Top Stories

Nightly Pulse: NBA news & highlights from Nov. 26

Stay in the know on tonight's NBA action as we keep you updated with the latest news and happenings around the league.

NBA.com Staff

🏆2024 Emirates NBA Cup🏆

Emirates NBA Cup action returns with a five-game slate that should further help the field take shape.

  • East C: Bulls 127, Wizards 108 (Final)
  • East B: Bucks 106, Heat 103 (Final)
  • West A: Rockets 117, Timberwolves 111 (Final)
  • West B: Spurs 128, Jazz 115 (Final)
  • West B: Lakers 100, Suns 127 (Final)

📝👉Top Storylines👈📝

  1. The Milwaukee Bucks edged out the Miami Heat winning their fifth game in a row and moved to 3-0 in Emirates NBA Cup group play. After a rough start to the season, they now sit at .500 with a 9-9 record and did so without Giannis Antetokounmpo (knee). In his absence, Damian Lillard rose to the occasion with 37 points and 12 assists, making him the first player in Bucks’ franchise history to record 10-plus assists and make eight-plus threes in a single game. 
  2. The Rockets stayed hot and are now 8-2 in their last 10 and clinched the West A bracket and a spot in the knockout round with their 117-111 OT win over the Timberwolves. Dillon Brooks, Fred VanVleet, and Alperen Sengun all scored 20-plus points, while Sengun also added 11 assists and 10 rebounds for a triple-double. 
  3. The return of Durant and Beal got the Suns back on track as they put an end to their five-game losing streak. Their decisive victory over the Lakers also put them in first place in the West B bracket, as each team now sits at 2-1 in Emirates NBA Cup play, with Phoenix holding the tiebreaker.

⭐🌟⭐ Top3️⃣performers⭐🌟⭐

  • Damian Lillard: 37 points (10-17 FG, 8-13 3PT) and 12 assists.
  • Victor Wembanyama: 34 points (13-23 FG, 6-14 3PT), seven rebounds, three blocks.
  • Alperen Sengun: 22 points, 11 assists, 10 rebounds, three steals and three blocks. 

Not in my house❌

Beal gets up and blocks the LeBron James lay-in attempt off the glass.

The Suns took complete control of the game in the second half and the benches have emptied, as the Suns hold a 119-92 lead with just a couple of minutes remaining. Anthony Davis had a strong 25-point performance with 15 rebounds, five assists a steal, and four blocks, but that wasn’t enough. Kevin Durant scored 23 points on 9-17 shooting and grabbed six rebounds, while Bradley Beal posted 23 on 10-for-15 shooting in their returns. It was Devin Booker’s 26 points that led the way though, and he also had 10 assists.

Turns on the boosters☄️

Durant accelerates to the rim off the pick and gets the easy dunk.

The Suns went on a tear in the third quarter, outscoring the Lakers 36-18, and now have a 101-78 lead early in the fourth quarter. Durant, Beal, and Booker all have 19 points a piece for Phoenix.

Fades into victory

Wembanyama hits the fadeaway for his final points of the night and pushes the Spurs to a 128-115 win over the Jazz.

It was another big game for Victor, who scored 34 points on 13-23 shooting, including 6-14 from three. He also grabbed seven rebounds and swatted three shots. The rookie Stephon Castle was productive as well, putting up 23 points and five dimes. Keyonte George was the leader for Utah, scoring 26 on 9-16 shooting and 6-12 from three with five dishes and two steals.

Gets tricky with it🎩🪄

Reaves hovers in the lane and tosses it up over his head and in for the and-1.

We’re at the break in Phoenix and the Suns have a 62-60 lead. Davis continues to put up numbers, sitting at 17 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. The returning Beal and Durant are still the top dogs in the Valley as each has 14 points on a combined 11-17 shooting.

George➡️Eubanks connect again

George finds the big man for another alley-oop.

The Spurs are leading the Jazz 96-93 after three quarters of play. Wembanyama is torching Utah for 32 points on 12-20 FG and 6-12 from deep.

Legends trading buckets

Kevin Durant gets the almost dunk, lay-in on one end, and James slams it home on the other.

Inbounds beauty

LeBron James finds Dalton Knecht for an alley-oop on the inbounds pass.

