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Top moments from a 9-game night in the NBA, capped by the Cardiac Bulls

Follow along with all the top moments from Wednesday night, featuring a buzzer-beater to end the night.

Ben Lambert, for NBA.com

Nikola Vučević knocked down a game-winner to lift the Bulls over the Trail Blazers on League Pass.

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

Nikola Vučević’s game-winner was the top story of the night! Read on to learn more.

What we know after Wednesday night’s games:

  • Nikola Vučević (27 pts) knocked down a buzzer-beater to help the Bulls beat Portland 122-121.
  • The Rockets defeated the Cavaliers 111-104 in the first half of our ESPN doubleheader behind Alperen Sengun (28 pts, 11 reb, 7 ast), winning their 10th in the last 11.
  • It came down to the final possession, but the Knicks escaped Dallas with a 113-111 win to earn their first road victory of the season on ESPN. Jalen Brunson returned to action with 28 points.
  • The Raptors beat the 76ers 121-112 for their fifth straight victory. RJ Barrett and Brandon Ingram both had 22 in the win.
  • The Thunder won their seventh straight to run their record to 15-1 by getting past the Kings 113-99. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander paced them with 33 points.

12:34 AM / NOVEMBER 20, 2025

‘The Cardiac Bulls do it again!’

Nikola Vučević sinks a buzzer-beater to dispatch Portland 122-121, as the night concludes with a pair of tight finishes.

Vučević led Chicago with 27 points, while Coby White added 25.

Jerami Grant had 33 to pace Portland, backed by Deni Avdija, who had 32.

12:29 AM / NOVEMBER 20, 2025

Knicks escape with a win in Dallas

The Knicks won their first road game of the season over the shorthanded Dallas Mavericks 113-111 after a dramatic finish on ESPN.

Dallas had three chances to tie the game late, but couldn’t convert.

“Chaos, but at the same time, find a way to win,” said Jalen Brunson (28 pts). “When you win ugly, it’s a sign your team is learning and getting better.”

12:14 AM / NOVEMBER 20, 2025

Knicks-Mavs goes down to the wire

  • D’Angelo Russell knocked down one of two free throws to tie the game at 109 with 53 seconds to go.
  • After a Jalen Brunson-Josh Hart pick-and-roll was stymied at the rim, Landry Shamet caught the kick out pass and knocked down his second three in as many possessions (112-109 NYK).
    • The shooter out of Wichita State has shown up huge late.
  • Klay Thompson missed his game-tying 3-point attempt, setting up the foul game.
  • As the crowd clamored, Shamet missed two free throws to give Dallas one more shot.
  • Brandon Williams’ leaning 3-point attempt glanced off the rim. Mitchell Robinson grabbed the rebound and was immediately fouled.
  • Robinson also missed both free throws! PJ Washington was fouled, sending him to the line for two.
  • Washington made both his foul shots. (112-111 NYK, 5.9 seconds to go.)
    • “What a wild finish,” said MIke Breen. “Free throw shooting — Knicks have missed 15, Mavericks have missed a couple of key ones late here in the fourth quarter.”
    • Washington may have been trying to miss the second, per Richard Jefferson.
  • Josh Hart couldn’t get the ball inbounds, forcing the Knicks to call their final timeout.
  • Hart got his second attempt into Brunson, who was fouled with a chance to extend the lead to three in his former home arena.
  • Brunson missed the first, but made the second (113-111 NYK, 3.8 seconds to go).
    • “You’ve got three dribbles in 3.8 seconds,” said Tim Legler.
  • Brandon Williams was called for an offensive foul on a game-tying layup! The Knicks escape!

12:10 AM / NOVEMBER 20, 2025

A fantastic finish brewing on ESPN

107-106 Dallas with 2:06 to go in the fourth quarter. Flip it on and end your night with some NBA action.

12:04 AM / NOVEMBER 20, 2025

Shai in his element

Buckets. Every single night, the reigning Kia NBA MVP is worth the price of admission.

11:47 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Pat Spencer passes splendidly

No Stephen Curry for the Dubs? Pat Spencer delivers a career-high 13 assists.

