Luka Dončić’s 40+ point streak may have ended, but his 165 points through four games are the most since Wilt in 1962-63.
His triple-double lifted L.A. to its third straight win and a 5-2 record to close Week 2.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Magic Number 7: OKC opens title defense by matching last season’s 7-0 start
Streaks End: Luka’s run of 40+ point games run ends in a win, Bulls & Spurs take first losses
Roundup: Sixers, Cavs, Hornets & Raptors close Week 2 with wins on Sunday
Monday Marquee: Turner returns to Indy (League Pass), Wolves visit Nets (Peacock)
Looking Ahead: Flagg vs. KD in Texas clash on Monday, plus 7 national games this week
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Welcome to Week 3
Monday’s nine-game slate tips off on Peacock with the Timberwolves visiting the Nets (7 ET, Tap To Watch) before Blazers host the Lakers on NBA TV (10 ET, Tap To Watch).
1. IS SEVEN THE MAGIC NUMBER FOR OKC?
The Thunder’s path to the 2025 NBA title began with seven straight wins to open the season.
They went on to become the seventh straight new champion in the NBA.
As the Thunder look to be the first repeat champion since 2018, they’ve repeated their 7-0 start.
Thunder 137, Pelicans 106: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (30 pts, 7 ast in 3 quarters) led seven more players in double figures as OKC extended its season-opening win streak to seven. | Recap | Best of OKC’s 7-0 start
Climbing The Ladder: SGA posted his 79th straight regular-season game with 20+ points, matching Oscar Robertson for the third-longest streak ever. He trails only Wilt Chamberlain, who owns the top two streaks (126 and 92 games)
Finding The Range: OKC, which entered Sunday ranked last in 3-point percentage (29.6%), set season highs in 3-pointers made (20) and 3-point percentage (41.6%) in the win
Extending Another Streak: OKC also won its 11th straight head-to-head meeting with the Pelicans, who were led by Zion Williamson (20 pts) and Trey Murphy III (19 pts) as they dropped to 0-6
So what does OKC’s second straight 7-0 start to the season mean?
Not only does it match the best start in OKC history, but NBA history shows us that the Thunder are only the third team to ever open back-to-back seasons at 7-0 or better.
OKC Thunder: 2024-25 (7-0), 2025-26 (7-0)
Houston Rockets: 1993-94 (15-0), 1994-95 (9-0)
Boston Celtics: 1963-64 (7-0), 1964-65 (11-0)
Why is that important? Both the Rockets and Celtics won the NBA title in both years when they opened those seasons at 7-0 or better.
What’s Next? The Thunder will look to set a new franchise record with an eighth straight win to open the season when they visit the Clippers on Tuesday in the nightcap of NBC & Peacock’s Coast 2 Coast (11 ET & 10 CT on Peacock and 8 PT & 9 MT on NBC).
2. STREAKS SNAPPED: LUKA’S 40+ PT RUN ENDS IN WIN, BULLS & SPURS NOW 5-1
Luka Dončić entered Sunday’s game against Miami on a start-of-season scoring run not seen in over 60 years.
No player other than Wilt Chamberlain in 1961 and ’62 had matched Luka’s three straight 40+ point games and 45.3 ppg over their first three games of a season.
Luka’s run of 40+ point games ended on Sunday, but his 83rd career triple-double (29 pts, 11 reb, 10 ast) helped lift the Lakers to a third straight win.
Lakers 130, Heat 120: L.A. didn’t need Luka’s 40+ point heroics on Sunday. Instead, Luka, Austin Reaves (26 pts, 11 ast) and Jake LaRavia (25 pts, 10-13 FG) combined for 80 points to lead the Lakers past Jaime Jaquez Jr. (game-high 31 pts) and the Heat. | Recap
Wilt Pace: Luka’s 165 total points through four games are the most by any Lakers player – besting Jerry West’s 154 in ’69-70 and Kobe Bryant’s 146 in ’05-06 – and the most by any NBA player since Wilt’s 205 in ’62-63
Start To Finish: The Lakers scored the game’s first eight points – capped off by this Luka circus shot and-1 – and never trailed. Miami made it a two-point game early in the 4th before L.A. shut the door
Like Father, Like Son: Reaves has now thrown lob passes to LeBron James and Bronny James for fast-break alley-oop slams
What’s Next? The Lakers visit Portland tonight (10 ET, NBA TV), while the Heat finish their L.A. trip against a Clippers team coming off Kawhi Leonard’s game-winning buzzer-beater (10:30 ET, LP)
Luka’s 40+ point streak wasn’t the only remarkable start-of-season run that came to an end on Sunday.