It’s a tight one in Phoenix, as the Suns lead 42-39 at about the midpoint of the second quarter. Bradley Beal and Kevin Durant are pacing the Suns in their return with 10 and 9 points respectively.

Bullies him with a circus finish💪

Sengun pushes his way to the rim and goes over his head with a clutch two-point make that helped seal the W for Houston.

The Rockets punched their ticket to the knockout round of the Emirates NBA Cup with the victory. Sengun posted a triple-double with 22 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds. VanVleet came close to one himself, scoring 27 on 6-12 three-point shooting, with 11 assists and eight rebounds. Anthony Edwards had another typical solid outing in the loss, pouring in 29 points and 10 rebounds.

I’ll take that🫴

Anthony Davis just swallows up the ball as Grayson Allen tries to get up the shot in the paint.

Davis is owning the first quarter with 12 points, five rebounds, and two assists, but it’s the Suns with a 28-25 advantage as the first quarter nears its end.

Free basketball in Minnesota🎉

Rudy Gobert gets the big block to give the Timberwolves the final possession, but Anthony Edwards’ shot rims out sending the game to overtime.

Big game from the big man

Victor Wembanyama knocked down his third three here and finished the first half with 24 points and four triples on nine attempts.

Utah and San Antonio are knotted up at 66 at the break. Brice Sensabaugh leads all Jazz players with 16 points off the bench on 6-8 shooting. John Collins is well on his way to a double-double with 13 points and nine rebounds.

🙏Amen🙏

Thompson gets the feed from Sengun and gets up for the slam for two of his ten points and Alperen’s ninth assist.

It’s becoming a tight one in Minnesota, as the Rockets only have a one-point lead, 97-96 with just minutes remaining.

Back-to-back threes clinch it🎯🎯

AJ Green sinks a pair of triples that ultimately sealed a 106-103 win for the Bucks.

Damian Lillard led all scorers with 37 points (10-17 FG, 8-13 3PT), and also had 12 assists. Butler had a team-high 23 points (6-12 FG), four rebounds and five assists for Miami. The Bucks move to 3-0 in Emirates NBA Cup play and are well positioned to move onto the knockout round.

We have lift-off🚀

Jalen Green picks off the pass and has nothing but space to detonate at the rim.

The Rockets have built their lead to 15, 84-69 with the third quarter nearing its end.

Touch the ceiling🙌

Drew Eubanks goes way up to get the alley-oop feed from Keyonte George and slams it down with one hand.

The Jazz have a 35-32 lead with the first quarter wrapping up. George leads all scorers with 15 points on 5-8 FG, including 4-6 from three.

Spin and the finish🌪️

Buzelis scores two of his nine points on the spin move to the rim to finish things in Washington.

The Wizards had an eight-point lead after the first frame, but fell flat afterward, ultimately losing 127-108. Kyle Kuzma finished with 23 points, seven rebounds, three assists and two steals. Alex Sarr shot 4-5 from three and finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, three assists, plus a block and a steal. Coby White led the Bulls’ scoring with 21 points on 5-9 shooting from deep, while Vučević notched a double-double with 19 points and 12 rebounds. 

🌴Heating up in Miami🌴

Butler takes it to the rim for a strong finish and two of his 20 points.

Miami is now down only four after trailing by double digits for most of the game. Butler’s 20 leads the way for Miami, while Lillard is still stuck on 35, which is the game-high.

🌊Coast-to-coast dunk🌊

Lauri Markkanen gets the rebound then takes it to the rim for a throwdown to get things started in Utah.

The Jazz have a 15-13 lead early over the Spurs.

🚫He can’t be stopped🚫

Lillard has not slowed down and is up to eight triples on the night.

Dame is up to 35 points on 8-12 shooting from deep and is propelling the Bucks’ offense to an 82-69 lead over the Heat with just a few minutes remaining in the third quarter.

VanVleet heating up♨️

Fred VanVleet caught fire in the second quarter, and now is up to 16 points (6-11 FG, 4-5 3PT), six assists, and four rebounds.

The Rockets take a 57-47 lead over Minnesota into halftime. VanVleet’s 16 points lead the Rockets, while Anthony Edwards’ 13 points are tops on the Timberwolves.

