Three buzzer-beaters in the 4th quarter & overtime in one night.
It had only been witnessed twice in the last twenty years. Until Monday.
Tie. Winner. Winner. Madness – and that’s just the beginning.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
At The Buzzer: Cade makes history, Jenkins saves the day, Bane & Wiggins call game
Stars Shine: Wemby waves off help, Luka can’t miss, Giannis & Flagg duel
More Fireworks: Grayson Allen erupts, Hawks overcome Harden, Wolves howl
Coast 2 Coast Tuesday: Classic East rivals clash before two walking triple-doubles duel
Honoring A Legend: Coaches, players & teams across the NBA pay tribute to Lenny Wilkens
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Coast 2 Coast Tuesday on NBC & Peacock headlines a six-game slate as the Sixers host the Celtics (8 ET), before the Nuggets visit the Kings (11 ET).
New ASG Format Unveiled: The 2026 NBA All-Star Game format will be announced at halftime of Celtics-Sixers.
Reads of the Day: The Athletic on if Donovan Mitchell could lead the league in scoring … Sports Illustrated on OKC’s opening statement … Daily News on Mike Brown’s early impact in New York.
1. THREE BUZZER-BEATERS AND ONE NIGHT UNLIKE ANY OTHER
Warning: What you are about to read relives a night of pure, unadulterated awesomeness, featuring:
- 3 game-winning/tying buzzer-beaters
- 2 overtimes
- 6 games decided by 5 points or fewer
- 4 go-ahead buckets in the final minute
- 103 lead changes
- 11 30+ point scorers
- 2 triple-doubles
- 1 franchise record for 3s made by a player
Oh, and seven straight wins for East-leading Detroit.
Pistons 137, Wizards 135 (OT): In a two-way takeover, Cade Cunningham turned up, dropping a historic 46 points, 12 boards, 11 dimes, 5 steals and 2 blocks. But no number was more important than 3, which is what Detroit needed to force OT with 1.9 seconds left.
That’s when Cunningham found Daniss Jenkins, who buried a corner triple at the buzzer to force extra hoops, where Motown rode the momentum to keep its win streak alive. | Recap
- Unmatched All-Around: Cade is the first player in NBA history to total 45+ pts, 10+ reb, 10+ ast and 5+ stl in a game since steals were first tracked in 1973-74
- Electric Open: The historic night caps a historic start, as he’s just the 4th player ever to tally 300+ pts and 100+ ast in the first 10 games of a season – joining James Harden, Russell Westbrook and Oscar Robertson (2x)
- Pistons Purring: CJ McCollum poured in 42 for Washington, but it wasn’t enough to slow down Detroit, which moves to 9-2 for the second time since 2000
- “There’s a grit to ‘em. There’s a toughness to ‘em,” said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff on his team. “Our identity is ‘together’ … and tonight was a clear picture of it.”
Four minutes before Jenkins forced OT, Desmond Bane called game.
Magic 115, Blazers 112: Down 8 with 2:54 left, Shaedon Sharpe (31 pts) and Deni Avdija (27 pts) sparked a 12-2 run to give Portland a 2-point edge with 11 seconds left.
Then came Paolo Banchero, who muscled in a tough and-1 bucket to tie the game – but missed the potential go-ahead free throw. Seconds later, he made up for it, stripping the ball with 1.9 left to give the Magic one last chance.
Bane did the rest – curling free off a screen, fading over a defender and drilling a cold-blooded 3 at the horn to send the Kia Center into celebration. | Recap
- Power Pair: Banchero finished with 28 points and 9 rebounds, while Bane added 22 points and 7 assists, lifting Orlando to 5-6
- No Fear: Despite finishing 9-of-19 from the floor, Bane was 0-of-5 from deep before the final shot. Make that 1-for-6 – with one timeless make
- “That’s who he is,” said Magic coach Jamahl Mosley on Bane postgame. “To be able to hit big shots and step into the moment.”
One hour later? This ⬆️
Heat 140, Cavaliers 138 (OT): In a thriller that featured 12 ties and 15 lead changes, Donovan Mitchell drained a downright ridiculous triple with 0.4 seconds left to tie the game in Miami. But not so fast, said Erik Spoelstra (probably).
