October 25th NBA Game Recaps

The Indiana Pacers defeated the Washington Wizards, 143-120, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Wednesday.

The Pacers (1-0) were one of the best offensive teams in Wednesday's slate, and they didn't have problems to secure an easy win over the Wizards (0-1) on Opening Night. Indiana didn't have a good start, however, and the Wizards raced to a 39-34 score in the first quarter. However, the Pacers responded in the second quarter, and a 39-29 score before halftime gave Indiana a lead they'd never relinquish the rest of the way. The Pacers controlled the game in the second half and cruised to victory the rest of the way following a 37-28 score in the third quarter and a 33-24 score across the final 12 minutes. The Pacers looked dominant on this one and cruised to an easy win here.

Tyrese Haliburton paced the way for the Pacers after notching a double-double of 20 points and 11 assists. Bruce Brown was the leading scorer for the Pacers and delivered 24 points while also ranking up three boards. Bennedict Mathurin finished with 18 points, five assists and four rebounds. Andrew Nembhard was impressive off the bench and delivered 12 points, but he also added 10 assists and four boards. Buddy Hield finished with 14 points.

Kyle Kuzma was the best player for the Wizards and ended with 25 points and two rebounds. Jordan Poole posted 18 points and five dimes, while Tre Jones contributed 16 points with six assists. Danilo Gallinari was impressive off the bench and registered 16 points while also adding three rebounds. Corey Kispert was serviceable off the bench and registered 11 points.

The Boston Celtics defeated the New York Knicks, 108-104, at Madison Square Garden on Wednesday.

The Celtics (1-0) enjoyed a solid start to their 2023-24 season and secured a tight win over the Knicks (0-1). Boston jumped to a dominant 30-18 score in the first quarter and looked in complete control in the early going. However, the Knicks showed signs of life in the second quarter and outscored Boston 28-21, shrinking the Celtics' lead to just five points. The Celtics responded in the second half and restored their lead after a 31-27 score in the third quarter. The Knicks won the final 12 minutes by a 31-26 score, and while New York carried the momentum, a late three-pointer from Kristaps Porzingis lifted the Celtics to victory.

Jayson Tatum led the way for the Celtics with 34 points, 11 rebounds and four assists. Kristaps Porzingis finished with 30 points and eight rebounds outside of his game-clinching three-pointer. Derrick White posted 12 points, six rebounds and two assists, and Jaylen Brown underperformed after putting up just 11 points, six boards and five assists. Jrue Holiday had nine points in his debut as a Celtics player.

RJ Barrett was the best player for the Knicks after putting up 24 points, three rebounds and two assists. Julius Randle finished with a 14-point, 11-rebound double-double, and he also added seven assists. Jalen Brunson registered 15 points, but he also added six assists and three boards. Quentin Grimes ended with 11 points, and Immanuel Quickley delivered 24 points, six boards and four dimes coming off the bench.

The Orlando Magic defeated the Houston Rockets, 116-86, at Amway Center on Wednesday.

The Magic (1-0) looked absolutely dominant in their season opener against the Rockets (0-1) and cruised to victory with absolute ease. Orlando quickly grabbed control of the contest and raced to a 29-20 lead in the first quarter, and they would never look back. A 25-23 score in the second quarter gave the Magic a double-digit lead by halftime, and Orlando cruised their way to victory in the final 24 minutes. A 33-26 score in the second quarter lifted the Magic to a lead the Rockets would never relinquish, and Orlando sealed the win after a 29-17 score in the final 12 minutes of action.

Six Orlando players scored in double digits in this win. Cole Anthony led the way for the Magic with 20 points and eight rebounds while coming off the bench, while Paolo Banchero posted 12 points, five rebounds and five assists. Franz Wagner had an excellent game as well and posted 19 points with three boards and two assists. Markelle Fultz posted 10 points, four boards and two dimes. Gary Harris had 11 points off the bench.

Dillon Brooks, Alperen Sengun and Fred VanVleet each had 14 points for the Rockets. Brooks also had four boards, Sengun chipped in with eight rebounds and six assists, and VanVleet delivered five dimes as well. Jalen Green didn't have his best game and only finished with 10 points. No other Houston player scored in double digits in this one.

