Historic heater. Buzzer-beater.
Austin Reaves’ last-second splash wasn’t the only game-winner from Wednesday…
5 stories in today’s edition 🏀
Oct. 30, 2025
He Called Game: Reaves delivers at triple zeros, Ja plays hero
4-For-4: Jokić keeps his triple-double streak alive, Bulls stay unbeaten
Roundup: Here comes the Celtics & Rockets, plus a Cade clinic and late Flagg spark
Thursday Tape: How four of the hottest teams in hoops are winning in different ways
NBA Cup West Breakdown: What to watch for when Group Play tips off tomorrow
But first … ⏰
Two surging squads collide…
An interconference clash on NBA TV headlines tonight’s four-game slate, as a red-hot Giannis Antetokounmpo leads the Bucks against Steph Curry’s Warriors, who are eyeing a third straight win (8 ET).
- More Ways To Watch: Fans can catch an alternate Hoopervision stream of the matchup with hosts Quentin Richardson and Baron Davis on League Pass and the NBA App
The Emirates NBA Cup is just one day away as Group Play opens with eight matchups, including a Prime doubleheader: Celtics-76ers (7 ET), Lakers-Grizzlies (9:30 ET).
Tip-Off Takeover: Nearly 37 million people in the U.S. watched American Express NBA Tip-Off 2025 across NBC/Peacock, ESPN and Prime, the most viewers for an opening week in 15 years.
1. Perfect timing: Reaves and Morant win it
He was undrafted.
His first NBA contract was a two-way deal.
Now, he stands alone with one Lakers legend.
Lakers 116, Wolves 115: Down 20 in the 3rd, the Wolves stormed back with a 14-2 run in the 4th, where Julius Randle dropped in a go-ahead finger roll with 10 seconds left, giving Minnesota a 115-114 lead while sending the Target Center into a frenzy.
Timeout, Lakers.
Needing a bucket – and without LeBron James and Luka Dončić – JJ Redick turned to Austin Reaves.
The ball found him near halfcourt.
Dribble, dribble, split. Rise, release. Ballgame. | Recap
- All Heart: Reaves finished with 28 points and a career-high 16 assists, carrying Los Angeles to a win despite dressing only 10 players
- All Week: His first career Tissot Buzzer-Beater highlights a career week – following a 51-point eruption on Sunday and 43 on Monday
- All Gas: It’s been a historic start, too, as he joins Jerry West as the only Lakers to tally five straight games of 25+ pts and 5+ ast in the first five games of a season
- All-Time: But only one Laker has ever opened the season averaging 30/10 through five outings – Austin Reaves (34.2 ppg, 10 apg)
- “I’m still not gonna talk about myself,” said Reaves postgame. “[I’m] just having so much joy playing basketball.”
While Reaves split the defense for his game-winner, Ja Morant snaked through the lane for his game-winner.
Grizzlies 114, Suns 113: Going back-and-forth with Devin Booker in the final seconds, Morant slipped into the paint with a behind-the-back dribble and hit a hanging floater over an unset Suns defense with 7 seconds left. Then, Booker’s 3-pointer rimmed out as Memphis escaped. | Recap
- Winning Time: Ja led the Grizz with 28 points, 8 rebounds and 7 assists as they moved to 3-2
- Nothing New: Only Jayson Tatum and SGA have more game-winners in the final 10 seconds than Morant (6) since 2019-20
- Book’s Boost: Booker scored 16 of his team-high 32 points in the 4th, including 11 straight to pull Phoenix back within a bucket, before Morant’s heroics
2. Jokić joins elite company; Bulls stay perfect
We’ve seen Nikola Jokić collect three Kia MVPs, rewrite history and redefine what a center can do.
We’ve seen him bend the game to his pace, breaking record after record without seemingly breaking a sweat.
But we’ve never seen him start a season like this.