In a brilliant design, Andrew Wiggins set a staggered screen, then slipped into a wide-open lane, where Nikola Jović dropped in a perfect lob for a game-winning oop at the buzzer. | Recap
- Full Force: Boasting the league’s No. 1 offense (125.5 ppg), seven Heat players scored in double-figures, led by Norman Powell (33 pts), Wiggins (23 pts) and Jaime Jaquez Jr. (22 pts, 13 reb, 7 ast)
- “I was really just focused on catching the ball,” joked Wiggins on the winner. “Perfect pass … and I was there to finish the job.”
- Cavs Shine: Mitchell (28 pts, 15 reb, 8 ast) and Evan Mobley (21 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast) led Cleveland, which saw its 4-game win streak snapped
2. STARS SHINE: WEMBY & LUKA MAKE HISTORY, GIANNIS & FLAGG DUEL
Just when you thought Monday couldn’t get wilder, Victor Wembanyama went to work – and clocked out with historic production.
Spurs 121, Bulls 117: With the Spurs down 3 and one minute left, Wemby (38 pts, 12 reb, 5 ast, 6 3s) initiated an all-time Alien sequence.
A pull-up 3 to tie it. A stop-and-board to flip possession and then, the exclamation point – clearing the floor to shake, bake and bury another 3 to put San Antonio up for good. | Recap
- Unprecedented: The epic close capped an epic night, as Wemby became the first player in NBA history to record 35+ pts, 10+ reb, 5+ ast, 5+ blk and 5+ 3s in a game
- Inside & Out: Take away the 3s, and he joins Shaq as the only players to post 35/10/5/5 in a game before turning 22
- Historic Stretch: Monday also marked his 95th straight game with a block, passing Mark Eaton for the third-longest streak ever
- Big Company: The only other players with longer such runs? Dikembe Mutombo (116) and Patrick Ewing (145)
Matching Wemby’s 38? Another scorching superstar leading an eight-win squad.
Lakers 121, Hornets 111: In an offensive clinic, Luka Dončić dissected Charlotte for 38 points, 6 boards and 7 dimes on 14-of-28 shooting, outdueling Miles Bridges (34 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast) and Kon Knueppel (19 pts, 10 reb, 9 ast) to lift the Lakers to 8-3. | Recap
- Standing Alone: Dončić (260, 64) is the first player in NBA history to tally 260+ points and 60+ assists through his first seven games of a season
- Splashing Everything: That doesn’t include this ¾-court heave after a timeout – which didn’t count, but still earned bragging rights over Austin Reaves (24 pts, 7 ast)
- Rookie History: Knueppel became the first player ever to total 150+ pts and 30+ 3s in his first 10 career games
Bucks 116, Mavericks 114: Cooper Flagg delivered his best game as a pro (26 pts, 9 reb), joining LeBron James as the only players in NBA history to score 25+ points in a game before turning 19.
But Giannis Antetokounmpo (30 pts, 8 reb, 6 ast) wouldn’t be denied, and Ryan Rollins spoiled Flagg’s night with a go-ahead driving layup with 17 seconds left to lift Milwaukee past Dallas. | Recap
- Unstoppable Force: Giannis joins Joel Embiid (2023-24) as the only players in the last 50 years to total 325+ pts and 100+ reb in the first 10 games of a season
3. MORE FIREWORKS: ALLEN ERUPTS, HAWKS TOP CLIPS, WOLVES HOWL
The history kept coming.
Suns 121, Pelicans 98: Grayson Allen caught fire in the Valley, dropping a career-high 42 points while splashing a Suns single-game record 10 3s on 15 attempts, fueling Phoenix past New Orleans for its fifth win in six games. | Recap
- Catch & Fire: Allen went 6-of-7 from deep in the 2nd half for 24 points, topping his previous season best of 23
Hawks 105, Clippers 102: James Harden (35 pts, 10 reb, 11 ast) posted the first 35-point triple-double in Clippers history.
But it wasn’t enough to catch Vít Krejčí (career-high 28 pts), Jalen Johnson (16 pts, 10 reb, 8 ast) and the Hawks, who held on in a game with 10 ties and 11 lead changes. | Recap
Wolves 120, Jazz 113: Make that three straight for Minny. Anthony Edwards (35 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast) and Julius Randle (27 pts, 8 reb, 7 ast) stuffed the stat sheet as the Wolves used a late run to pull past Keyonte George (27 pts) and the Jazz, improving to 7-4. | Recap
4. COAST 2 COAST TUESDAY: CLUTCH RIVALS & TRIPLE-DOUBLE KINGS
Few rivalries run as deep – and close – as Philadelphia and Boston.