 

Lillard on fire🔥🔥🔥

It’s still Dame time in Miami, as Lillard has 25 points on 8-12 shooting, including 6-9 from three.

The Bucks have a 65-51 lead over the Heat at the break.

Gobert stifled at the rim⛔

Jabari Smith Jr. gets up and swats Rudy Gobert’s dunk attempt at the apex.

The Rockets still have a lead, 32-26 as the first quarter comes to a close.

He’s got it on a string🪀

Anthony Edwards shows off the handles and gets the tough finish in traffic.

The Rockets have blasted off in Minnesota, leaping out to a 22-11 lead about halfway through the first quarter. Dillon Brooks leads all scorers with eight.

Rozier gets crafty🧵

The pump fake opens a path to the lane and then a euro step gets him to the hoop for the and-1.

Miami is trailing though, 46-34 halfway through the second quarter.

Bulls charging🐃

Matas Buzelis slams home the two-handed jam as part of a second-quarter explosion of offense from Chicago.

Kyle Kuzma has cooled off, as has the Wizards offense and the Bulls now enter halftime with a 61-47 lead, after outscoring Washington 40-18 in the second quarter. Chicago has three players in double figures, Vučević (11), Coby White (10), and Zach Lavine (10). 

That’s hustle🏃

Andre Jackson Jr. runs down Jimmy Butler and gets the rejection as Butler tries to lay it in.

The Bucks have built a 24-16 lead in Miami, and Lillard is still cooking with 17 points on 4-5 shooting from three.

Dame time starts early⌚

Damian Lillard opens the scoring in Miami with this three-point shot.

Lillard didn’t stop there, as he’s already 3-3 from distance for nine points as the Bucks have jumped out to a 14-5 lead over Miami.

🏎️💨Kuzma cruising

With Jordan Poole out of action, Kuzma has been the spark to ignite a 29-21 lead over the Bulls after a quarter of play.

The 29-year-old is shooting 6-12 for his 15-point effort with five rebounds.

Get it out of here❌

Alex Sarr gets his first block of the night off a Nikola Vučević shot attempt.

The Wizards hold a 21-15 advantage over the Bulls early. Kyle Kuzma already has 12 points and six rebounds to lead all scorers.

☀️The Footprint Center is Emirates NBA Cup ready☀️

The Suns will also be hosting their first Emirates NBA Cup game Tuesday night against the Lakers. Here’s a look at their special edition court.

Timberwolves court👀

Minnesota is hosting its first 2024 Emirates NBA Cup game against the Rockets tonight. Here’s a sneak peek at their Toyota Center digs.

Big blow to the Bucks🦌

Giannis Antetokounmpo will not play tonight.

Nightly drip report ☔️

Wizards players arrive at the Capital One Arena looking to end their 11-game skid against the Bulls. They’ll have to get it done without Jordan Poole (hip) though.

📝 🍿Three key storylines🍿📝

  1. The tide is turning for the Bucks who have won four straight and are 2-0 in group play. They also have a +26 point differential in their two Emirates NBA Cup games, which would put them in a solid position to move on if they can just win one of their final two games. Standing in their way tonight is the Miami Heat who are 1-1 in group play and need a win to likely have any chance of moving on. 
  2. The Rockets have been cooking, going 7-3 in their last 10 games, and sit 2-0 in group play. They also have a +49 point differential in their two Emirates NBA Cup games, which is massive and exceeds everyone in the NBA. Like the Bucks, they’re in a great position to move on if they can win just one of their final two games, and would clinch West A with a win tonight. Their opponent, the Timberwolves, are 1-1 with a -14 point differential. To have any chance of moving on, not only do they need to win tonight, but they likely need to do so in a somewhat convincing fashion to close that point differential gap, as a key tiebreaker. 
  3. The Suns are expected to get Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal back tonight against the Lakers. The Suns went 1-5 without Durant while he tended to a calf injury and were looking like one of the best teams in the West with an 8-2 record before he went down. Their return comes just in time for a pivotal game against the Lakers who are 2-0 in group play. A win here for Phoenix would catapult them to the top of the West B standings with a 2-1 record, while a loss would all but eliminate them. A victory for the Lakers would keep them in the driver’s seat and atop the group standings.

Related

Latest