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Top moments and stats from an 8-game night in the NBA, led by Paul George's return

Follow along with live updates around NBA action

Ben Lambert, for NBA.com

Paul George made his return to NBA action tonight against the LA Clippers on League Pass.

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

Paul George’s return is the story of the night! Read on to learn more.

What we know about Monday night’s games:

  • Paul George returned tonight against his former team as the Philadelphia 76ers, led by Tyrese Maxey (39 pts) defeated James Harden (28 pts) and the LA Clippers 110-108.
  • Donovan Mitchell (37 pts) and the Cavaliers defeated the Bucks 118-106 on Peacock.
  • The Pistons, buoyed by the play of Daniss Jenkins (26 pts) and Jalen Duren (31 pts, 15 reb), earned their 10th straight win against the Pacers 127-112.
  • Seven Heat scored in double figures, including Kel’el Ware (16 pts, 14 reb, 3 blk), to lead Miami over the rival New York Knicks 115-113.
  • The Thunder moved to 14-1 behind Chet Holmgren (26 pts, 9 reb) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (23 pts on nine shots), beating the Pelicans 126-109.
  • Josh Giddey (21 pts, 14 reb) and Chicago’s bench (66 pts) earned a 130-127 victory over Nikola Jokic (36 pts, 18 reb, 13 ast) and the Nuggets, snapping their seven-game win streak as the Joker’s game-tying three attempt at the buzzer went wide left.

12:15 AM / NOVEMBER 18, 2025

The fourth-best Dunk Score of the year

Delivered tonight by Brandon Ingram, rating in at 113.8.

11:42 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

The Thunder make winning routine

Oklahoma City moved to an NBA-best 14-1 tonight behind Chet Holmgren (26 pts on 10-of-14 shooting) and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (23 points on 5-of-9 shooting).

Check out Chet’s highlights. The big man can do a bit of everything out there.

Oh, and a touch of brilliance from Isaiah Joe.

11:25 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

“The Cardiac Bulls again!”

Chicago managed to hold on 130-127, despite an attempt at late heroics from Nikola Jokic, who had a monster triple-double (36 pts, 18 reb, 13 pts).

Josh Giddey gave the Bulls’ bench, which scored 66 points, credit in the postgame interview, noting that the team fought hard despite going to overtime Sunday night in the first half of their back-to-back.

That’s the fifth-most bench points by a team this season.

“(We needed this) badly, badly,” said Giddey. “Credit to our group. We stuck together, we did all the right things… really locked in. We knew coming in to tonight this is a tough place to play, tough team to beat, and responded really well.”

11:09 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Bulls and Nuggets dueling

The Bulls swept the season series against Denver in the last campaign. Can they find their legs after going to double OT last night?

10:50 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

League Pass Alert: Bulls-Nuggets

110-105 Chicago with 7:10 to go in the fourth. As the night winds down, catch the end on League Pass!

Jevon Carter (season-high 15 pts) is one of six Bulls in double figures.

10:35 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

The Joker executes his plan

A league-leading eighth triple-double for Nikola Jokić tonight.

But the Bulls are up 10 in the third quarter — catch the conclusion on League Pass.

10:32 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Donovan delivered tonight

Spida has dropped 30+ in each of his last three games, raising his average to 32.1 ppg for the month of November.

10:26 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Maxey makes baskets

Inside with the quickness, outside with the sweet stroke. Tyrese makes it look easy.

He’s now tied for second in the NBA with nine 30+ point games this season.

10:15 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Duren with the dominant double-double

Jalen’s one of five players averaging 12+ rebounds per game this season.

The other four (Nikola Jokić, Victor Wembanyama, Karl-Anthony Towns, Domantas Sabonis) have all been All-Stars.

10:03 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Sweet-shooting Sam Merrill lifts Cleveland

Sam Merrill (20 pts) had six threes to help the Cavs defeat the Bucks 118-106 on Peacock. Check the form.

9:53 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

League Pass Alert: Hornets-Raptors

Tied at 108 with 42.0 seconds to go. Check the finish out on League Pass!

9:40 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Jenkins on the break

Daniss Jenkins — the subject of tonight’s mini-profile — races away for two of his 26 points for Detroit.

They’ve taken the victory over the Pacers, earning their 10th straight victory — the longest streak for the franchise since 2007-08.

9:31 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Matas with the move

Looking like a hooper.

9:25 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Maxey is en fuego

He’s making this a regular thing.

9:03 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Porter Jr. with the poster

It’s a tight one on Peacock — 95-91 Cleveland with 10:20 to go in the fourth.

8:45 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

A point guard at work

Sometimes you just have to make the pass.

Kon Knueppel leads the Hornets with 13 points, including three 3-pointers, but the Raptors lead 57-50 as the half nears.

8:35 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Melo on Mitchell

Game recognizes game. Check out the second half on Peacock!

8:25 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Clarkson delivers the dime

What an incisive bounce pass from Jordan Clarkson. 43-40 Knicks with 4:35 to go in the second.

8:10 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Jenkins finds Duren for the thunderous alley-oop

Daniss Jenkins — read more about his story — tosses a beautiful lob to Jalen Duren here.

7:55 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

BI with the hammer

On a rad Raptors court, Brandon Ingram delivers a powerful jam.

He has the second-best field goal percentage of his career so far this season at 49.3.