Nuggets 122, Pelicans 88: Amid a 39-11 3rd-quarter avalanche, the Joker notched his fourth straight triple-double, finishing with 21 points, 12 boards and 10 dimes in just 27 minutes, as Denver surged past New Orleans for its third win in a row. | Recap
- A perpetual playmaking master, only two players have more career triple-doubles than Jokić (168) – Russell Westbrook (203) and Oscar Robertson (181)
- Now, Jokić joins them as the only players to record four triple-doubles in the first four games of a season
One Of A Kind: While Robertson and Westbrook – two dynamic guards – dribbled their way to history through power and burst, Jokić has done it his own way.
Vision, touch and control – the hallmarks of his game – were all on display Wednesday, as he delivered dime after dime, shot 10-of-15 (66.7%) and turned it over just twice.
- Standing Alone: With it came yet another record, as he passed Westbrook for the most triple-doubles while logging under 30 minutes in NBA history (17)
While Jokić broke another record, the Bulls kept theirs unblemished.
Bulls 126, Kings 113: In his first return to the United Center, Zach LaVine put on a familiar show for Bulls fans with 30 points and a vicious hammer, but Chicago got the win behind Matas Buzelis (27 pts) and Josh Giddey (20 pts, 8 reb, 12 ast), improving to 4-0. | Recap
- Up Next: The Bulls host the Knicks on Friday (8 ET, LP) to open NBA Cup Group Play, seeking their first 5-0 start since 1996-97
3. Roundup of Wednesday’s action
New-look C’s, same old 3s
Celtics 125, Cavaliers 105: Sam Hauser splashed 7 of Boston’s 21 triples, while Jaylen Brown added 4 en route to a game-high 30 points, as the C’s outscored the Cavs 35-18 in the 2nd quarter and never looked back for their second straight dub. | Recap
- 3 Party: After leading the league in 3s last year (17.8 per game), Boston’s 21 triples are the most by any team this season
Rockets 139, Raptors 121: Kevin Durant posted 31 points and 3 blocks, Jabari Smith Jr. poured in 25, while Alperen Sengun (19 pts, 8 reb, 9 ast) and Amen Thompson (18 pts, 9 reb, 7 ast) stuffed the stat sheet, leading Houston to its second win in a row. | Recap
- All Systems Go: KD halted a fastbreak with this emphatic swat, leading to an Amen dunk on the other end
Pistons 135, Magic 116: Cade Cunningham did a little of everything (30 pts, 6 reb, 10 ast, 3 stl, 3 blk) as Detroit bounced back with a season-high 135 points. Paolo Banchero (24 pts, 11 reb, 7 ast) led the way for Orlando. | Recap
Hawks 117, Nets 112: Atlanta never trailed after a 27-9 run midway through the 1st quarter, despite losing Trae Young to a knee sprain. Jalen Johnson stepped up with 23 pts, 7 reb, and 5 ast, while Michael Porter, Jr. (32 pts, 9 reb) led Brooklyn. | Recap
Blazers 136, Jazz 134: Jrue Holiday scored a season-high 27 points and hit four clutch free throws in the final 8 seconds to halt a 22-point Jazz comeback. Six Blazers scored in double figures, while Lauri Markkanen stayed hot (32 pts, 5 reb, 3 stl, 3 blk). | Recap
Mavericks 107, Pacers 105: After Anthony Davis left in the 1st quarter with leg soreness, Cooper Flagg (15 pts, 10 reb, 4 ast) and the Mavs cut down a 14-point deficit and kept the Pacers from their first win. | Recap
- Make A Stand: Flagg went 3-for-3 from the field to collect 7 points in the final 8 minutes and help seal the win
- Start Your Engines: Pascal Siakam (27 pts, 13 reb) became the first Pacer since Paul George (2013-14) to score 100+ points in the first four games of a season (105)
4. Thursday tape: Top teams meet tonight
Four of the league’s hottest teams hit the floor tonight – the 5-0 Thunder, 4-0 Spurs, 4-1 Warriors and 3-1 Bucks – each powered by a distinct identity fueling their early success.
