Cade Time, gametime.
A hook for 13 straight – and legendary Pistons company.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Cup Week Begins: Coast 2 Coast Tuesday tips off the final week of NBA Cup Group Play
East Streaks: Pistons match franchise-best heater, Raptors collect 8th straight dub
Stars Shine: Jokić does it again, KAT dominates, Herro delivers in season debut
West Statements: Kings overcome Ant’s 43 in OT, Amen & Rockets cool Suns
Roundup: Steph sparks Dubs, Zion powers Pels, Blazers beat Bucks
BUT FIRST … ⏰
The final week of Emirates NBA Cup Group Play delivers three Cup Nights this week – Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. Coast 2 Coast Tuesday highlights tonight’s slate as the Sixers host the Magic (8 ET, NBC | Tap to Watch), before the Lakers face the Clippers (8 PT, NBC | Tap to Watch).
Up Next: Wednesday boasts a 9-game Cup Night – headlined by an ESPN tripleheader (DET-BOS, MIN-OKC, HOU-GSW) – before Group Play concludes on Friday with 11 matchups, including two on Prime (MIL-NYK, DAL-LAL). | More At The NBA Cup Hub
1. COAST 2 COAST TUESDAY OPENS EMIRATES NBA CUP WEEK
The race for the Cup is at full throttle.
With only Toronto locked in, seven of the eight Knockout Round bids are still up for grabs, with 26 teams in the hunt and 23 games over the next four days to sort it out.
It all starts tonight with a three-game slate, headlined by Coast 2 Coast Tuesday on NBC & Peacock – featuring the Battle of L.A. with major Cup implications.
Clippers at Lakers (8 PT, NBC): The two crosstown rivals enter tonight 2-0 in West Group B. But they share more than a city and unbeaten Group Play marks.
A blistering superstar guard is driving both squads, with a franchise cornerstone returning just in time for a Cup push.
- Luka Magic: In the Lakers’ fourth straight win on Sunday, Luka Dončić – posting an NBA-best 34.5 ppg – became the first player ever to tally 400+ pts and 100+ ast in his first 12 games of a season
- City Splitter: Now, Luka gets an opponent he’s thrived against — averaging 32.3 pts, 7.9 reb and 7.4 ast in 20 career games against the Clips – numbers unmatched by any player in NBA history against a single team (min. 20 GP)
- Joining Him? The league’s all-time leading scorer, LeBron James, is averaging 14 pts and 10 ast in his two games back, while Austin Reaves continues to flourish (27.6 ppg)
Beard Balling: On the other side stands James Harden (27.8 ppg, 8.4 apg), who dropped a Clippers-record 55 points on Saturday and joins Luka, Nikola Jokić and Cade Cunningham as the only players averaging 27+ pts and 8+ ast this season.
- Back At His Side? Kawhi Leonard, who picked up right where he left off on Sunday (20 pts, 3 stl) after missing 10 games with an ankle sprain
- The Stakes: The Lakers can clinch West B with a win tonight, while the Clips need a win and a Grizzlies loss to the Pelicans on Wednesday
Magic at 76ers (8 ET, NBC): The league’s second-leading scorer takes center stage to open Coast 2 Coast Tuesday, as Tyrese Maxey (33 ppg, 7.8 apg) and Philly – needing a win to avoid elimination – look to hand Orlando its first Group Play loss.
- Dual Threat: Maxey ranks 3rd in both total 3s this season (66) – hitting at a 41.5% clip – and total points off drives entering Monday (175)
- Strength vs. Strength: Maxey hung 43 on Orlando in a 136-124 win on Oct. 27. But the Magic have tightened up in November, allowing the 8th-fewest points in the NBA (112.4 ppg). Who will dictate terms tonight?
On League Pass (7 ET), the Hawks and Wizards will look to keep their Cup hopes alive in East A, with Jalen Johnson coming off a sensational Sunday showing, becoming the first Hawk to record 25+ pts, 10+ ast, 5+ reb and 0 turnovers in a game.