7:45 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Harden on a heater

After 37 and 41 in his prior two outings, James Harden’s going it going early against his former team, the 76ers.

It’s 36-30 Clippers with 8:36 to go in the second quarter.

7:30 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

James Harden reaches another milestone

13 players have now reached the 28,000-point mark in NBA history.

LeBron James and Kevin Durant are the other active players to have surpassed the threshold.

7:15 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Paul George is in the books

George entered the season 76th on the all-time scoring list with 18,697 points, less than 100 behind Bob McAdoo.

6:30 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Daniss Jenkins rises as Pistons seek 10th straight win

Going into the season, Danniss Jenkins was walking a long journey.

After attending four colleges, finishing as a second All-Big East selection as a graduate student at St. John’s, he went undrafted in 2024, then signed a two-way contract with the Pistons, appearing in seven games last season (1.0 ppg, 0.3 reb, 0.4 ast).

But he was ready this season.

As Detroit suffered a string of injuries, Jenkins has stepped into a starring role. Over the last three games, he’s averaging 20.3 points, 7.7 assists, 5.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals, as well as 3.0 three-pointers on 56.3 percent shooting from deep.

Jenkins plays — and speaks — with tremendous energy and focus, moving speedily with his head up on the court.

He can jitterbug into the lane for a drive, rise up for an open three and deliver an eye-popping dime, dropping several slick bounce passes in this latest run.

Jenkins also has a flair for the dramatic. He hit a game-tying three for the Pistons in their 137-135 overtime win over the Wizards on Nov 10, then knocked down a half-court buzzer-beater at the third quarter horn in Detroit’s latest 114-105 win over Philadelphia.

“I don’t know how many people watched my journey, my story. Every place I’ve been, that’s who I’ve been… I don’t back down from nobody. I’m going to compete at the highest level, and I’m going to talk,” said Jenkins. “I’m not afraid of nothing.”

Daniss Jenkins speaks after Detroit's win over Philadelphia.

Jenkins and the Pistons look to keep a historic win streak going tonight against the Pacers (7 ET, League Pass).

It’s the longest winning streak for Detroit since 2007-08, when they went to the Eastern Conference Finals.

5:30 PM / NOVEMBER 17, 2025

Paul George is back on a 8-game night in the NBA

Paul George is ready to return tonight for the Philadelphia 76ers as they take on James Harden and the LA Clippers on League Pass.

Welcome to an eight-game Monday in the NBA, headlined by the return of Paul George as the Philadelphia 76ers face the LA Clippers (7 ET) and the Milwaukee Bucks facing the Cleveland Cavaliers (7 ET) on Peacock.

Paul George, a nine-time All-Star, is ready to be a leader for a tough Sixers squad, including Tyrese Maxey (32.0 ppg, fourth in the NBA) and VJ Edgecombe (15.6 ppg, 5.7 reb, 37.9 3PT%, fourth in the latest Kia Rookie Ladder), who have flourished in his absence.

Philly stands at 7-5, just above the Play-In Tournament positions. Jared McCain, who flashed last year as a promising scoring talent, is also getting back. Joel Embiid is out tonight, but not expected to miss extended time. There’s room for this squad to come together.

“I do think there’s a lot to look forward to. We’ve been leaning on each other,” George said ahead of the season, noting the team’s camaraderie. “Guys are committed to getting better. We’re hungry… The motivation is there. We’re just hanging on one another.”

George’s stats dipped in his first season in Philadelphia, but with a year of healing and stability under his belt, he’s ready to start with clear focus and energy.

“I do think I’ve still got a lot of game in me,” said George. “Playing at a high level — that’s who I am.”

The Clippers were one shot away against the Boston Celtics on Sunday, losing 121-118 after former Sixer James Harden missed a game-tying three at the buzzer after pushing Boston to the brink throughout the second half, scoring 32 of his 37 in the second stanza.

Harden became the oldest player to put up a triple-double with 40+ points in the prior game, a 133-127 overtime win over the Mavericks (41 pts, 14 reb, 11 ast).

What will the resurgent Beard have tonight for his former squad? How will George, a former Clipper himself, respond to live action? Check it out on League Pass.

In national action, we’ll have Giannis Antetokounmpo (32.6 ppg, 11.3 reb, 7.1 ast, 63 FG%), who has been playing some of the best basketball of his career so far this season, and his new running mates like Ryan Rollins (16.9 ppg, 5.4) and Kyle Kuzma (13.5 ppg, 4.1 reb).

Keep an eye on Kuzma tonight.

He had one of his best games of the season (29 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast, 4 stl) in the Bucks’ 147-134 win over the Hornets on Friday in Emirates NBA Cup 2025 Group Play, but scored just a single point in their 118-95 loss to the Lakers Sunday.

He’s achieved a plus-minus of zero so far this season.

In wins, Kuzma is +39, with a usage rate of 19.8, a true shooting percentage of 65.3 and an assist-to-turnover ratio of 1.45.

In losses, he’s -39, with a higher usage rate — 21.7 — but a lower TS% (51.6) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.00).

Donovan Mitchell, as always, is also worthy of your attention.

The Cavs’ star scored 14 fourth-quarter points to rally Cleveland over Memphis 108-100, part of his 30 on the night. He’s sixth in the NBA at 30.4 ppg, while Giannis is second.

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