76ers (28–8) def. Pistons (7–26), 115–102
76ers: Victor Wembanyama — 27 PTS, 14 REB, 4 BLK Chet Holmgren — 21 PTS Bennedict Mathurin — 19 PTS
Pistons: Damian Lillard — 26 PTS R.J. Barrett — 20 PTS
Philadelphia controlled the glass, while Detroit went cold from three in the second half.
Rockets (25–9) def. Pelicans (11–22), 117–108
Rockets: Karl-Anthony Towns — 29 PTS, 11 REB Derrick White — 23 PTS, 7 AST Donte DiVincenzo — 17 PTS
Pelicans: De'Aaron Fox — 30 PTS, 8 AST Myles Turner — 20 PTS, 9 REB
Fox kept New Orleans alive, but Houston's size eventually wore the Pelicans down.
Trail Blazers (25–8) def. Wizards (14–19), 113–110
Trail Blazers: Nikola Jokić — 24 PTS, 13 REB, 9 AST Michael Porter Jr. — 26 PTS Immanuel Quickley — 15 PTS, 8 AST
Wizards: Kevin Durant — 31 PTS Jalen Brunson — 25 PTS
Washington led by eight entering the fourth before Portland rallied. After the Wizards' trade for Durant, Washington seems to be moving up in the world.
Warriors (23–10) def. Timberwolves (18–15), 120–114
Warriors: Luka Dončić — 35 PTS, 11 AST Cooper Flagg — 22 PTS Josh Hart — 11 PTS, 12 REB
Timberwolves: LeBron James — 29 PTS, 9 REB Austin Reaves — 23 PTS
Luka repeatedly attacked Minnesota's switches late. A new rival in the west has made its appearance, and they're already catching up.
Pacers (25–8) def. Knicks (17–16), 112–109
Pacers: Jaylen Brown — 30 PTS, 7 REB Jamal Murray — 24 PTS DeMar DeRozan — 20 PTS
Knicks: Tyrese Maxey — 32 PTS Evan Mobley — 18 PTS, 13 REB
Maxey nearly stole it in the final quarter like he's been doing, but Brown hit a difficult jumper with 38 seconds remaining.
Spurs (22–11) def. Heat (9–24), 110–106
Spurs: Giannis Antetokounmpo — 28 PTS, 15 REB Brandon Ingram — 22 PTS Scoot Henderson — 16 PTS, 8 AST
Heat: Brandon Miller — 29 PTS Dillon Brooks — 18 PTS
Miami made it ugly defensively, but Giannis eventually took over the fourth quarter to seal the game for the Spurs.
Magic (23–10) def. Cavaliers (17–16), 118–111
Magic: Anthony Edwards — 34 PTS Domantas Sabonis — 21 PTS, 14 REB, 8 AST Dylan Harper — 16 PTS
Cavaliers: Speddy Barnes — 27 PTS, 9 REB Bradley Beal — 15 PTS
The Magic did their thing, shooting 51%.
Clippers (22–11) def. Nuggets (8–25), 109–103
Clippers: Dejounte Murray — 28 PTS, 8 AST Bam Adebayo — 19 PTS, 13 REB Jarrett Allen — 14 PTS, 11 REB
Nuggets: Ja Morant — 29 PTS Tyler Herro — 21 PTS
Denver stayed within five late, but the Clippers' frontcourt defense closed it out. The Lob City Clippers appear to be taking shape again, this time helmed by All-Star Dejounte Murray, and backed by All-Stars Jarrett Allen and Bam Adebayo.
Grizzlies (22–11) def. Hawks (14–19), 116–112
Grizzlies: Zion Williamson — 30 PTS, 10 REB Amen Thompson — 18 PTS, 9 REB Collin Sexton — 22 PTS
Hawks: Franz Wagner — 28 PTS Darius Garland — 24 PTS, 9 AST
Zion repeatedly punished Atlanta inside, using straight meat and muscle to dominate Atlanta's interior without any protection.
Mavericks (20–13) def. Nets (11–22), 117–108
Mavericks: Stephen Curry — 33 PTS Desmond Bane — 24 PTS John Collins — 16 PTS, 10 REB
Nets: Devin Booker — 32 PTS Jabari Smith Jr. — 19 PTS
Curry knocked down six threes. The Nets continue to be GM-less, only having 9 players on their roster.
