This will bring live coverage to Disney+ and ESPN in the country for the first time, along with ESPN documentaries and live broadcasts of NBA Countdown.
The deal kicks off with a doubleheader on Thursday (November 20), with the Houston Rockets at the Cleveland Cavaliers followed by the New York Knicks at the Dallas Mavericks. Following that will be marquee events such as NBA on Christmas Day, the NBA Draft and the All-Star Celebrity Game.
Disney+ subs in the Philippines will be able to stream one NBA Conference Finals series live, with the others and the NBA Finals available after a delay.
“For millions of Filipinos, basketball isn’t just a sport – it’s a passion, a shared language and a powerful source of national pride,” said Vineet Puri, Vice President and General Manager, The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia. “The NBA is deeply woven into the fabric of Filipino life, inspiring generations of fans and uniting local communities.
“Through this unique deal, we are bringing basketball fans in the Philippines closer than ever to the teams and players they love with all the NBA-focused programming while enjoying the best in global entertainment all on Disney+.”
“Our collaboration with Disney+ Philippines makes it easier than ever for our passionate fans across the country to access the NBA, experience iconic moments from throughout the season and follow their favorite teams and players on the devices and platforms they use most,” added Kelly Cooke, Head of Content Partnerships and DTC at NBA Asia.
Sports rights deals are becoming increasingly important to local streaming services. In Asia-Pacific, Disney+ has primarily focused on securing rights in Australia and New Zealand, where the service has an ESPN+ sports tile.
In an interview with Deadline last week, Disney’s APAC content chief Carol Choi was keen to manage expectation on sports rights deals, but did say: “We are constantly looking at what’s available and where the market is mature enough to integrate sports into our offering.”
Disney TV Studios boss Eric Schrier, in Hong Kong for the Disney APAC Showcase, was more bullish, telling us: “You’ll see us opportunistically get into some sports in some local territories. We have that capability in live sports, so on a global basis, we’re looking at sport in an opportunistic way where it can complement what we’re trying.”
Naz Reid scored a season-high 22 points and the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the short-handed Dallas Mavericks 120-96 Monday night.
Reid scored 10 points in the first quarter and led all scorers with 19 points in the first half. He hit a 3-pointer just before the end of third quarter, capping his 22-point game and sending Minnesota into the fourth quarter with a 32-point lead.
Six Timberwolves scored in double figures, including all five starters. Jaden McDaniels and Rudy Gobert scored 15 points apiece and star Anthony Edwards had a relatively quiet night with 13 points on 5-for-14 shooting.
Top draft pick Cooper Flagg and Brandon Williams each had 15 points for Dallas, which fell to 1-2 in the second game of back-to-backs this season. The Mavericks were coming off a win over Portland on Sunday.
Dallas was without two of its big men who were being rested for injury management in the second game of a back-to-back. Daniel Gafford sat out Monday’s game with an ankle injury, while Dereck Lively II was held out with a knee injury. Anthony Davis also remains sidelined for the Mavericks, giving rookie big man Moussa Cissé his first career start.
The Mavericks hung around early in the second quarter, trailing by seven points before the Timberwolves extended their lead to 17 points, at 61-44, at the break.
Minnesota continued to control the game in the second half. McDaniels hit three straight 3-pointers to push the Wolves’ lead to 30 points at 85-55 in the third quarter. Minnesota shot under 33% from deep for the fourth straight game, finishing at 32% (14 for 44).
The Mavericks also struggled from 3-point range, connecting on 9 of 30 shots. Dallas entered the game with the second-worst 3-point percentage in the league (31.1%).
Dallas: Hosts the New York Knicks on Wednesday.
Minnesota: Hosts the Washington Wizards on Wednesday.
Note: The attached video first aired on Nov. 13, 2025.
“Whoop There It Is” played over the speakers at Lenovo Center during the final timeout. N.C. State men’s basketball forced an in-bounds turnover and Tre Holloman went to the line for a pair of free throws up four points with 6.9 seconds to go.
A win over Virginia Commonwealth was in its grasp. Holloman hit both free throws to give his team a six-point lead. Game over.