Oklahoma City now stands as the only remaining unbeaten team in the NBA after Sunday saw the Bulls and Spurs drop their first games of the season as both ended Week 2 at 5-1 – still their best starts through six games since 2021 and 2016, respectively.
On Halloween, the Bulls beat the Knicks to open a season 5-0 for the first time since 1996-97. Two nights later, the Knicks ended Chicago’s undefeated run and snapped their own three-game skid.
Knicks 128, Bulls 116: Jalen Brunson (31 pts, 5 reb) and Karl-Anthony Towns (20 pts, 15 reb, 5 ast, 2 blk) powered the Knicks to their first win since Oct. 24, while handing Chicago its first loss of the season despite Josh Giddey’s triple-double (23 pts, 12 reb, 12 ast). | Recap
Winning From Deep: A key to Chicago’s 5-0 start was its staunch 3-point defense – allowing the fewest makes (9.2) and lowest percentage (30.1%) entering Sunday. New York put up season-high marks of 20 3s made on 47.4% shooting in the win
Suns 130, Spurs 118: Devin Booker (28 pts, 13 ast creating 35 pts) showcased his scoring and playmaking as Phoenix won its first consecutive games, while snapping San Antonio’s five-game win streak to open the season. | Recap
Record ‘Book’: Booker (210 pts, 52 ast) became the first Sun to total 200+ points and 50+ assists in a season’s first seven games
Scorers Everywhere: Ryan Dunn (17 pts, 5 reb) was one of seven Suns with 10+ points and five Suns with 3+ triples as Phoenix shot 57.6% from deep
Spurs Standouts: Stephon Castle (26 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast) and Keldon Johnson (19 pts) combined for 45 points, while Victor Wembanyama (9 pts, 9 reb, 4 blk) was held without a double-double for the first time this season
3. ROUNDUP: SIXERS, CAVS, HORNETS & RAPTORS CLOSE WEEK 2 WITH WINS
Two nights after suffering their first loss of the season – a one-point loss to Boston on the opening night of Group Play in the Emirates NBA Cup – the Sixers looked to bounce back in Brooklyn.
76ers 129, Nets 105: Playing without Joel Embiid, Philly got 20+ point performances from Kelly Oubre Jr. (22 of his 29 pts in the 1st quarter), Tyrese Maxey (26 pts, 7 ast) and Quentin Grimes (22 pts, career-high 13 ast) to improve to 5-1. | Recap
Elite Company: Maxey joined Allen Iverson (2005-06), Luka Dončić (’22-23), James Harden (’16-17) and Nate Archibald (’72-73) as the only five players in NBA history to open a season with six straight 25+ point, 5+ assist games
Turning Point: After a back-and-forth 1st quarter, the Sixers seized control in the 2nd with VJ Edgecombe (12 of his 16 pts) and Maxey (8 pts) combining for 20 to help Philly build an insurmountable lead
Cavs 117, Hawks 109: Donovan Mitchell scored 24 of his game-high 37 points in the 2nd half, while Evan Mobley scored eight points during Cleveland’s 21-15 run over the final 4:30 of the 4th quarter to secure the win and avoid a three-game skid. | Recap
Royal Company: Mitchell notched his 75th 30+ point performance in 200 games as a Cavalier (he’s scored 30+ in 37.5% of his games in Cleveland). Only LeBron James has more 30+ point games with the Cavs (324 on a 38.2% rate)
Stepping Up: With Trae Young out four weeks (knee), the Hawks shared his playmaking duties with four starters dishing out five assists: Jalen Johnson (23 pts, 13 reb), Kristaps Porziņģis (15 pts, 12 reb), Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Zaccharie Risacher
Hornets 126, Jazz 103: Miles Bridges (29 pts, 6 ast, 3 3pm) and rookie Kon Knueppel (24 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast, 4 3pm) combined for 53 points to lead six Hornets in double figures to get past Lauri Markkanen (29 pts, 7 reb), Keyonte George (25 pts, 7 ast) and the Jazz. | Recap
Historic Start: Knueppel’s 22 3-pointers made are the most through a player’s first seven career games in NBA history
Special Delivery: Markkanen (198 total points in first six games) becomes the first Jazz player since Karl Malone (1988-89) to total 195+ points in the first six games of a season
Raptors 117, Grizzlies 104: RJ Barrett (27 pts, 6 ast) and Brandon Ingram (26 pts, 7 reb) combined for 53 to lead Toronto’s starting unit – which outscored Memphis’ first five 96-57 – as the Raptors secured their first consecutive wins of the season. | Recap
Filling The Box Score: Scottie Barnes (19 pts, 12 reb, 8 ast, 5 blk) and rookie Collin Murray-Boyles (15 pts, 9 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl) each made winning plays on both ends of the floor for Toronto
JJJ Leads The Way: Jaren Jackson Jr. (20 pts) led six Grizzlies in double figures, but Memphis was held to a season-low 104 points
4. MONDAY: TURNER RETURNS TO INDY ON LP, WOLVES VISIT NETS ON PEACOCK
Myles Turner had only known one franchise for the entirety of his career.