2. MONDAY’S BEST: PISTONS & RAPTORS EXTEND WIN STREAKS
In their 78-year history, only two Pistons teams had ever won 13 games in a row.
Now, there are three.
Pistons 122, Pacers 117: Cade Cunningham was clinical (24 pts, 11 reb, 6 ast), Jalen Duren added a double-double (17 pts, 12 reb) and Detroit staved off a late Pacers push to secure its 13th straight dub – matching its longest win streak in franchise history. | Recap
- Pacers Push: Detroit jumped out to a 71-55 lead at the half, but Indy wouldn’t go away, using a late 4th-quarter run to cut it to 2 with 49 ticks left
- Then, Cade Time: Needing a bucket, Detroit cleared out for Cunningham, who buried a tough hook to push the lead back to four with 25 seconds to play
- Clutch Touch: Cunningham added a late free throw to help seal the win, marking his 18th point of the 2nd-half while lifting the Pistons to 15-2
Motown Mindset: The only other Detroit teams to win 13 straight? The 1989-90 Bad Boys and the 2003-04 squad – both NBA champions built on defense and toughness.
This year’s squad carries that same edge, while carving out its own identity in the modern game.
- Defensive Force: The Pistons rank 3rd in DefRtg this season and are just the second team in the last decade to average 10+ steals and 5+ blocks amid a 13-game win streak – joining last season’s Thunder
- Paint Power: The offense has matched that force, leading the NBA in points in the paint, while ranking first in FG% (51%) amid the streak
- Bookend Stars: That starts with Cunningham – averaging 29.9 pts and 10.4 ast amid the streak – and ends with Duren, who’s tallied eight double-doubles during the run
- Up Next: Detroit looks to make it a record 14 straight and improve to 3-0 in NBA Cup Play as it visits Boston on Wednesday (5 ET, ESPN)
- “It’s amazing,” said Cunningham on the opportunity Wednesday presents. “To be able to make history for a historic franchise like this – it’s special.”
All aboard the Six train! Toronto’s also on a tear, stacking dubs and dances.
Raptors 110, Cavaliers 99: Brandon Ingram went off for a season-high 37 points, while Scottie Barnes stuffed the stat sheet (18 pts, 11 reb, 6 ast) to outlast Donovan Mitchell (17 pts, 8 ast) and the Cavs, tallying Toronto’s eighth straight win. | Recap
- Balanced Bite: Ingram went 15-of-30 from the field with five 3s, lifting Toronto offensively while it held Cleveland to a season-low in points
- Dino Dubs: It’s the Raptors’ longest win streak in three years and just their seventh 8-game heater in franchise history
3. STARS SHINE: JOKIĆ & KAT DOMINATE, HERRO DELIVERS IN DEBUT
Speaking of heaters, Nikola Jokić decided the record books needed another update.
Nuggets 125, Grizzlies 115: A buzzer-beating moonshot from the logo, a behind-the-back spinning dish combo and yet another triple-double highlighted the Joker’s latest masterclass as he dropped 17 points, 16 dimes and 10 boards to push Denver past the Grizz. | Recap
- Record Pace: Jokić’s 10th triple-double in 17 games this season is the second-fastest anyone’s reached that mark since Oscar Robertson in 1961-62 (12 games)
- Passing Clinic: It’s also the Joker’s third game this year with 15+ assists. Only five other players have one such game, and none of them has two
- Backcourt Boost: Jamal Murray (29 pts, 8 ast, 6 3s) and Peyton Watson (27 pts, 5 3s) combined for 56 points and 11 treys as Denver improved to 13-4
Jokić wasn’t the only big who put up big numbers last night.
Knicks 113, Nets 100: Karl-Anthony Towns couldn’t be contained as he turned in 37 points on 14-of-20 shooting while adding 12 boards to lead the Knicks past the Nets for the 12th consecutive time in the battle of the Boroughs. | Recap
- KAT Cooking: Towns now has 14 double-doubles in 16 games, trailing only Jokić (16) for the most in the NBA
- 1-2 Punch: Jalen Brunson added 27 for New York, which is now 7-3 in its last 10 games
Tyler Herro played hero in his first game back – and the Heat stayed winning.