N.C. State pulled off the 85-79 victory after its biggest test of the season, sending head coach Will Wade’s former program back to Richmond with its second loss of the season.
N.C. State’s Darrion Williams reacts after drawing a foul during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 85-79 win over VCU on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
It was a hard-fought win, filled with mistakes, but late-game execution allowed the Wolfpack to start 4-0 before heading on the road for the first time. “We were very fortunate to win,” N.C. State head coach Will Wade said. We got outshot by 12 balls, which is hard to do. We won it at the free throw line. We drew a bunch of fouls. We didn’t make nine-plus threes. [Phil] Martelli’s teams have never won when the opponent makes nine-plus threes, out-shoots them and out rebounds, and we only got one of those three. You’re living very, very dangerously when you can’t get two or three of those things.”
N.C. State made eight 3-pointers, made 25 field goals — VCU had 27 made baskets — and finished with a 45-31 rebounding advantage.
Darrion Williams led the team with 28 points, while Holloman recorded a career-high 25.
N.C. State’s Tre Holloman drives to the hoop during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 85-79 win over VCU on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
N.C. State has one of the best offenses in the country. According to KenPom stats, the Wolfpack ranks in the national top 25 for seven performance-related categories and averaged 106 points in the first three contests.
VCU’s defense, however, effectively kept N.C. State from breaking away at any point. VCU took a 1-point lead to open the game, before Williams made N.C. State’s first five points. The teams were tied at 13 with 15:39 to go in the first half, but the Wolfpack used a 12-3 run and built a nine-point advantage.
The Rams (2-2), as expected, provided a tough test on both ends of the floor and remained within a few possessions. They went to the half trailing the Wolfpack by four.
N.C. State’s offense started the second half slow, and its defense didn’t pick up the slack. VCU shot 6 of 8 from the field before the under-16 media timeout, while N.C. State shot 3 of 7, out-scoring the home squad 14-11. The Rams’ efficiency allowed them to tie the game twice in the second half.
VCU had a chance to take the lead twice but missed free throws cost them. Tyrell Ward missed went 1 of 2 with 9:49 remaining, and Jadrian Tracey missed the and-1 30 seconds later. The Rams missed four game-tying 3-pointers in the final three minutes, as well.
Williams started the game 5 of 5 from the field and 2 of 2 from 3-point range. He did not miss a shot for nearly 13 minutes. At halftime, Williams led all scorers with 17 points on 7 of 10 shooting. He entered the game averaging 21.7 points per game and making 64.7% of his 3-point baskets, ranking No. 12 in the nation and No. 2 in the ACC.
The forward finished 9 of 15 from the field with seven rebounds. Holloman shot 6 of 12 from the field and hit a trio of 3s. He also went 10 for 10 from the free throw line. “We’ve got to cut down on some of the turnovers,” Wade said. “We’ve got to cut down on some of the silliness on some things, but he’s getting more and more professional. He’s getting more and more businesslike. I think that he’s going to continue to grow throughout the season. I’ve been very pleased.”
Paul McNeil, who averaged 20 points in the first three games, went 0 for 4 against VCU without a point. The sophomore still added nine rebounds, three assists, one steal and one block. His teammates also said they want him to keep shooting his shot.
Ven-Allen Lubin contributed 11 points and nine rebounds, five on the offensive glass.
N.C. State’s Ven-Allen Lubin battles VCU’s Brandon Jennings for a rebound during the second half of the Wolfpack’s 85-79 win on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
N.C. State’s defense has been a work in progress all season, playing well in spurts but not for full games. That remained true against VCU.
The Rams had success moving the ball in their first three games. They averaged 15 assists per game and ranked No. 14 in the country with a 67.9% assist rate. The Rams ended the game with 17 assists for a 63% assist rate. Williams said the Pack needed to follow the game plan better. There were schematic aspects it didn’t accomplish that will need to be corrected going forward.
Barry Evans led the Rams with 18 points, while Jadrian Tracey added 16 points and seven assists.
“VCU is not some charity program It’s a real program,” Wade said. “They win 20-plus games every year; 22 to 25 games every year. … “They’re as good as many teams in our league. I think it makes sense when you’ve got to build a resume to play good teams. I mean, the games are going to be tough, but it makes a lot of sense to play good teams.”
