeating the Grizzlies 114-106.

Cam Spencer and Jaren Jackson, Jr. pace Memphis with 16 points apiece. The Grizz drop their fifth straight despite getting a balanced attack with seven players finishing in double figures.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 9:50 ET

Call him Scottie two-way!

Scottie Barnes is doing a bit of everything for Toronto tonight, tallying 18 points (8-11 FG), 8 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 blocks. Brandon Ingram has a game-high 27 points on 10-for-16 shooting, driving the Raptors to a 101-93 lead over the Magic with 9:41 remaining in the contest.

Desmond Bane (19 pts) and Wendell Carter, Jr. (17 pts) lead five Magic in double figures scoring. Who will Orlando call on to bring them back in this one? Tune in now, live on ESPN!

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 9:44 ET

Suns-Cavs battling early

Dillon Brooks and Grayson Allen have 8 points apiece to give the Suns a 31-30 edge over the visiting Cavaliers with 9:27 left in the second frame.

Donovan Mitchell has 2 points and 5 turnovers in 10 minutes, while Jarrett Allen leads Cleveland with 8 points to go along with 3 boards and 3 assists.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 9:38 ET

Brunson reaches 10K career points

Jalen Brunson leads New York with 26 points on 8-for-20 shooting in 31 minutes, fueling the Knicks to a 106-80 advantage over the Blazers with 7:08 remaining in the contest.

Shaedon Sharpe matches him with 26 points on 10-for-16 shooting to lead Portland in scoring, but they’ll need more to avoid losing their fourth consecutive outing.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 9:29 ET

Joker is officially BACK

Comes back like he never left. Nikola Jokić is up to 9 points, 4 rebounds and an assist in 7 minutes, helping the Nuggets take an early 27-22 lead over the Clippers with 2:28 left in the first.

Kawhi Leonard (6 pts, 3 ast, 2 stl) finds John Collins (8 pts) for the lob in traffic.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 9:22 ET

Lakers cruise in D.C., win 142-111

Luka Dončić leads the way in LA’s 31-point victory over Washington, dropping 37 points (13-21 FG, 6-13 3PM, 5-7 FT), 11 rebounds, 13 assists and 3 steals in 31 minutes.

LeBron James finishes with 20 points, 3 boards, 6 dimes and 2 steals, and Deandre Ayton booms with 28 points on 12-for-14 shooting to go along with 13 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks and a steal.

Malaki Branham (17 pts) and Alex Sarr (16 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl) lead five Wizards in double figures scoring. The loss ends a two-game win streak for Washington.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 9:08 ET

Pritchard drops 22 in 1H

Payton Pritchard drops 22 points in the first half to help the Celtics surge to a 72-46 edge over the Kings at the break. The 2024-25 Kia Sixth Man of the Year has done an excellent job starting for Boston this season, playing a large part in their current third-place standing in the Eastern Conference.

Zach LaVine is the leading scorer for Sacramento with 17, but the Kings trail the Celtics 80-52 midway through the third quarter.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 9:02 ET

Raptors rally for halftime lead

Toronto holds the edge in paint points (34-16) and fast break points (18-7), including this perfect dime from Scottie Barnes (10 pts, 6 reb, 4 ast, 2 blk) to Ja’Kobe Walter (11 pts, 5-6 FG) at the halftime buzzer, and they take a 57-50 advantage over the Magic after two quarters.

Desmond Bane leads Orlando in scoring with 11 points on 3-for-6 shooting and 2 3PM, and Wendell Carter, Jr. is right behind him with 10 points (3-6 FG, 2-3 3PM), 4 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal in 15 minutes.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 8:53 ET

Sharpe dazzles on the finish

Shaedon Sharpe gets two of his team-high 17 points in beautiful fashion, but he’s also locked in from 3-point range, knocking down 4 of his 6 attempts in 15 first-half minutes.

Jalen Brunson gives the Knicks a 59-49 edge over the Trail Blazers by dropping a game-high 19 points in 19 minutes, and Josh Hart tallies 11 points, 3 boards, one assist, one steal and one block.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 8:43 ET

Grizzlies up 61-58 at half

Memphis takes a 3-point lead over New Orleans at halftime, as Jaren Jackson, Jr. (12 pts, 4 stl), Jaylen Wells (8 pts, 4 ast) and Cedric Coward (8 pts) power a balanced Grizzlies offense.

Zion Williamson has a game-high 17 points on 6-for-6 shooting to go along with 5 boards, 3 assists and a block in 16 minutes. Saddiq Bey (11 pts, 2 reb, 2 stl) and Derik Queen (10 pts, 4 reb, 4 ast) are doing a bit of everything for the Pelicans.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 8:29 ET

Kings fighting back in Boston

Rookie Maxime Raynaud gets himself a bird to bring Sacramento’s deficit to 54-40 versus the Celtics midway through the second quarter. He’s got 2 points and 7 rebounds, while Zach LaVine (9 pts) is the Kings’ leading scorer.