Last season, after coming up short nine times, he helped Indiana reach its first Finals in 25 years. But it would also prove to be the end of his era donning the blue and yellow.
He steps back into Gainbridge Fieldhouse tonight for the first time as an opponent.
The Bucks will battle the defending East champs (7 ET, League Pass) as Turner – suiting up alongside Giannis Antetokounmpo – makes his return to his former stomping grounds.
First Steps: The 11th-year center has averaged 9.8 points, 6.2 rebounds and 1.8 blocks through six games as Milwaukee sits tied for 3rd in the East at 4-2
New Threads: Indy’s all-time blocks leader will play on the opposite side of the rivalry, which in 2024-25, included the Bucks winning three of four regular-season meetings
Fueling The Freak: Giannis Antetokounmpo has been dominant in their last 12 meetings, putting up 36.3 ppg on a 65.4 FG%, as well as a franchise-best 64 points on Dec. 13, 2023
But these two teams have also gone 6-6 against each other in that time. It was the Pacers, after all, who claimed their First Round series in both the 2025 and ’24 Playoffs.
Proven Pascal: Without Tyrese Haliburton this season, Indiana has put its trust in Pascal Siakam to lead the way, who is averaging 25 ppg and a team-high 9 rpg
Shifted Spotlight: Eight players appeared on Sunday’s injury report, but Aaron Nesmith has attacked the opportunity, coming off a career-best 31 points in Indiana’s first win on Saturday
In cross-conference action, the Nets host the Timberwolves (7 ET, Peacock), who seek their first victory this season. Minnesota, though, just made a crucial stride forward.
Finding Answers: The team secured its first win without Anthony Edwards (hamstring) in a 122-105 defeat of Charlotte on Nov. 1
Randle’s Role: In that victory, Julius Randle was key, pitching in 30 points on a 12-for-19 clip from the field to earn his third performance with 30+ in his last four games
5. TEXAS CLASH IN H-TOWN, NUGGETS HOST KINGS, FIRST LOOK AT WEEK AHEAD
Monday’s offerings don’t end there.
Seven other contests will be held across the Association, making for a busy night to open the third week of the regular season.
On League Pass, the Mavs return from Mexico to face the in-state rival Rockets (8 ET).
No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg will face 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant for the first time since Flagg was part of the USAB Select Team that scrimmaged KD and the U.S. Olympic Team in preparation for the 2024 Paris Games.
On The Podium: The Duke product ranks third in points (13.8 ppg) and rebounds (6.5 rpg) and second in assists (3 apg) for Dallas
Still Perfect: Flagg has yet to miss a free throw since embarking on his rookie season, sinking all 21 of his attempts
Blasting Off: Durant, meanwhile, has racked up 27.2 ppg in his first five games with Houston, shooting at 55.1 FG% (he shot 52.7% in 2024-25 and 52.3% in ’23-24)
The Nuggets will welcome the Kings to town (9 ET, League Pass) elsewhere in this evening’s action. Dating back to Feb. 28, 2024, Denver boasts a five-game winning streak in their head-to-head.
Joke’s On You: Nikola Jokić is off to a blistering start, with four triple-doubles thus far, and in all five games, has dropped at least a double-double – tied for the league lead
Royal Flush: His remarkably balanced contributions of 20.4 ppg, 14.4 rpg and 10.8 apg also place 1st in the NBA for assists and 2nd for rebounds
And tonight is merely the beginning of what’s to come this week
Tuesday (NBC/Peacock Coast 2 Coast): Magic at Hawks (8 ET) and Thunder at Clippers (11 ET)
Wednesday (ESPN Doubleheader): Timberwolves at Knicks (7:30 ET) and Spurs at Lakers (10 ET)
Thursday (NBA TV): Clippers at Suns (9 ET) on NBA TV
Friday (Prime Video): Emirates NBA Cup Group Play continues with Rockets at Spurs (7:30 ET) and Warriors at Nuggets (10 ET)
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