Here’s what we learned from the latest Wolfpack win:
Sagnia steps up
After the Wolfpack allowed the Rams to pull down four offensive rebounds and six second-chance points in the first 4 ½ minutes, Musa Sagnia came in to help clean up the glass and provide a larger presence on the box outs. In the next four minutes, the team gave up two offensive boards but no additional second-chance points.
Sagnia played 15 minutes after the break, including a large stretch alongside Lubin, which helped his team hold VCU to three offensive rebounds and force 10 turnovers in the second half.
“I thought that those two gave us the best chance to rebound. We played with those lineups in practice. We just hadn’t played with them much in a game,” Wade said. “Sometimes you need different things. Sometimes you need shooting. You put Jerry [Deng] out there. When you need defense and rebounding, Musa and Ven been give us a great chance.”
Sagnia forward entered the game as one of the more underrated Wolfpack players. He averaged seven rebounds per game in the first three contests, including three on the offensive glass. The freshman from the Gambia also contributed two steals per game.
According to KenPom, Sagnia ranked in the national top 20 in three categories. He ranked No. 6 in the nation for offensive efficiency (173.5), No. 17 in offensive rebounding rate (21.3%) and steal rate (6%), despite playing only 18 minutes per game.
On Monday, Sagnia finished with two points, six rebounds and one steal. Even when he wasn’t adding numbers to his stat line, the rookie provided size, length and toughness when the team needed it most.
“He was big, being able to come out and just bring the energy on both ends of the floor, grabbing offensive and defensive rebounds, getting some stops on defense,” Lubin said. “He’s just an incredible player that can really, really help us. We really value him.”
Pack called for untimely fouls again
N.C. State and UNC-Greensboro were called for a combined 44 fouls on Friday night. The Wolfpack was called for 25 of those, including 15 first-half fouls. UNCG took 41 free throws in its loss.
The fouls didn’t stack up quite as drastically on Monday, but there were still several called quick and early. Lubin picked up his first personal 57 seconds into the game. Officials called a foul on Tre Holloman one minute and 50 seconds after tip.
Darrion Williams received an untimely call less than three minutes into play after hitting his second 3-pointer and putting the Wolfpack up five points.
“I’m not worried about that,” Wade said when asked about his team getting five technicals in four games. “We’ve got to play with an edge. I’d rather tell them, ‘Whoa’ than ‘go.’ We’ll back them off a little bit. But, he made a three tonight, and whatever. I’m not worried about that.”
N.C. State head coach Will Wade speaks with an official during the first half of the Wolfpack’s game against VCU on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
The number of foul calls slowed down after the early flurry — N.C. State ended the half with seven — but the Wolfpack was on the receiving end of several questionable whistles in the second half, as well. Quadir Copeland picked up his fourth foul with 13:41 remaining in the game. Officials called Copeland for two fouls within the span of 58 seconds.
Paul McNeil picked up his second foul with roughly 10 minutes to go. McNeil’s call was met with outrage from the bench and fans. There was no visible contact on the shooter, and his swat on the ball could be heard throughout the arena.
Turnovers nearly kill Pack
N.C. State doesn’t want to commit more than 12 turnovers in a game. Keeping it to 10 or fewer is even better. That goal wasn’t met on Monday.
The Wolfpack committed 17 turnovers, a season high, against the Rams. Holloman and Copeland, two of the Pack’s most experienced ball handlers, committed the most. Holloman finished with five turnovers, while Copeland accounted for three. Lubin and Williams also committed three turnovers apiece. The team picked up five turnovers in the final five minutes.
“They’re a great team,” Holloman said. “They’re scrappy, they press the ball, but I think that was on us, not be being patient but rushing and trying to press. But, we got them back on defense.”
N.C. State’s Quadir Copeland drives to the basket past VCU’s Brandon Jennings and Lazar Djokovic during the first half of the Wolfpack’s game on Monday, Nov. 17, 2025, at the Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. Kaitlin McKeown The News & Observer
N.C. State entered the game averaging nine turnovers per contest, or one per 12.2% of its possessions. The Rams defense, and a little bit of sloppiness on the Pack’s part, led to a 24.6% turnover rate against VCU.
