Starting 5: Clutch performances galore across the league

NBA Nightly Recap

Rockets keep blasting off, Sixers storm back, five buzzer-beaters thrill, and more across a 12-game NBA slate.

The shot.

The stare. The Steph Curry experience.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

WNBA Finals Game 6:

Valkyries eye title, Dream fight to force Game 7 (12:30 ET, USA/Peacock/E!/SYFY)

West Heat:

Rockets stay perfect, Steph drops 44, Jokić tallies 200th triple-double, Mavs & Lakers win

East Dubs:

Maxey & Brunson spark rallies, Cade fuels Pistons, Dybantsa debuts and more

Kia Rookie Ladder

: First rankings revealed, with two top-four rookies in action tonight

NBA Cup Spotlight:

A pack of surging squads headlines West Group A

BUT FIRST … ⏰

EJ Turns The Page:

‘Inside the NBA’ host Ernie Johnson announced Wednesday that the 2026-27 season – and his 37th overall – will be his last on the show

|

Read More

An Eastern Conference clash on NBA TV

headlines tonight’s three-game slate, as Donovan Mitchell and the Cavs visit Jalen Johnson and the Hawks (

8 ET

).

The

2026 Emirates NBA Cup

is just one day away as Group Play opens with 10 matchups, including a Prime doubleheader: Knicks-76ers (7:30 ET), Lakers-Warriors (10 ET).

1. WNBA FINALS GAME 6: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW BEFORE TIP-OFF

One win away.

After 32

regular-season victories and eight thus far in the Playoffs, the Valkyries stand on the brink of ultimate glory.

Today (

12:30 ET, USA/Peacock/E!/SYFY

),

Golden State takes a 3-2 series lead into Game 6 of the WNBA Finals against Atlanta, with a chance to capture its first championship in just its second season.

“We have to level up,”

said Valkyries head coach Natalie Nakase. “We’ve got to go into that mindset of being mentally tough and being more connected than ever.”

Big Response:

The Valkyries rebounded after falling behind 2-1 in the series, winning Game 4 on Saturday, 67-62, and Game 5 on Monday, 64-55

Tightening The Screws:

Their defensive turnaround has been massive. From Games 2-3, they allowed an average of 88 points. From Games 4-5, they surrendered just 58.5

In Game 5,

four Valkyries scored in double figures, led by three-time WNBA champion Kiah Stokes (13 pts, 8 reb, 3 blk, 5-6 FG)

“It’s incredible

, seriously, what she does on a daily basis and she asks for nothing in return,” said Veronica Burton. “We’re not here without Kiah.”

Thearon W. Henderson/NBAE via Getty Images

But the Dream

aren’t done yet.

Back in Atlanta,

they can even the series at 3-3 and force the first-ever WNBA Finals winner-take-all Game 7. When they’ve won this season, offense has been a big reason why.

Back To Basics:

In the regular season, Atlanta ranked No. 3 with 91.3 ppg. Allisha Gray, Rhyne Howard and Angel Reese were all top-20 scorers

Reese’s Revenge?

Reese, though, has been held to 4-for-20 shooting for 15 points across Games 4-5 after racking up 51 points in Games 2-3

“You’ve got to

go through hard stuff to get what you want in life,” Reese said. “We’re just going to take it one game at a time and get back to who we are.”

2. WEST HEAT: ROCKETS ROLL, STEPH ERUPTS, JOKER MAKES HISTORY & MORE

Patrick McDermott/NBAE via Getty Images

Houston,

we have a liftoff.

Rockets 132, Bucks 100:

Eyeing just their sixth 5-0 start in franchise history, the red-hot Rockets refused to cool down, hitting 17 3s at a 44.7% clip, while their defense held Milwaukee to a season-low 100 points to remain unbeaten. |

Recap

Balanced Buckets:

Fred VanVleet (24 pts, 5 ast) and Bogdan Bogdanović (16 pts, 4 ast) each hit four treys, while Amen Thompson (23 pts) and Kevin Durant (18 pts, 4 ast, 3 blk) added to the attack

Winning Formula:

The Rockets now rank 3rd in scoring (123 ppg) and 4th in assists per game (28.2), leading to a +14.2 average point differential

The Result?

Their first 5-0 start since 2014, and just their second since 2000

David Berding/NBAE via Getty Images

Speaking of red-hot

… ladies and gentlemen: Steph Curry.

Warriors 119, Wolves 114:

Steph scored just four points in the 1st quarter, going 0-for-3 from deep. Then the skies opened, and a Curry Flurry descended on Minnesota.