Their 473 meetings, the third-most in NBA history, are separated by just 2.3 ppg.
That margin’s been even tighter this season, as they’ve already split a pair of battles – each decided by one point.
Tonight (8 ET, NBC/Peacock), they square up for Round 3, with two red-hot stars leading the way.
- Finishing Fight: No team has played in more clutch games this season than Philly (8), where it’s outscored opponents by 31 points – trailing only OKC for the best mark in the NBA
- Tyrese Time: That starts with Maxey, who ranks 3rd in total clutch and 4th-quarter points, powering the Sixers to five clutch wins
- Built For This: Nearly a third of Maxey’s 33.2 ppg come in the 4th (9.3), where Philly boasts the league’s No. 2 scoring mark (31.5) and the best plus-minus (+6.7)
- Brown Boost: Boston has played in six clutch games, including a win over Philly last time out, where Jaylen Brown poured in 32 points – his fifth 30-piece in the last 7 games
Nuggets at Kings (11 ET, NBC/Peacock): In the second leg of Coast 2 Coast Tuesday, two triple-double machines share the national stage – Nikola Jokić, on a rarified tear, and Russell Westbrook, injecting life into Sacramento.
Eight days ago, the two former teammates went toe-to-toe – combining for 60 points, 26 rebounds and 20 assists.
Two days later, they posted simultaneous triple-doubles, capturing everything that makes them special.
- Westbrook (23 pts, 16 reb, 10 ast) tallied No. 204, adding to his all-time record with the trademark fire that’s defined his career
- Jokić (33 pts, 15 reb, 16 ast) turned in another historic 30/15/15 masterclass, conducting Denver’s offense with effortless command
- Game Respects Game: “He sits in a category of his own,” said Westbrook last season on Jokić. “He’s so unique … he’s so unselfish. He loves [to] make the game easy for his teammates.”
Four more games tip off on League Pass, including the Thunder eyeing an NBA-best 11th win as they face the Warriors (8 ET), while the Knicks aim for their fifth straight dub against the Grizzlies at MSG – where New York is a perfect 6-0 (7:30 ET).
- Raptors at Nets (7:30 ET)
- Pacers at Jazz (9 ET)
5. THE BAKSETBALL WORLD REMEMBERS LENNY WILKENS
Tributes continued to pour in for Lenny Wilkens on Monday – from NBA teams to former players and coaches who admired his talent, leadership and grace.
A three-time Hall of Famer as a player and coach, Wilkens played eight seasons for the St. Louis Hawks, four with Seattle, two with Cleveland and one with Portland. He was a player-coach for four of those seasons – three with the SuperSonics and one with the Blazers.
The double-duty launched an all-time coaching career. He retired with a record 1,332 coaching wins – now the 3rd-most in NBA history – with stints in Seattle, Portland, Cleveland, Atlanta, Toronto and New York.
At every stop, he made a lasting impression.
- “Without him, I’m not here,” said Kings coach Doug Christie, a Seattle native who grew up idolizing the SuperSonics – whom Wilkens coached to an NBA title in 1979
- “He was such a great gentleman, and such an eloquent human being, along with being a super competitive coach,” said Rick Carlisle. “Very, very special man. He’ll be missed but he’ll be remembered.”
- “An unbelievable man,” said Steve Kerr. “Just an incredible man,”
- “You set the standard of what it means to lead and have an impact in our community. You will be missed dearly,” wrote former Sonic Detlef Schrempf on X
- “A Pacific Northwest legend,” wrote the Trail Blazers
- “His legacy extends across the basketball world,” wrote the Cavaliers
- “He was an innovator, a trailblazer, a winner and a leader not just in Atlanta but every community in which he played and coached,” wrote the Hawks
In honor of a basketball legend, the NBA family continues to celebrate Wilkens’ life and legacy with a collection of features and archival pieces.
- Remembering Wilkens: He first picked up a basketball his senior year of high school. He finished with three Naismith Orange jackets. A look back at Wilkens’ incredible journey
- Archive 75: “Nine times an All-Star, at retirement the second-best assists man ever, and one of the leftiest lefties to ever go left.”
- Legends Profile: “His reserved demeanor belies his achievements while his self-effacing manner is reflected in his coaching style.”
- A Hall Of Fame Life: “The architect of a uniquely successful NBA career, Lenny Wilkens might have made his greatest impacts off the court.”