Jazz (19–14) def. Lakers (13–20), 114–107
Jazz: Joel Embiid — 32 PTS, 13 REB Jalen Williams — 23 PTS Malik Monk — 17 PTS
Lakers: Lauri Markkanen — 29 PTS Mikal Bridges — 20 PTS
Embiid drew 11 free throws and kept Utah in control.
Raptors (20–13) def. Bucks (16–17), 111–105
Raptors: Donovan Mitchell — 29 PTS Kawhi Leonard — 25 PTS Jalen Green — 18 PTS
Bucks: Tyrese Haliburton — 27 PTS, 11 AST Shaedon Sharpe — 22 PTS
Toronto's defense forced Milwaukee into 16 turnovers. Unfortunately, Milwaukee doesn't have a punching bag to take their anger out on after this game.
Thunder (18–15) def. Kings (18–15), 113–109
Thunder: Cade Cunningham — 28 PTS, 10 AST Pascal Siakam — 24 PTS Zach LaVine — 19 PTS
Kings: Jayson Tatum — 32 PTS LaMelo Ball — 21 PTS, 9 AST
Two Western Conference dogs fight it out. Cade scored eight straight points during OKC's fourth-quarter comeback while Lamelo, who is on the trade block, continues to provide for Sacramento.
Hornets (16–17) def. Bulls (13–20), 108–104
Hornets: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — 31 PTS Jaren Jackson Jr. — 22 PTS, 8 REB Julius Randle — 17 PTS
Bulls: Paolo Banchero — 30 PTS, 9 REB Jalen Johnson — 21 PTS
Charlotte's defense forced Chicago into a despicable 18 turnovers. The GM might want to have a word with his backcourt...that is if he had any.
Suns (12–21) def. Celtics (10–23), 112–107
Suns: Trae Young — 30 PTS, 12 AST Alperen Şengün — 25 PTS, 13 REB OG Anunoby — 18 PTS, 8 REB Naz Reid — 16 PTS
Celtics: Anthony Davis — 27 PTS, 12 REB Kyrie Irving — 25 PTS
Phoenix stuck to the rotation: Trae 36, Cason 28, OG 36, Naz 32, Şengün 36, Will Riley 28, Ajay 24, Portis 20. The Suns won the fourth quarter 31–23, and have now gone 10-5 after the trade for Sengun.
76ers def. Wizards, 117–109
76ers: Victor Wembanyama — 30 PTS, 12 REB, 5 BLK Chet Holmgren — 18 PTS, 9 REB Coby White — 21 PTS
Wizards: Kevin Durant — 33 PTS Jalen Brunson — 27 PTS, 8 AST
Wembanyama controlled the paint, while Philadelphia's defense forced Washington into 17 turnovers. Spurs fans began a chant of "BUNSon."
Rockets def. Bulls, 121–110
Rockets: Karl-Anthony Towns — 34 PTS, 10 REB Derrick White — 20 PTS, 9 AST Ayo Dosunmu — 16 PTS
Bulls: Paolo Banchero — 32 PTS Jalen Johnson — 22 PTS, 10 REB
Chicago stayed within three entering the fourth before Houston caught fire.
Trail Blazers def. Cavaliers, 108–104
Trail Blazers: Nikola Jokić — 21 PTS, 12 REB, 11 AST Michael Porter Jr. — 25 PTS Anfernee Simons — 19 PTS
Cavaliers: Stupid Barnes — 25 PTS, 10 REB Jalen Suggs — 21 PTS
Jokić had a relatively quiet scoring night but controlled the game as a passer, earning himself yet another triple-double while securing the game for the Blazers. A group of Fans in the stands held up a sign reading "Cleveland Trashaliers." They were promptly removed by security, but their impact and messaged remained.
Warriors def. Bucks, 116–109
Warriors: Luka Dončić — 31 PTS, 10 AST Cooper Flagg — 20 PTS Josh Hart — 13 PTS, 14 REB
Bucks: Tyrese Haliburton — 29 PTS, 12 AST Shaedon Sharpe — 23 PTS
Golden State's rebounding advantage proved decisive, as the Warriors' GM has smartly built a roster talented on both ends of the court.
Pacers def. Hornets, 120–115
Pacers: Jaylen Brown — 33 PTS Jamal Murray — 27 PTS DeMar DeRozan — 18 PTS
Hornets: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — 36 PTS Jaren Jackson Jr. — 24 PTS
SGA went off, but Indiana's three-headed scoring attack was too much.