In fact, the Pack should be thankful the Rams missed 3-pointers down the stretch, otherwise, it would’ve been on the losing side of the effort.
“We weren’t clean. We didn’t value the ball like we needed to, but we made our free throws, which was enough in this game,” Wade said. “We made our free throws. We got enough stops.”
This story was originally published November 17, 2025 at 9:28 PM.
The Houston Rockets came back to defeat the Orlando Magic with a 117-113 overtime nail biting win at the Toyota Center Sunday night. Kevin Durant led the way for the Rockets with 35-points, with Alperen Sengun also providing his crucial 30-points and twelve rebounds. (Photos by Cody Barclay)
NEW ORLEANS – Draymond Green had a contentious second-quarter discussion with a heckling courtside fan Sunday night in the Warriors’ win over the Pelicans, apparently due to the fan’s reference to a WNBA All-Star.
Standing at his locker at Smoothie King Arena after the win, Green explained that a fan on the baseline repeatedly called him a “woman.” Green then confronted the man with 2:02 remaining in the first half. Official Courtney Kirkland kept Green and the fan separated.
“It was a good joke at first, but you can’t call me a woman,” Green said. “I’ve got four kids and one on the way. He got quiet, though, so it’s fine.”
Green, 35, added that the fan “didn’t say much else” once Green got closer.
Though the Warriors star declined to specify whose name the fan was using, the Associated Press reported that the fan, who identified himself to the AP as Sam Green, was calling him “Angel Reese.”
Reese was a record-breaking rebounder at nearby LSU and has become a polarizing figure in the WNBA for the Chicago Sky while playing at an All-Star level. The fan told the AP that he made his verbal jab because Draymond Green had several rebounds but had not attempted many shots yet in the game, and that the Warriors player threatened to punch him if the taunts continued.
“It was a little unnerving,” said Sam Green, who insisted that he did not use profanity toward the Warriors’ four-time NBA champion.
Ushers were seen speaking with the fan after the incident, but he was allowed to remain in his seat for the rest of the game.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr said he did not know exactly what happened during the incident, but was not bothered by Draymond Green chatting with the fan.
“As long as it doesn’t escalate, it’s fine to go over and have a discussion,” Kerr said. “I had no problem with it. Would have been nice if security got there a little bit earlier, but it’s hard to comment on it because I don’t know what was said.”
This is not the first time Green has had a brush with a fan.
In 2022, the Warriors veteran was fined $25,000 for what the NBA dubbed “directing obscene language toward a fan.”
During Game 2 of May’s playoff series against the Timberwolves, a fan was ejected after making racially charged comments toward Green.
BOSTON (AP) — Silas Demary Jr. scored 21 points and made a crucial steal to help third-ranked UConn hold off a late rally by No. 7 BYU for an 86-84 victory Saturday night.
Tarris Reed Jr. added 21 points and eight rebounds. Alex Karaban also had 21 points for the Huskies (4-0), who began a five-game stretch that features four ranked opponents. Demary finished with seven assists, five rebounds and two steals.
The game was played at TD Garden, home of the Boston Celtics, as part of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Series.
Highly touted BYU freshman forward AJ Dybantsa, who grew up just outside Boston and is considered a potential No. 1 pick in the NBA draft next summer, led the Cougars (3-1) with 25 points.
Richie Saunders added 17 and Robert Wright III finished with 16.
UConn led 82-77 when Dybantsa dropped in a layup with under a minute to play. Two free throws by Demary made it 84-79, but a 3-pointer by Dawson Baker cut the margin to two.
Malachi Smith was fouled and hit one of two throws. The Cougars had a chance to tie the game, but Demary knocked the ball away from Wright. Solo Ball then made a free throw to push the lead back to four with 18 seconds left.
The Huskies had 21 assists on 30 field goals. BYU managed just seven assists on 29 baskets.
The Cougars played without starting point guard Kennard Davis Jr., arrested on suspicion of DUI following a crash in Utah on Thursday. The school said in a statement it was aware of the allegations and looking into them.
