NBA Cup roundup: Celtics end Cavs' hot start, Russ makes history
The second annual in-season tournament, the NBA Cup, resumed Tuesday with six games in group play. For an explanation of how the tourney works, including the breakdown of the groups, tap here.
To see what happened during last Friday's action, tap here.
Tuesday's results
- Cavaliers 117-120 Celtics
- Hornets 115-116 Nets
- Nuggets 122-110 Grizzlies
- Pelicans 91-132 Mavericks
- Thunder 104-110 Spurs
- Jazz 118-124 Lakers
Check out our NBA scores page for box score recaps for each game and the NBA Cup tab on our NBA standings page for group standings.
Top performers
Jayson Tatum (Celtics): Tatum led the charge for the Boston Celtics as they delivered the Cleveland Cavaliers their first loss of the 2024-25 season. The 26-year-old scored 33 points, topping 30 for the ninth time this year. Tatum added 12 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals while going 6-of-10 from downtown. It was also the ninth time Tatum has hit five or more 3-pointers in a game this season, the most by any player in the Association.
Cameron Johnson (Nets): Johnson erupted Tuesday for his highest-scoring outburst of the season as the Brooklyn Nets came out on top in a dogfight with the Charlotte Hornets. The North Carolina product poured in 34 points, four assists, five rebounds, and two blocks while shooting an efficient 11-for-20 from the field. The performance was Johnson's first scoring 30-plus points this season and third time as a member of the Nets. The 28-year-old also added six 3-pointers.
Dalton Knecht (Lakers): On a team with LeBron James and Anthony Davis, the rookie wing from Tennessee shined the brightest. Knecht scored a career-high 37 points on 9-of-12 shooting from deep, including 21 points in the third quarter. He led the Lakers in scoring, helping L.A. extend its winning streak to six games with a victory over the Jazz. The 23-year-old is quickly establishing himself as one of the important cogs on a veteran team.
Highlight of the night
Charlotte Hornets guard Tre Mann was cleared for takeoff when he entered the lane against Brooklyn Nets big man Noah Clowney. One small step from Mann led to one giant leap over the Nets center. The aftermath from the dunk was so vicious that the 23-year-old was assessed a technical foul.
TRE MANN. PUT IT ON A POSTER. 😱 pic.twitter.com/8sbmWdFIIz
— NBA TV (@NBATV) November 20, 2024
Tweet of the night
Reporter: "Joe, why does the NBA Cup matter?"
— Marc D'Amico (@Marc_DAmico) November 19, 2024
Joe Mazzulla: "Who said that?"
Well-known for his pointed quotes, Celtics head coach Joe Mazzulla can be effortlessly hilarious without even trying. Prior to his team's victory over the Cavaliers, Boston's bench boss questioned a reporter for asking why the NBA Cup matters. Is Mazzulla being serious or having a laugh? We'll never know.
Stat of the night
Russell Westbrook will go down as the best triple-double getter in NBA history. On Tuesday, he became the first player to record 200 triple-doubles, putting up 12 points, 10 rebounds, and 14 assists in the Denver Nuggets' win over the Memphis Grizzlies. Westbrook is 19 triple-doubles ahead of Oscar Robertson, who's No. 2 on the all-time list. The 36-year-old also has 64 more triple-doubles than Nikola Jokic - the closest active player to him in the top 10.
What's next
The NBA Cup resumes Friday with eight games. Among the most notable is a playoff rematch between the Milwaukee Bucks and Indiana Pacers, while Luka Doncic and the Dallas Mavericks visit Jokic and the Denver Nuggets.
Tap the NBA Cup tab on our NBA standings page for the latest group standings.