The Charlotte Hornets defeated the Atlanta Hawks, 116-110, at Spectrum Center on Wednesday night in the opening game of the season for both clubs.

The Hawks (0-1) headed into the season with their Big Three from last season down John Collins, who was traded to the Utah Jazz during the offseason. However, Atlanta believed it had more than enough firepower in their two remaining biggest stars, Trae Young and Dejounte Murray, to compete in a formidable Eastern Conference, yet the talented duo fell well short of expectations to open the campaign. Young and Murray went just 7-for-33 from the field combined, and the Hornets (1-0) overcame a four-point deficit after one quarter to win every subsequent period and close out the contest with a 38-point tally in the final 12 minutes.

Young led the Hawks with 23 points, adding nine assists, one rebound and one steal. Jalen Johnson provided 21 points, seven boards, two assists, two steals and one block. Clint Capela and Saddiq Bey generated matching 15-point contributions while pulling down 13 and five rebounds, respectively. Bey also recorded five steals. Murray finished with 11 points, six assists and two rebounds.

P.J. Washington paced the Hornets with 25 points, complementing them with five rebounds and two assists. Terry Rozier delivered 24 points, six assists and five boards. LaMelo Ball posted a 15-point, 10-assist double-double that included six rebounds and one steal. Mark Williams supplied a 13-point, 15-rebound double-double that included one assist, three steals and one block. Rookie second overall pick Brandon Miller matched Williams' scoring and added three rebounds and two assists. Gordon Hayward registered 10 points, eight rebounds, seven assists, one steal and one block.

The Hawks head home to face off with the New York Knicks on Friday night in Atlanta's home opener, while the Hornets remain home and host the Detroit Pistons on Friday night as well.

The Miami Heat defeated the Detroit Pistons, 103-102, at Kaseya Center on Wednesday night in opening game of the season for both teams.

The Heat (1-0) were unsurprisingly solid home favorites as the defending Eastern Conference champions in a matchup against a Pistons (0-1) team that sported the NBA's worst record a season ago, and by halftime, it appeared Miami was well on its way to victory. After Detroit emerged from the opening period with a surprising three-point advantage, the hosts' dominant 32-18 edge in the second quarter sent them into halftime with an 11-point lead. The visitors were then able to chip three points from their deficit in the third, but the Heat extended its lead to as much as 19 points with under 10 minutes remaining in the final period. Monty Williams' club then stormed back by finishing on a 27-9 run between the 9:07 and 1:44 marks of the fourth quarter but missed their final four shots, including Cade Cunningham's 31-footer with 0.1 seconds remaining.

Cunningham led the Pistons with 30 points, adding nine assists, three rebounds, one steal and one block. Jalen Duren generated a 17-point, 14-rebound double-double that included four assists and four blocks. Isaiah Stewart turned in 14 points, 14 boards and two assists. Killian Hayes furnished 10 points, three assists, one rebound, two steals and one block.

Bam Adebayo paced the Heat with 22 points, complementing them with eight rebounds three assists and two blocks. Jimmy Butler provided a 19-point, 13-rebound double-double that included four assists and two steals. Tyler Herro supplied 16 points, three assists, two rebounds and three steals. Duncan Robinson poured in 15 points, while Kevin Love turned in a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double that included two assists.

The Pistons remain on the road and visit the Charlotte Hornets on Friday night, while the Heat visits the Boston Celtics on Friday night as well.

The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Brooklyn Nets, 114-113, at Barclays Center on Wednesday night, the opening game of the season for both clubs.

The two evenly matched teams unsurprisingly engaged in a nip-and-tuck battle that saw them knotted up at 63-63 at intermission. The offensive momentum and hotly contested play carried over into the second half, and the Cavaliers (1-0) found themselves down by two points with 19 seconds remaining following a pair of Mikal Bridges free throws. However, Donovan Mitchell drained a 27-footer with 12.1 seconds remaining to give Cleveland a one-point edge over the Nets (0-1) and then hung on through Cam Thomas and Cameron Johnson misses for the narrow victory.