Curry exploded

for 19 points in the 2nd, shooting 5-for-7 from deep to put Golden State up 16 at the break. He kept rolling in the 2nd half, teaming up with rookie Yaxel Lendeborg (26 pts, 9 reb) to fend off a late Wolves push for the Dubs’ second straight win. |

Vintage Steph:

Curry finished with 44 points

– including 40 over the final three quarters – along with 8 boards, 6 dimes and 6 3s

The Cherry On Top?

A perfect 16-for-16 night from the line, including the game-sealing free throws in the final second to deny a Wolves comeback from 24 down

Ageless Bucket:

It’s Curry’s 15th 40-piece since turning 35, tying LeBron James for the most all-time

Golden Rook:

Lendeborg added a string of clutch buckets in the 4th, becoming the first player since Shaquille O’Neal to total 113+ points and 45+ rebounds through his first five career games.

But even after

his rare start, the No. 11 pick couldn’t help but marvel at his 38-year-old teammate.

“I’m just watching like,

man, this guy is good as hell,” said Lendeborg of Curry postgame. “I caught myself shaking my head, like wow.”

While Steph cooked

in Minnesota, Nikola Jokić made history in New Orleans.

And for a player

who routinely posts unprecedented stat lines, Wednesday’s milestone came down to one simple yet staggering number.

200 triple-doubles

.

Nuggets 104, Pelicans 91:

Jokić racked up 21 points, 13 rebounds and 10 assists, while logging a game-high +17 plus-minus, as Denver rolled to a wire-to-wire win over Zion Williamson (25 pts, 5 reb) and the Pels. |

The 200 Club:

Jokić is just the second player in NBA history to reach 200 career triple-doubles,

joining Russell Westbrook

, who holds the all-time record with 209

In Style:

The Joker’s 200th triple-double was also his 155th 20/10/10 game, the second-most in NBA history behind only Oscar Robertson (174)

On Brand:

And he did it with his trademark efficiency, needing just 13 shots (8-13 FG) to tally 21 points – all before the 4th quarter

Barry Gossage + Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images

Spurs 117, Jazz 111 (OT):

In a game that saw 12 ties, 12 lead changes and no lead greater than 11, Victor Wembanyama was the ultimate deciding factor (

36 pts, 14 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl, 2 blk

), imposing his will on both ends to power San Antonio to an overtime win. |

Extra Basketball:

Keyonte George (31 pts, 5 3s) hit a string of big-time shots in the 4th to force OT, but the Spurs opened the extra frame on a 12-3 run and never looked back

Extra Wemby:

That included consecutive buckets from Wemby (4 pts, 2 reb, 2 stl, 2-2 FG) to put the Spurs up seven with 1:18 left, before De’Aaron Fox iced the game with a jam

Mavericks 120, Thunder 96:

Cooper Flagg’s early sophomore surge continued Wednesday (

26 pts, 5 reb, 8 ast

), leading eight Mavs in double figures to knock off Ajay Mitchell (29 pts), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (21 pts, 6 reb) and the shorthanded Thunder.

It’s Dallas’ third win

in four games

,

and OKC’s first October loss since 2023. |

Lakers 103, Clippers 87:

With

Luka Dončić (back) sidelined

, offseason additions Quentin Grimes (23 pts, 5 ast, 4 stl) and Collin Sexton (21 pts, 4 3s) stepped up, powering the Lakers past No. 5 pick Keaton Wagler (21 pts) and the Clips for their second win over their crosstown rivals in six days. |

3. EAST DUBS: MAXEY, BRUNSON & CADE DELIVER; HEAT, CAVS & RAPTORS WIN

In their home debut

last Thursday, the Sixers erased a 29-point deficit to pull off their largest comeback in the play-by-play era.

Five days later,

they found themselves in another hole. This time, on the road in Indy, where Tyrese Maxey saved his best for last.

76ers 114, Pacers 109:

Trailing by as many as 15 in the 1st half, Indy ripped off a 36-13 3rd quarter to enter the 4th up 13. But then Maxey turned up, fueling a 39-point closing frame for Philly and scoring the Sixers’ final 11 points to seal a gutsy dub. |

Maxey Show:

After scoring just 10 points through three quarters, Maxey (27 pts) dropped 17 in the 4th, outscoring Indy by himself over the final 2:40 (11-9)

Double Dagger:

That included

back-to-back triples

with the game on the line, turning a two-point edge into an eight-point lead with just 45 seconds remaining

Stars Align:

Joel Embiid (21 pts, 11 reb), Jaylen Brown (20 pts, 10 reb) and LeBron James (13 pts, 10 ast) added double-doubles, while Anfernee Simons chipped in 20 points on six 3s as Philly improved to 4-1

Jessie Alcheh/NBAE via Getty Images

Another closer.

Another

pair of daggers.

And another team

that knows a thing or two about rallies.