Davis was with the team Saturday but sat on the bench in street clothes. He started the first two games of the season before sitting out a win over Delaware on Tuesday with an injury.
Cougars senior forward Keba Keita was helped off the court with 8:51 left in the first half after appearing to take a blow to his head while fighting for a loose ball.
UConn: Hosts No. 5 Arizona on Wednesday.
BYU: Hosts No. 24 Wisconsin on Nov. 24.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
NEW ORLEANS (AP) — The New Orleans Pelicans fired Willie Green on Saturday on the heels of a 2-10 start to the season.
Pelicans Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations Joe Dumars, who announced the coaching change, named top assistant James Borrego, a former Charlotte Hornets head coach, as interim coach for the Pelicans. They next play at home on Sunday night against the Golden State Warriors.
Borrego was formerly the head coach of the Charlotte Hornets for four seasons from 2018 to 2022. He also served as interim head coach with Orlando during the 2014-15 season.
Green, hired to his first head coaching job in 2021 by former Pelicans basketball operations chief David Griffin, has gone 150-190 in four-plus seasons.
His Pelicans teams made the playoffs twice, losing in the first round to Phoenix in 2022 and Oklahoma City in 2024. The Pelicans also qualified for the Western Conference play-in tournament in 2023 but were eliminated at that stage by Oklahoma City.
Dumars, hired to take over for Griffin this year as Pelicans executive vice president of basketball operations, chose this offseason to stick with Green, who was entering his final season under contract.
The Pelicans opened the regular season with a six-game skid that included three 30-plus-point losses. Green seemed to be finding his footing when the Pelicans won two straight, but they have since lost four in a row, including a 118-104 defeat at the hands of the Los Angeles Lakers on Friday night in NBA Cup play.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
SAN ANTONIO (AP) — Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry stood at the free-throw line with six seconds remaining and the chance to make history, clinch a come-from-behind victory and silence the deafening roars of the opposing fans.
Curry could not stop smiling. This was his element and he loved it.
Curry scored 31 of his season-high 49 points in the second half as Golden State improved to 1-1 in the NBA Cup.
Wembanyama had 26 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and three blocks in 38 minutes, but San Antonio fell to 1-1 in West Group C.
Wembanyama used his 8-foot wingspan to implore the Jackals, the fan group he created, and the sellout crowd to raise the volume in the Frost Bank Center as Curry prepared to take his first free throw with the Spurs leading 108-107. Curry welcomed the jeering.
“Absolutely,” Curry said. “It just keeps you engaged. I’m aware of everything, so it’s pretty fun. I like the free throws at the end of the game. You’ve got to find something to take the nerves out and for me, that’s just embracing the moment, smiling and having a good time. When he started that, especially with their fan, whatever you call them, fanatics, they got up there in the stands right behind the basket. I kind of wanted to acknowledge it, not that it surprised me, so I played into it. Thankfully, I made them.”
One day after announcing an end to his 13-year business partnership with Under Armour, Curry continued to trample his opponents under foot.
Curry donned a pair of Kobe Bryant’s “Mambacita” Nike Kobe 6 shoes during warmups before changing into his own Curry Brand for the second of a two-game set in San Antonio.
“I thought about Kobe a lot and that specific pair, I think it speaks for itself what it means,” Curry said of the shoes that honor the late Kobe and his daughter Gigi Bryant. “Other than that, just something I wanted to take advantage of in that moment and pay tribute. I think it gave me some good energy.”
Saying the business split with Under Armour was “in the best interest of both parties,” Curry entered free agency with his shoe and apparel brand. He demonstrated he is still a wise investment.
Curry tied Michael Jordan’s record for the most games with 40-plus points after turning 30 years old at 44.
Curry had 46 points in leading Golden State to a 125-120 victory over San Antonio on Wednesday.
“That’s pretty cool,” Curry said of the record. “Just from an individual acknowledgement, perspective, just to be able to be in that type of company. Longevity is something I pride myself on, so that was pretty cool.”
Playing in his third game since missing three games with a lingering illness, Curry played the entire third quarter Friday against the Spurs. He had 17 points in the quarter, going 4 for 8 on 3-pointers.