Mitchell and offseason addition Max Strus led the way with matching 27-point tallies, with Mitchell adding six assists and four steals among other contributions and Strus pulling down 12 rebounds. Isaac Okoro delivered 18 points, six boards, four assists, two steals and one block. Darius Garland delivered 15 points, five assists and two steals. Caris LeVert turned in 11 points, five assists, three rebounds, one steal and one block. Evan Mobley supplied 10 points, six boards, one assist and two blocks.

Thomas paced the Nets with 36 points off the bench, complementing them with three rebounds, two assists and one steal. Bridges registered 20 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Johnson compiled 12 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Dorian Finney-Smith and Dennis Smith posted matching 10-point efforts while recording five and four rebounds, respectively.

The Cavaliers head home to host the Oklahoma City Thunder on Friday night, while the Nets pay a visit to the Dallas Mavericks on Friday night as well.

The Toronto Raptors defeated the visiting Minnesota Timberwolves, 97-94, at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday evening.

The game got out to competitive start and was tied at 25, after one quarter. The Raptors gained control briefly but could not pull away in the second, taking a two-point lead into the break. The hosts pushed their lead to double digits in the third, but the Timberwolves rallied back to take a one-point advantage into the final frame. However, the Raptors turned it up a notch in the fourth, regaining control and holding on for the home win.

Dennis Schroder led the Raptors with 22 points, three rebounds and seven assists, in 33 minutes of action. O.G. Anunoby followed up with 20 points, six rebounds, two steals and three blocks, while Pascal Siakam added 15 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a steal. The Raptors shot 40.0 percent from the field, including 14-of-35 from long range.

Meanwhile, Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 26 points and 14 rebounds, in 38 minutes. Karl-Anthony Towns followed up with 19 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and four blocks, while Rudy Gobert added 15 points, 13 rebounds, two steals and a block. The Timberwolves shot just 34.0 percent from the field, including 8-of-31 from deep.

The Timberwolves (0-1) will look to bounce back as they play host to the Heat on Saturday. The Raptors (1-0) take on the Bulls in Chicago on Friday.

The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the host Chicago Bulls, 124-104, at United Center on Wednesday evening.

The game got out to a high-scoring start, as the Bulls led, 35-33, after one quarter. The Thunder picked up their play in the second and outscored the hosts by eight to take a six-point advantage into the break. The Thunder kept the momentum going in the third and pushed their advantage to nine, heading to the final frame. The Bulls had no answers down the stretch, as the Thunder stayed in control and cruised to the road win.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 31 points, five rebounds, 10 assists, a steal and two blocks, in 36 minutes. Jalen Williams and Josh Giddey added 16 points each, while Isaiah Joe chipped in 14 points, five rebounds, two assists and a steal. The Thunder shot 54.9 percent from the field, including 19-for-39 from deep.

Meanwhile, DeMar DeRozan led the Bulls with 20 points, five rebounds, two assists, a steal and a block, in 33 minutes. Zach LaVine followed up with 16 points, four rebounds and three assists, while Coby White tallied 15 points, four rebounds and four assists. The Bulls shot 41.5 percent from the field, including 12-for-42 from long range.

The Bulls (0-1) will look to bounce back as they play host to the Raptors on Friday. The Thunder (1-0) take on the Cavs in Cleveland on Friday.

The New Orleans Pelicans defeated the host Memphis Grizzlies, 111-104, at FedEx Forum on Wednesday evening.

The game got out to a tight start and the Grizzlies held a three-point lead after one quarter. The Pelicans took their game to another level in the second, outscoring the hosts, 32-19, to make it a 10-point game by halftime. Both sides came out strong in the third, but the Pelicans stayed in control and carried a 12-point advantage into the final frame. The Grizzlies kept up the fight in the fourth but could hardly get within striking distance, as the Pelicans closed out the road win.

CJ McCollum led the Pelicans with 24 points, four rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block, in 37 minutes. Zion Williamson added 23 points, seven rebounds and three assists, while Brandon Ingram tallied 19 points, seven rebounds, six assists and two steals. The Pelicans shot 47.1 percent from the field, including 14-for-32 from deep.

Meanwhile, Desmond Bane led the Grizzlies with 31 points, five rebounds, five assists, two steals and a block, in 36 minutes. Xavier Tillman followed up with 17 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, three steals and a block, while Marcus Smart finished with 17 points, three assists and two steals. The Grizzlies shot 41.8 percent from the field, including 12-for-43 from long distance.