Knicks 133, Bulls 127:

Down 19 midway through the 3rd, the Knicks outscored Chicago 65-40 the rest of the way, led by – guess who – Jalen Brunson (

38 pts, 7 ast

), as last year’s Finals MVP scored 22 in the 2nd half to give the Knicks their second win in two nights. |

At It Again:

Brunson, who helped spark double-digit rallies in all four of New York’s Finals wins, dropped 14 in the 4th, shooting 5-for-6 from the field and 3-for-4 from deep

The Finishing Touch?

Back-to-back triples from Brunson in the final two minutes to put New York up eight, slamming the door shut

Pistons 97, Hornets 89:

Cade Cunningham scored 10 of his

30 points

in the 4th, capped by a game-sealing 3 with 31 ticks left to top Brandon Miller (31 pts, 12 reb) and Charlotte, as Detroit (4-1) bounced back after suffering its first loss of the season on Tuesday. |

Brian Kolin + Jason Miller/NBAE via Getty Images

Cavaliers 121, Wizards 111:

After missing Washington’s first four games with an ankle sprain, it didn’t take long for AJ Dybantsa (19 pts) to take flight in his

NBA debut

But it was Cleveland

that rose up late, as Evan Mobley (24 pts, 12 reb, 5 3s) sparked a 29-19 4th quarter to turn a tie game into a Cavs win. |

First Flight:

Dybantsa, this year’s No. 1 overall pick, made his first four shots, starting with an alley-oop finish off a

half-court lob

from Trae Young (14 pts, 8 ast)

Heat 129, Hawks 117:

Giannis Antetokounmpo was dominant (

24 pts, 18 reb

), while Bam Adebayo (24 pts, 9 reb) became the

Heat’s all-time rebound leader

as Miami outpaced Kingston Flemings (23 pts, 5 ast) and the Hawks for its first win. |

Raptors 129, Magic 99:

For the third time in four games, Toronto held its opponent under 100 points, with Scottie Barnes (28 pts, 6 reb, 3 stl, 2 blk) shining on both ends and RJ Barrett adding a big boost (25 pts, 9 reb, 6 ast) to help the Raptors move to 3-1. |

4. KIA ROOKIE LADDER DEBUT: BOOZER TAKES TOP SPOT

Ezra Shaw/NBAE via Getty Images

The first Kia Rookie Ladder

of 2026-27 is out, and two of its top four players take the floor tonight.

Atop Jeff Zillgitt’s initial top-10 rankings

is this year’s No. 3 pick, Cameron Boozer, who is off to a record start for the Grizzlies as they visit the 3-0 Blazers in a battle of unbeatens (10 ET, League Pass).

Also in action

is the electrifying Darius Acuff Jr., who holds the fourth spot on the Ladder ahead of Sacramento’s trip to New Orleans (8 ET).

Before tonight’s tip-offs,

Zillgitt breaks down what’s fueled their strong starts:

1. Cameron Boozer:

“The Grizzlies are 4-0, and Boozer is a plus-36 over that stretch. Boozer, 19, became the third-youngest player in NBA history to register at least 25 points, 10 rebounds and five assists when he had 25 points, 13 rebounds and six assists in a victory against Golden State. He joins LeBron James and Cooper Flagg.”

4. Darius Acuff Jr.:

“Acuff scored a 2026-27 rookie-high 33 points (also the most by a teen in franchise history) in Sacramento’s loss to Portland and ranks second among rookies in scoring at 21.5 points per game.

“He’s not shy

about shooting at 23.3 field goal attempts per game, which is second among all players – just behind Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards.”

Read More:

See Zillgitt’s

complete Kia Rookie Ladder

, including his analysis of all 10 players

Lauren Leigh Bacho + Kevin D. Liles/NBAE via Getty Images

Also Tonight:

Two more rookies on Zillgitt’s radar meet on NBA TV, as Meleek Thomas and the Cavs visit Kingston Flemings and the Hawks (8 ET).

5. NBA CUP COUNTDOWN: WEST GROUP A SPOTLIGHT

With the 2026 Emirates NBA Cup

tipping off tomorrow, our tour of all six groups continues with a spotlight on West Group A, featuring the Nuggets, Rockets, Suns, Mavericks and Jazz.

As NBA.com’s Brian Martin

breaks down all five teams in his West A preview, he examines whether Denver can carry its recent success against these opponents into this year’s in-season tournament:

“In head-to-head matchups

among West Group A teams last season, the Nuggets and Rockets were the only teams with winning records. Denver posted a group-best 12-3 mark thanks to sweeps of the Suns and Jazz, a 3-1 series victory over the Rockets, and a split with Dallas

“Can the Nuggets,

who have the Western Conference’s longest active streak of 50+ win seasons with four straight, find similar success against the teams in this group as they had last season? Or will a new contender emerge and make an early-season statement?” |

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