11:38 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

D-Lo dominates to rally Dallas

D’Angelo Russell had 14 points in the third quarter, part of his 19 on the game, to bring Dallas back against the Knicks.

It’s 87-85 New York heading into the fourth on ESPN.

11:25 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Chocolate for Hart

They’re not Mike and Ikes, but they’ll do.

11:12 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

The Joker at work

Nikola Jokić (28 pts, 11 reb, 12 ast) had a triple-double, while Peyton Watson dropped a career-high 32 points in a 125-118 win over the Pelicans.

Jokić now has nine triple-doubles on the season. No one else has more than three.

11:07 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Timberwolves take one over Washington

120-107. Julius Randle had 32 points and 10 rebounds, while Donte DiVincenzo hit this three-pointer to prompt the celebration by his son.

11:00 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Matas makes this look routine

Real quick feet on the drive.

53-47 Bulls over the Blazers with 3:27 to go in the second.

10:48 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Hansen has heart

The Trail Blazers are up 29-28 on the Bulls after one, thanks in part to the post stylings of Yang Hansen.

10:41 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Raptors roll

Toronto now sits at second in the Eatern Conference after a 121-112 win over the Sixers.

10:29 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Heat knock off Warriors

Norm Powell (25 pts on 14 shots) and Bam Adebayo (20 pts, 7 rebounds) led the Heat to a 110-96 win over the Warriors.

Adebayo had missed the previous six games with a sprained toe, but returned with aplomb to lead Miami.

10:20 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Knicks and Mavs close early

25-24 Knicks with 10:10 to go in the second quarter.

Both teams are settling in amid change — Cooper Flagg’s out for Dallas, while Jalen Brunson’s back for New York.

10:11 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

League Pass Alert: Wizards-Timberwolves

109-104 Timberwolves with 3:05 to go in the fourth. Catch the finish on League Pass!

10:07 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Pacers earn their second win of the season

Benedict Mathurin (24 pts, 12 reb) led the Pacers to a 127-118 win over the Charlotte Hornets.

Kon Knueppel — the subject of tonight’s mini-profile — led the Hornets with 28.

9:45 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Rockets hold off Cavaliers

Despite 19 fourth-quarter points from Donovan Mitchell, the Rockets held off Cleveland 111-104 behind an all-around night from Alperen Sengun (28 pts, 11 reb, 7 ast).

9:34 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Slam snapshots

Zach LaVine and Jay Huff have our top two stuffs of the night so far at 86.7 and 84.9 on the Dunk Score scale.

9:26 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

The Captain’s back tonight

After missing the last two games, Jalen Brunson (28.0 ppg, 6.5 ast) returns tonight against the Mavericks.

The nightcap’s getting started on ESPNNews.

9:23 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Rockets and Cavs dueling late

It’s now 93-90 Rockets with 5:30 to go in the fourth. Spida (19 points) is heating up!

“He’s on all night like a porch light here in the fourth quarter,” said Mark Jones.

9:14 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

The grace of Schröder

His former squad, the Oklahoma City Thunder, are up 58-50 at the half.

9:12 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

League Pass Alert: Raptors-76ers

111-106 Toronto with 3:58 to go. Catch the finish on League Pass!

9:11 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Spencer shoots from Key West

But the Heat have a 64-60 lead with just over five minutes to go in the third.

9:08 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Queen trumps the Joker

A strong finish from No. 7 on the latest Kia Rookie Ladder. Nuggets are up 62-58 at the half.

9:00 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Cavaliers come storming back

The Cavs have cut the Rockets’ lead to 74-69 with 14.5 to go in the third quarter. Catch the finish on ESPN!

8:43 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Shai stays consistent

SGA keeps delivering as he chases another Kia NBA MVP award, showing his trademark balance here. He’s second on the latest Kia MVP ladder.

8:30 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Don’t hurt ’em, Chet

What a cross from the 7-foot-1 center. 24-20 Thunder in the first as they seek their seventh-straight victory.