Spurs def. Lakers, 113–101
Spurs: Giannis Antetokounmpo — 26 PTS, 17 REB Brandon Ingram — 25 PTS Scoot Henderson — 18 PTS, 9 AST
Lakers: Lauri Markkanen — 26 PTS Mikal Bridges — 18 PTS
San Antonio dominated the boards 52–39, despite the obvious height of Markkanen in the paint as well.
Magic def. Nets, 119–111
Magic: Anthony Edwards — 37 PTS Domantas Sabonis — 19 PTS, 17 REB Klay Thompson — 18 PTS
Nets: Devin Booker — 35 PTS Cameron Johnson — 20 PTS
Edwards hit four threes in the third quarter to break the game open.
Clippers def. Heat, 105–99
Clippers: Dejounte Murray — 24 PTS, 10 AST Bam Adebayo — 22 PTS, 14 REB Aaron Gordon — 17 PTS
Heat: Brandon Miller — 27 PTS Jared McCain — 19 PTS
Miami led at halftime, but the Clippers held them to 19 fourth-quarter points despite a quiet night from Jarrett Allen. Must've been the lights again.
Grizzlies def. Pelicans, 113–107
Grizzlies: Zion Williamson — 28 PTS, 11 REB Collin Sexton — 25 PTS Amen Thompson — 16 PTS, 10 REB
Pelicans: De'Aaron Fox — 29 PTS, 9 AST Myles Turner — 22 PTS
Memphis repeatedly attacked New Orleans in transition. Collin Sexton was an unexpected factor for Memphis tonight, proving to be a valuable weapon against All-Star De'Aaron Fox.
Mavericks def. Hawks, 112–106
Mavericks: Stephen Curry — 28 PTS Desmond Bane — 26 PTS John Collins — 18 PTS, 11 REB
Hawks: Franz Wagner — 30 PTS Darius Garland — 22 PTS, 10 AST
Dallas survived a late Atlanta run, and shot efficiently from the perimeter. This time, Atlanta gets their exterior destroyed instead of their insides getting wrecked.
Jazz def. Celtics, 115–109
Jazz: Joel Embiid — 35 PTS, 11 REB Jalen Williams — 20 PTS Malik Monk — 19 PTS
Celtics: Anthony Davis — 31 PTS, 13 REB Kyrie Irving — 24 PTS
Embiid and Davis fought a rare, legendary duel in a classic battle of the Bigs. I would've said it was worth watching IF Embiid hadn't lived at the free-throw line all night, going 11-for-12.
Raptors def. Knicks, 110–106
Raptors: Donovan Mitchell — 34 PTS Kawhi Leonard — 23 PTS Jalen Green — 17 PTS
Knicks: Tyrese Maxey — 29 PTS Norman Powell — 24 PTS
A very close game between two interdivision rivals. Mitchell scored 12 points in the fourth while Kawhi seems to have adopted a more "Relaxed" role ever since Mitchell joined the Raptors.
Thunder def. Timberwolves, 111–105
Thunder: Cade Cunningham — 26 PTS, 12 AST Pascal Siakam — 22 PTS Zach LaVine — 21 PTS
Timberwolves: LeBron James — 31 PTS, 8 REB Austin Reaves — 22 PTS
OKC forced Minnesota into 15 turnovers.
Kings def. Pistons, 114–107
Kings: Jayson Tatum — 35 PTS, 8 REB LaMelo Ball — 24 PTS, 11 AST
Pistons: Damian Lillard — 31 PTS R.J. Barrett — 22 PTS
Tatum took over late in the game, scoring 13 fourth-quarter points.
Suns def. Nuggets, 109–103
Suns: Trae Young — 27 PTS, 14 AST Alperen Şengün — 23 PTS, 11 REB OG Anunoby — 21 PTS Will Riley — 14 PTS
Nuggets: Ja Morant — 28 PTS Tyler Herro — 23 PTS The Rest of the Team-WGAF
Phoenix's second unit gave them a major boost. Will Riley's 14 points came in 28 minutes, exactly matching the planned rotation.
Phoenix is now 2–0 this week, while Philadelphia remains undefeated. Indiana, San Antonio, Orlando, Golden State and Houston also continue rolling. The Thunder have now won two straight against Minnesota and Sacramento.