Heat 106, Mavericks 102: After missing Miami’s first 17 games while recovering from ankle surgery, Herro starred in his season debut (24 pts, 7 reb, 3 stl), knocking down a tie-breaking floater with 42 seconds left to lift the Heat over the Mavs for their fifth straight win. | Recap
- Big-Time: Kel’el Ware was a menace on both ends (20 pts, 18 reb, 3 blk), notching his third straight 20-point double-double, while Bam Adebayo added 17 points and the steal to set up Herro’s winner
- “I happened to be in the right position and was able to get to my spot,” said Herro on the shot. “But without Bam, we wouldn’t have made that play.”
- Mavs Spotlight: P.J. Washington (27 pts, 8 reb) led Dallas while Cooper Flagg posted 12 points, 7 boards, 3 assists and 2 steals
4. WEST STATEMENTS: KINGS OUTDUEL ANT, ROCKETS STOP SUNS
The Beam stays lit.
Kings 117, Wolves 112 (OT): Two days after knocking off Denver, the Kings erased Minnesota’s 14-point lead to force OT, where DeMar DeRozan delivered three straight buckets before icing the game at the line to overcome Anthony Edwards’ 43-point outburst. | Recap
- Clutch Duel: Edwards scored 26 after the half, including 8 in OT, but DeRozan was too much, answering each bucket to keep Minnesota at bay
- Veteran Close: He finished with 33 points, including 9 of Sacramento’s 16 points in OT, while going a perfect 15-of-15 from the line
- More Royalty: Keegan Murray (26 pts, 14 reb) and Malik Monk (22 pts) combined for 48 points as the Kings collected their first back-to-back wins of the season
- “These are the things that help create the identity of fight and determination,” said Kings coach Doug Christie on the win. “For us, it’s huge.”
- Key Cup Duel: The Wolves (2-1 in Group Play) are back in action Wednesday against the Thunder (7:30 ET, ESPN), who lead West A with a 3-0 record
Rockets 114, Suns 92: With Kevin Durant out, Amen Thompson took over (28 pts, 7 reb, 8 ast, 1 soaring blk), while Aaron Holiday scored 22 on six triples to power the Rockets past the Suns, handing Phoenix just its second loss in 10 games. | Recap
- Steady Ascent: After an 0-2 start, Houston has gone 11-2, with its only losses coming against Denver and San Antonio
- Familiar Face: Facing his former team, Dillon Brooks led the Suns with 29 points, while Devin Booker added 18
5. ROUNDUP: STEPH & ZION FUEL WINS, BLAZERS BEAT BUCKS
Warriors 134, Jazz 117: Steph Curry splashed six 3s en route to 31 points, sparking a 41-20 2nd quarter that put Golden State in control for good, outpacing Keyonte George (28 pts, 7 ast) and Utah to halt a three-game slide. | Recap
- Next Up, Houston: Both 1-2 in NBA Cup Play, the Dubs host the Rockets on Wednesday (10 ET, ESPN), with both teams seeking a crucial win
Pelicans 143, Bulls 130: Zion Williamson barreled his way to 29 points, Saddiq Bey (13 reb) and Trey Murphy III (4 ast) added 20 apiece and five other Pels scored 10+ to top Ayo Dosunmu (28 pts) and the Bulls, snapping NOLA’s nine-game skid. | Recap
- Bey Treys: Bey nailed two clutch triples down the stretch to stave off a late Chicago run, securing interim coach James Borrego’s first career win
Blazers 115, Bucks 103: Jerami Grant poured in a season-high 35 points, Deni Avdija added 22 and Donovan Clingan posted a double-double (14 pts, 12 reb) to power Portland to a near wire-to-wire win over Bobby Portis (22 pts) and Milwaukee, moving both teams to 8-10. | Recap