8:20 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

VJ hits the springs

2025 AT&T Dunk Contest, anyone? 63-58 with 10:03 to go in the third quarter.

8:14 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

The Heat spark it up

8:03 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Brandon Ingram delivers on the fadeaway

He’s eighth in the NBA with 120 points on pull-up jumpers this season, including this elegant spinning number.

7:47 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Jared McCain’s in the books

The first bucket of the season for the Sixers’ second-year man, complete with joyous reaction.

7:40 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Spida on the break

No one has a more vicious Euro than Donovan Mitchell. Check out the veer.

It’s 33-19 Rockets after the first quarter on ESPN.

Amen Thompson has some shiftiness to his game as well.

7:20 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Houston’s chemistry heats up

Alperen Sengun (7.4 apg) is second in the NBA in assists by a center this season, tallying 89. Here, the crosscourt pass is no problem as he finds Jabari Smith Jr.

Check out more about Sengun’s chemistry with Kevin Durant below, as well as in our intro to tonight’s action.

6:30 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Kon Knueppel is money

Kon Knueppel (17.0 ppg, 6.0 rpg, 40.2 3PT%) has risen to No. 1 in the latest Kia Rookie Ladder, earning the spotlight ahead of tonight’s game against the Pacers.

Knueppel’s been a steadying force for the Charlotte Hornets in his rookie season, both on and off the court.

He’s strong and sturdy on the drive, showing off a polished handle, considered footwork and some athletic pop, which compliments his ever-present shooting touch.

Kon’s 11th in the NBA in 3-pointers made this season with 45 — just behind teammate Miles Bridges — and first among rookies, routinely sending Hornets play-by-play man Eric Collins into ecstatics.

His stroke is repeatable and comfortable, with little wasted motion. Check how straight his guide arm is — there’s clean backspin on his heat-seeking missile of a shot.

On a team with plenty of talented scorers, Knueppel’s found a role as a complimentary outlet, finding ways to get buckets in the flow of the offense.

Along with Sion James and Ryan Kalkbrenner, he’s part of a youth movement that’s lifted the Hornets. They look to get rolling again and snap a three-game losing streak tonight against the Indiana Pacers (7 ET).

6:00 PM / NOVEMBER 19, 2025

Rockets-Cavs highlights a nine-game NBA night

Kevin Durant and the Rockets face the Cavaliers in the opening half of tonight’s ESPN doubleheader.

We’ve got a dynamite ESPN doubleheader for you tonight, featuring Kevin Durant and the new-look Rockets facing Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs (7 ET), followed by Knicks-Mavericks (9:30 ET).

The Rockets, who are looking for their 10th win in 11 games, have shot to the top of the NBA’s offensive rating rankings at 123.4.

Durant (25.9 ppg, 51.0 FG%) has gelled with Alperen Sengun (23.0 ppg, 10.3 reb, 7.4 ast, 1.2 stl, 1.0 blk) and Amen Thompson (17.3 ppg, 6.1 reb, 5.2 ast, 1.2 stl) to form one of the top trios in the league.

KD had particular praise for Sengun after he put up a 30-point, 12-rebound, 8-assist effort in Sunday’s 117-113 victory over the Magic.

“I’ve played with a lot of specialists as big men — guys that do a great job of screening, rebounding, being physical — but nobody who can score quite like that,” said Durant. “No disrespect to the players I’ve played with, but I’m sure they feel the same way — that’s how good Alpi is.”

Sengun reciprocated in his remarks, noting their building chemistry and Durant’s unselfish will to win.

“We trust each other a lot,” said Sengun. “It’s going to get better and better… We have a whole season.”

The Cavaliers have steadily risen to second in the Eastern Conference at 10-5, led by Mitchell’s scoring brilliance and a stalwart defense.

Cleveland’s posted the seventh-best defensive rating in the league at 112.8, backing Mitchell, who is averaging 30.9 ppg — the highest mark of his career — while shooting 50.9 percent from the field.

They’re also forcing 17.4 turnovers per game — third in the Association.

“There’s room to grow,” Mitchell said after a 118-106 win over the Bucks on Monday. “We’re in a good place, and we’re going to continue to get better.”

Who will take a step towards the top tonight? Check it out on ESPN.

Here’s tonight’s complete schedule:

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