76ers def. Celtics, 112–106
76ers: Victor Wembanyama — 25 PTS, 15 REB, 4 BLK Chet Holmgren — 23 PTS Coby White — 18 PTS, 7 AST
Celtics: Anthony Davis — 29 PTS, 12 REB Kyrie Irving — 26 PTS
Philadelphia pulled away late in the game after Boston led by six at halftime.
Rockets def. Pistons, 119–111
Rockets: Karl-Anthony Towns — 30 PTS, 13 REB Derrick White — 24 PTS Donte DiVincenzo — 18 PTS
Pistons: Damian Lillard — 34 PTS R.J. Barrett — 23 PTS
Lillard kept Detroit competitive, but Houston's frontcourt dominated the fourth quarter ad ulltimately pulled away with the game.
Trail Blazers def. Heat, 114–107
Trail Blazers: Nikola Jokić — 28 PTS, 14 REB, 8 AST Michael Porter Jr. — 23 PTS Immanuel Quickley — 17 PTS, 9 AST
Heat: Brandon Miller — 31 PTS Dillon Brooks — 19 PTS
Miami shot just 6-for-24 from three. The Trailblazers' GM has done an amazing job at managing his team. After a recent trade in which Portland traded away Lauri Markkanen, their second best player, for Michael Porter Jr. ad a first round pick, the Trailblazers' ability to remain competitive can only stem from excellent GMing. As it stands, JayWiggs holds a top spot in the All-GM Executive of the Year Award.
Warriors def. Pelicans, 118–109
Warriors: Luka Dončić — 29 PTS, 13 AST Cooper Flagg — 24 PTS Josh Hart — 12 PTS, 15 REB
Pelicans: De'Aaron Fox — 28 PTS Myles Turner — 21 PTS, 10 REB
Golden State's rebounding advantage created several second-chance opportunities. This problem stems from the lack of Sengun in the paint for the Pelicans, who was recently traded to the Suns in a Blockbuster deal.
Pacers def. Cavaliers, 115–108
Pacers: Jaylen Brown — 27 PTS Jamal Murray — 29 PTS DeMar DeRozan — 19 PTS
Cavaliers: Slowy Barnes — 30 PTS, 10 REB Bradley Beal — 12 PTS
Beal struggled badly from the field, going 4-for-15. Although the Cavaliers have managed to make it very far under All-Star Bradley Beal's influence, the Cavaliers may need to make a change to acquire Bradley Beal a Co-Star...
Spurs def. Thunder, 117–112
Spurs: Giannis Antetokounmpo — 32 PTS, 13 REB Brandon Ingram — 25 PTS Scoot Henderson — 17 PTS, 8 AST
Thunder: Cade Cunningham — 31 PTS, 9 AST Pascal Siakam — 22 PTS
Giannis scored 10 points in the final six minutes to end OKC's winning streak. The Spurs' GM's decision to hold steadfast without making A SINGLE TRANSACTION FOR THE ENTIRE SEASON may be effective right now, but against teams in the playoffs, maybe not so much...
Magic def. Knicks, 111–105
Magic: Anthony Edwards — 28 PTS Domantas Sabonis — 23 PTS, 16 REB Dylan Harper — 18 PTS
Knicks: Tyrese Maxey — 34 PTS Evan Mobley — 20 PTS, 12 REB
Maxey carried New York offensively, but Orlando controlled the glass with Saboner getting up there to grab every board possible.
Clippers def. Kings, 116–110
Clippers: Dejounte Murray — 27 PTS, 11 AST Bam Adebayo — 24 PTS, 12 REB Aaron Gordon — 18 PTS
Kings: Jayson Tatum — 33 PTS LaMelo Ball — 25 PTS, 10 AST
The Clippers forced Sacramento into five turnovers during a decisive fourth-quarter run.
Grizzlies def. Lakers, 109–103
Grizzlies: Zion Williamson — 27 PTS, 12 REB Amen Thompson — 19 PTS, 11 REB Collin Sexton — 23 PTS
Lakers: Lauri Markkanen — 30 PTS Mikal Bridges — 19 PTS
Zion attacked the basket relentlessly against the Lakers' smaller lineups, bypassing Markkanen in his incredible finishing talent-just one of the amazing Zion's incredible talents.
Mavericks def. Wizards, 121–116
Mavericks: Stephen Curry — 36 PTS, 7 AST Desmond Bane — 25 PTS
Wizards: Kevin Durant — 38 PTS, 9 REB Jalen Brunson — 27 PTS, 10 AST
An excellent offensive game ended with Curry hitting three straight threes in the final four minutes. On paper, the Wizards are better, but it all comes down to the talents of each team's GM.