“It’s good to see him out there with his normal run, his normal jog, his normal bounce, his normal rhythm,” Warriors guard Gary Payton II said. “He’s not sick anymore. Once he gets it going, we just try to find him, try to get him the ball to make it easy for us.”
It wasn’t that easy for Curry as he traded baskets with Wembanyama.
Warriors coach Steve Kerr received a technical foul after Jimmy Butler was whistled for pushing Wembanyama out of bounds on a loose ball. Wembanyama made all three free throws to give the Spurs a 92-82 lead with 7:25 remaining.
Curry then scored 14 points in the final 7:12 to rally Golden State in the fourth quarter for the second consecutive game in San Antonio.
“We didn’t take away what we should have,” Wembanyama said of Curry’s stellar shooting.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Anthony Dell’Orso scored 20 points off the bench and Jaden Bradley hit the go-ahead 3-pointer to help No. 5 Arizona rally for a 69-65 victory over 15th-ranked UCLA on Friday night in the Hall of Fame Series at Intuit Dome.
The early season neutral-court matchup reunited the longtime Pac-12 Conference rivals, who went their separate ways last season. The Bruins joined the Big Ten, while the Wildcats went to the Big 12.
There were dueling chants of “UCLA” and “UofA” from the crowd that created a postseason atmosphere to match the high level of play in the NBA arena.
Dell’Orso had 13 points in the first half, when he made three 3-pointers. He was limited to a pair of free throws in the second half until hitting a 3 that put Arizona ahead 60-59. Dell’Orso made two free throws with 17 seconds left that gave the Wildcats a four-point lead.
Tyler Bilodeau scored 19 points on 7-of-10 shooting from the floor for the Bruins (3-1). Eric Dailey Jr. added 13 points and Donovan Dent had 11 points and eight assists.
The Bruins opened an eight-point lead behind Bilodeau, the big man who has been playing on the perimeter more this season. His 3-pointer gave UCLA a 57-49 advantage.
Arizona then went on an 11-2 run, capped by Dell’Orso’s 3.
Bradley scored inside, hit a 3-pointer and drove inside again to extend Arizona’s lead to 67-63.
Last season, the Wildcats reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, while the Bruins were beaten by Tennessee in the second round.
The two schools combined to win or share 29 of the final 42 Pac-12 Conference regular-season titles from 1983 through 2024.
It was the 115th meeting between the programs. UCLA leads the series 64-51.
Arizona visits No. 3 UConn on Wednesday.
UCLA hosts Sacramento State on Tuesday.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Anthony Edwards scored 30 points and Julius Randle added 26 points and 11 rebounds as the Minnesota Timberwolves pulled away in the fourth quarter and beat the Sacramento Kings 124-110 in an NBA Cup game Friday night.
Donte DiVincenzo made five 3-pointers and scored 20 points for the Timberwolves, who have won four in a row and are 2-0 in the NBA Cup. Naz Reid had 12 points and 12 rebounds for Minnesota.
Domantas Sabonis led the Kings with 34 points and 11 rebounds. Zach LaVine scored 25 points, while Russell Westbrook extended his NBA record with his 205th career triple-double, posting 13 points, 14 assists and 10 rebounds.
Sacramento, which gave up a season-high 144 points in a loss to the Timberwolves on Sunday, has lost five straight overall and is 0-2 in the NBA Cup.
Leading 92-91 after three quarters, the Wolves started the fourth on an 11-2 run, keyed by two DiVincenzo 3-pointers, the second coming after Jaden McDaniels rebounded a Randle missed free throw and found DiVincenzo, who buried a 32-foot shot to make it 103-94.
After two quick buckets by the Kings, the Wolves went on a 16-2 run to break the game open. Rudy Gobert had a dunk and a tip-in on consecutive possessions as Minnesota pulled away.
The Timberwolves led by as many as 11 in the first quarter, but the Kings came back and took a 49-47 lead on an alley-oop layup from Westbrook to LaVine.
Up next
Timberwolves: Host the Denver Nuggets on Saturday.