Jaylen Brown is out tonight due to an illness, but Payton Pritchard is picking up the slack with 14 points (6-7 FG) and 6 assists in 12 minutes for the C’s.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 8:22 ET

Paolo gets the hoop and harm

Orlando’s Paolo Banchero slips past Scottie Barnes for the emphatic finish, and he finishes the 3-point play for his only 3 points on the night so far. Desmond Bane is providing the offense for the Magic with 10 points on 3-for-4 shooting.

Brandon Ingram (7 pts) and Barnes (6 pts, 2 reb, 2 blk) have the Raptors in front, 32-31, with 8:51 remaining before halftime on ESPN!

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 8:11 ET

Knicks up 15 after 1Q

New York shoots 58% from the field while knocking down 5 of their 8 3-point attempts, giving them a 37-22 lead at home over the Blazers. Jalen Brunson cooks for 13 points, while Josh Hart and OG Anunoby have 7 points apiece.

Caleb Love is the high man for Portland with 6 points and two made 3s in 6 minutes off the bench.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 8:06 ET

LeBron couldn’t believe it

LeBron James has 14 points (6-10 FG), 2 assists and 2 steals after skying for the sweet lefty finish. Luka Dončić finishes the first half with a game-high 26 points on 9-for-14 shooting (5-8 3PM) with 11 rebounds, 11 assists and 2 steals in 18 minutes. Unreal.

The Lakers hold a 77-48 halftime advantage over the Wizards. Washington’s duo of Alex Sarr (12 pts, 2 stl, 1 blk) and Bub Carrington (11 pts, 2 reb, 4 ast) are the only two in double figures, and they’ll have a lot of work to do in the second half.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 7:55 ET

Queen gets crafty

Rookie Derik Queen dances his way to the hoop to give him 4 points with 3 boards and 2 dimes for the Pelicans, who trail the Grizzlies 21-20 with 4 minutes to play in the first quarter.

Jaylen Wells has 6 points and 2 assists to lead Memphis.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 7:50 ET

Raptors-Magic underway on ESPN

Orlando jumps out to a 13-4 lead over Toronto with two minutes gone in the opening frame, with Desmond Bane fueling the Magic’s hot start with 6 points on 2-for-2 shooting from long range.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 7:44 ET

Luka posts wild 1Q stats

Dončić absolutely dominates Washington in the first quarter, helping the Lakers take a 49-30 edge with 8:29 remaining in the second.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 7:26 ET

Defense to offense for Wizards

Washington strings together a beautiful sequence that leads to a triple from second-year guard Bub Carrington (6 points, 2 3PM). Alex Sarr has 8 points on 4-for-5 shooting, but the Wizards trail the Lakers 26-17 with 4:26 left in the first quarter.

Luka Dončić, who leads the NBA in first-quarter scoring at 11.8 points, comes out of the gate swinging, putting up 11 points (4-6 FG, 2-4 3PM), 6 boards, 5 assists and 2 steals in only 8 minutes.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 6:40 ET

What we know ahead of Friday’s games:

  • Denver’s Nikola Jokić could return to the floor tonight for the first time since he hyperextended his left knee on Dec. 29 versus Miami. He’s averaging 29.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and 11.0 assists per game and will juice up a Nuggets squad that went 10-6 in his absence.
  • Luka Dončić and LeBron James look to right the Lakers’ ship when they travel to take on a Wizards team going for their third consecutive win.
  • The Kings are in Boston hoping to snap a 7-game losing streak, while the Celtics aim to shake off a recent 117-106 loss to the Hawks on Wednesday.
  • Portland is in the Big Apple looking to snap a 3-game skid versus a New York Knicks team going for a fifth straight victory following a stretch in which they lost nine of 11 contests.
  • The Grizzlies are in New Orleans to battle the Pelicans, and the Nets will try to put an end to their 7-game losing streak against the Jazz, who have lost four in a row.
  • Cleveland is in Phoenix as one of the hotter teams in the NBA right now, as the Cavs have won five straight and 12 of their last 16 games dating back to Dec. 29.

JANUARY 30, 2026 // 6:15 ET

Welcome to a nine-game Friday of hoops!

Paolo Banchero and the Magic host Scottie Barnes and the Raptors to kick off ESPN’s Friday night doubleheader.

Contending teams in the East square off in the first matchup on ESPN when the Orlando Magic host the Toronto Raptors (7:30 ET), as the visitors will look to extend their current road winning streak to five games. Then, starting All-Star guards for their respective conferences duel when Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons visit Steph Curry and the Golden State Warriors (10 ET).

ESPN’s Shams Charania reports that Nikola Jokić plans to return tonight for the Nuggets after missing the last 16 games with a knee injury. A welcomed boost for Denver, who just lost Aaron Gordon for another 4-6 weeks with a right hamstring strain.

Here’s tonight’s complete schedule:

Related

Latest