Jazz def. Bucks, 110–103
Jazz: Joel Embiid — 29 PTS, 14 REB Jalen Williams — 24 PTS Malik Monk — 18 PTS
Bucks: Tyrese Haliburton — 25 PTS, 13 AST Shaedon Sharpe — 21 PTS
Utah held Milwaukee to 43% shooting as the Utah Jazz rack up another win. During the game, Bucks fans rallied in a stadium-wide chant of "UTAH AZZ! UTAH AZZ!"
Raptors def. Nets, 114–102
Raptors: Donovan Mitchell — 32 PTS Kawhi Leonard — 24 PTS Jalen Green — 20 PTS
Nets: Devin Booker — 29 PTS Jabari Smith Jr. — 18 PTS, 11 REB
Toronto's perimeter defense made life difficult for Brooklyn's secondary scorers. Or should I say "Scorer."
Timberwolves def. Hawks, 108–105
Timberwolves: LeBron James — 30 PTS, 10 REB, 7 AST Austin Reaves — 21 PTS Jaden Ivey — 19 PTS
Hawks: Franz Wagner — 27 PTS Darius Garland — 23 PTS, 8 AST
LeBandwagonwannabejordan hit a contested jumper with 34 seconds left to put Minnesota ahead for good.
Hornets def. Bulls, 113–107
Hornets: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander — 33 PTS, 7 AST Jaren Jackson Jr. — 25 PTS, 9 REB Julius Randle — 19 PTS
Bulls: Paolo Banchero — 28 PTS Jalen Johnson — 23 PTS, 11 REB
Charlotte's defense forced Chicago into 17 turnovers.
Suns def. Nuggets, 111–104
Suns: Trae Young — 31 PTS, 13 AST Alperen Şengün — 22 PTS, 12 REB OG Anunoby — 20 PTS Will Riley — 15 PTS
Nuggets: Ja Morant — 32 PTS Tyler Herro — 22 PTS
Phoenix once again performed greatly (even if it was against a horribly-GMed team like the Nuggets). Trae controlled the offense while Şengün anchored the interior, and Will Riley provided another strong contribution off the bench.
The biggest story is Phoenix going 3–0 despite entering the week near the bottom of the league, while Philadelphia remains extremely difficult to beat, as Houston, Portland, Golden State and Indiana continue to separate themselves from the middle of the pack.
| Rank | Team | Records |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 76ers | 31–8 |
| 2 | Trail Blazers | 28–8 |
| 3 | Pacers | 28–8 |
| 4 | Rockets | 28–9 |
| 5 | Warriors | 26–10 |
| 6 | Magic | 26–10 |
| 7 | Clippers | 25–11 |
| 8 | Grizzlies | 25–11 |
| 9 | Spurs | 25–11 |
| 10 | Mavericks | 23–13 |
| 11 | Raptors | 23–13 |
| 12 | Jazz | 22–15 |
| 13 | Thunder | 20–16 |
| 14 | Timberwolves | 19–17 |
| 15 | Kings | 19–17 |
| 16 | Hornets | 18–18 |
| 17 | Cavaliers | 17–19 |
| 18 | Knicks | 17–19 |
| 19 | Bucks | 16–20 |
| 20 | Wizards | 15–21 |
| 21 | Suns | 15–21 |
| 22 | Hawks | 14–22 |
| 23 | Bulls | 13–23 |
| 24 | Lakers | 13–23 |
| 25 | Nets | 11–25 |
| 26 | Pelicans | 11–25 |
| 27 | Celtics | 10–26 |
| 28 | Heat | 9–27 |
| 29 | Nuggets | 8–28 |
| 30 | Pistons | 7–29 |
Week 8 Biggest Changes
76ers: 3–0 → now 31–8, still firmly in first. Trail Blazers: 3–0 → 28–8. Pacers: 3–0 → 28–8. Rockets: 3–0 → 28–9. Suns: 3–0 → jumped from 12–21 to 15–21. Thunder: went 2–1 → 20–16. Timberwolves: went 1–2 → 19–17. Cavaliers: 0–3 → fell to 17–19. Knicks: 0–3 → also fell to 17–19. Celtics: 0–3 → now 10–26.
The top of the league is starting to separate, but there's still a very crowded middle from roughly 10th through 20th.