The Grizzlies (0-1) will look to bounce back as they play host to the Nuggets on Friday. The Pelicans (1-0) play host to the Knicks on Saturday.

The Sacramento Kings defeated the host Utah Jazz, 130-114, at Vivint Arena on Wednesday.

A 32-24 first quarter set the tone for Sacramento in this dominating road win, leading by at least nine points for the final 30 minutes. They got their lead up to 23 points at times and led by at least 12 points for the final 20 minutes. The Kings shot 19-of-51 from three-point range while holding the Jazz to 9-of-28 from long range. Sacramento also recorded 29 assists to 11 turnovers, while Utah had 22 assists to 14 turnovers. They also had eight blocks to Utah's two.

The Kings (1-0) were led by Harrison Barnes, finishing with 33 points, four rebounds and two assists on 11-of-16 from the field. Domantas Sabonis collected 22 points, 12 rebounds, five assists and two blocks. De'Aaron Fox had 18 points, five rebounds and six assists, while Keegan Murray amassed 15 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.

The Jazz (0-1) were led by Jordan Clarkson, compiling 24 points, four rebounds and six assists. Lauri Markkanen totaled 19 points and 10 rebounds. John Collins accrued 15 points, 11 rebounds and two assists, while Collin Sexton led the bench with nine points and three boards.

Both teams return to action on Friday, with Sacramento returning home to face the Golden State Warriors and Utah remaining home to play the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Dallas Mavericks defeated the host San Antonio Spurs, 126-119, at AT&T Center on Wednesday.

While San Antonio held the lead for the entirety of the first half, there were 15 lead changes in the second half. With that said, Dallas scored the final eight points of the game, after trailing 119-118 with two minutes remaining. That capped off a 62-51 second half. The Mavericks shot 15-of-47 from three-point range while holding the Spurs to 11-of-35 from long distance. Dallas also outscored San Antonio in the paint, 56-46, while winning the turnover battle, 19-12.

The Mavericks (1-0) got a triple-double from Luka Doncic, collecting 33 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists and two steals. Kyrie Irving compiled 22 points, two rebounds and six assists. Grant Williams generated 17 points and six rebounds, while Tim Hardaway Jr led the bench with 17 points, six rebounds and four assists. Dereck Lively also provided 16 points and 10 boards off the pine.

The Spurs (0-1) were led by Devin Vassell, finishing with 23 points, five rebounds, three assists and two steals. Keldon Johnson had 17 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. Victor Wemenyama played just 23 minutes due to foul trouble but still tallied 15 points, five rebounds, two assists and two steals. Tre Jones led the bench with 16 points, five rebounds and six assists.

Both teams return to action on Friday, with San Antonio playing host to the Houston Rockets and Dallas welcoming the Brooklyn Nets to Texas.

The Los Angeles Clippers defeated the visiting Portland Trail Blazers, 123-111, at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday.

A 29-20 first quarter set the foundation for LA in this dominating win, riding a 38-27 second quarter to a 20-point halftime lead. That allowed them to maintain a double-digit lead for the final 30 minutes of this game, getting their lead up to 30 points at times. The Clippers shot 52 percent from the field and 47 percent from three-point range while holding the Blazers to 47 percent from the field and 31 percent from long range. LA also out-assisted Portland, 36-20.

The Trail Blazers (0-1) were led by Anfernee Simons, who accrued 18 points, two rebounds, four assists and two steals. Jerami Grant had 13 points and three boards. Scoot Henderson finished with 11 points, three rebounds and four assists, while Deandre Ayton amassed four points, 12 rebounds and three steals. Malco,m Brogdon led the bench with 20 points and five assists, while Shaedon Sharpe had 14 points, six rebounds and three assists.

The Clippers (1-0) were led by Paul George, providing 27 points, three rebounds, six assists and three steals. Kawhi Leonard tallied 23 points, five rebounds and six assists. Ivica Zubac totaled 20 points, 12 rebounds and four blocks, while Russell Westbrook collected 11 points, five rebounds and 13 assists. Bones Hyland led the bench with 17 points and three assists.

Both teams return to action on Friday, with Los Angeles traveling to face the Utah Jazz and Portland returning home to play the Orlando Magic.