Giannis In Full Force: We start with Milwaukee, which hosts Golden State tonight (8 ET, NBA TV). The Bucks’ success begins with Giannis – everywhere, all at once. On historic pace, the two-time Kia MVP leads Milwaukee in points, rebounds and assists, while boasting an NBA-best 26.5 ppg in the paint.
But it’s a collective effort to keep him in attack mode. Behind Giannis, four of Milwaukee’s next five leading scorers are shooting over 35% from 3 – spacing the floor to get him downhill.
- Look Out: When the Greek Freak gets a step, there’s no stopping him. He’s shooting a career-high 75% on drives and leads the league with 20 dunks
Above: Giannis denies a pick from Myles Turner to turn the corner. Rather than rolling, Turner pops, leaving four Milwaukee shooters outside the arc. Cleveland is late to help – and Giannis does the rest.
Golden Flow: The Warriors are back to their signature motion – centered around their two longtime cornerstones, Draymond Green (7.2 apg) and Steph Curry (27 ppg).
With Draymond directing traffic, the Warriors rank 4th in passes per game and 3rd in cut frequency, constantly shifting defenses with layers of movement.
- That Motion Pays Off: The Dubs rank 2nd in assist points created and generate 27.8 “wide open” shots per game – 4th-most in the NBA – converting them at a 47.5% clip
Above: Steph’s sudden swing pass turns the Lakers toward the corner. Draymond then slips into a soft spot above the key as Curry (shooting 42.3% from 3) drifts back for a perfectly timed handoff and an open trey.
Wemby Wall: To the surprise of Victor Wembanyama, the Spurs have never opened 5-0. Tonight on League Pass (8:30 ET), they’ll look to change that as they face the Heat and their top-scoring offense.
- Strength vs. Strength: Defense has fueled San Antonio’s perfect start, allowing the fewest points in the NBA and the second-lowest field goal percentage
- The Key? Wemby, who is averaging more blocks per game (4.8) than 13 teams (yes, teams)
- But It’s Not Just The Blocks: It’s the shots he affects. The Spurs’ opponents are shooting a league-low 52.4% inside five feet, which would be the lowest mark in over a decade
Thunder Swarm: And then there’s OKC – still perfect and still stifling. The Thunder once again top the league in DefRtg, while ranking 3rd in opponent field goal percentage and 2nd in caused turnovers.
From Lu Dort hounding the perimeter to Chet Holmgren patrolling the paint, OKC’s defense thrives on connection as much as talent.
Above: No inch of the court goes unguarded against OKC. As the Kings run double split action, the Thunder shadow their every move before a seamless switch-and-trap. Aaron Wiggins then jumps the outlet for an easy steal.
5. NBA Cup countdown: West Group Play preview
Tomorrow is the day. The 2025 Emirates NBA Cup arrives.
Having reviewed the East yesterday, let’s examine the West as NBA.com’s Brian Martin gets you set for Group Play.
West Group A: Jazz, Kings, Suns, Thunder, Wolves
Last year’s West Semifinalists headline West Group A. OKC aims to return to the NBA Cup Championship game, having reached new heights in the NBA Finals. The tested T-Wolves and the sharpshooters in Phoenix, Sacramento and Utah get the chance to unseat them. | Read more
West Group B: Clippers, Grizzlies, Lakers, Mavericks, Pelicans
Evenly-matched foes look to break out of West Group B, as just 2.5 games separate all five members in the current standings. Only the Mavs advanced past Group Play last year, while the Lakers can lean on five remaining players from their 2023 NBA Cup champion team. | Read more
West Group C: Blazers, Nuggets, Rockets, Spurs, Warriors
Proven winners pack this grouping. No other group has averaged more wins, both last season (44.0) and this season (3.2), than West Group C. Championship pedigrees set the tone in Denver and the Bay, while the perfect Spurs (4-0) and young Blazers look to make a splash.
Joining Forces: Last year’s Cup Semifinalists and regular season No. 2 seed, Houston now pairs 2024 All-NBA Cup team members Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant. | Read more
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