Kings: At the San Antonio Spurs on Sunday.
NOTE: The attached video first aired on Nov. 13, 2025.
SAN ANTONIO – Wearing a white shirt emblazoned with ‘John Beam’ and a black heart on the front, Warriors coach Steve Kerr began his pregame press conference in San Antonio Friday night by sharing his thoughts on the late football coach and Oakland icon.
Beam coached in the East Bay for 40 years, first at Skyline High School and then at Laney College, before retiring from coaching in 2024 and becoming Laney’s athletic director. He was shot in the head at the college’s athletic fieldhouse on Thursday, and was pronounced dead on Friday morning.
“It’s a really difficult time for people in Oakland right now,” Kerr said. “Coach Beam was a legend … a sad day, sad day for the Bay Area, and a sad day for coach Beam’s family.”
The longtime coach was beloved by members from every corner of the Oakland community, and later became a nationally-recognized figure for his role in Netflix’s “Last Chance U” documentary that featured Beam’s Eagles.
Kerr then made a heartfelt plea to address gun violence in the city that the Warriors played in until 2019.
“Everybody knows he’s a revered figure in Oakland, who did so much for so many people,” Kerr said. “On behalf of the Warriors, I want to extend our condolences, and remind everybody we have to be the change, as a community, as citizens, we have to be the ones who insist that we address gun violence issues.”
Kerr said that he did not “know him personally,” but that the two had many mutual friends.
Kuminga status
Jonathan Kuminga will not play against San Antonio as he battles knee soreness that kept him out of the second half of Wednesday’s victory.
Kuminga is averaging 13.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game while starting 12 times before coming off the bench in the last game.
“Hopefully over the next couple of days as he visits with our training staff every day, they’ll get him on track soon,” Kerr said. “But just day to day (for now).”
Los Angeles is coming off one of their most lopsided losses of the season, a 121-92 defeat at the hands of the defending NBA Champion Oklahoma City Thunder. The Lakers found themselves down 12 points after the first quarter and 32 at the half, with the entire team struggling, shooting just 34.2% from the field in the first half. Los Angeles would get some consolation, winning the second half by three points. Luka Doncic led the team in scoring with 19, but shot just 7-for-20 and was a minus-31 on the court.
The season couldn’t have started more poorly for the Pelicans, who rank near the bottom of the NBA in points per game (108.8, 28th) and points allowed (121.6, 25th). The Pelicans are missing three of their best players due to injury (Zion Williamson, Jordan Poole, Dejounte Murray) and have had to rely upon others to pick up the scoring slack. A major bright spot has been Derik Queen, who scored 26 points with seven rebounds and four assists in the Pelicans’ last game.
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TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Braden Smith scored 29 points, including 21 in the second half, and No. 2 Purdue beat eighth-ranked Alabama 87-80 on Thursday night in the first matchup of top-10 teams this season.
Trey Kaufman-Renn added 19 points and 15 rebounds for the Boilermakers (3-0), who notched the program’s first road win against a top-10, non-conference opponent since winning at Louisville in 1982.
Purdue dominated on the glass, outrebounding the Crimson Tide 52-28. Alabama (2-1) kept it close by hitting 16 of 44 from 3-point range.
Aden Holloway led the Tide with 21 points. Taylor Bol Bowen added 13.
Houston Mallette’s 3-pointer tied the game at 80 with 1:42 remaining, but Smith took over from there. He drove for a layup on the other end and then hit two free throws with 47 seconds left to give the Boilermakers some breathing room.
The game featured 21 lead changes. Kaufman-Renn, Purdue’s leading scorer from last season, missed the first two games to injury and made his debut in Tuscaloosa. He had 17 points and eight rebounds in the first half.
His physical presence ignited a Purdue team that finished with 19 offensive rebounds.
Alabama made up for its deficiencies with high-level 3-point shooting. Six Crimson Tide players combined for 10 3s in the first half. Alabama entered the game shooting only 30.6% from 3 this season but shot a blistering 48% in the first half.
Purdue hosts Akron on Sunday.
Alabama plays No. 14 Illinois on Wednesday.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
SAN ANTONIO – Victor Wembanyama enjoys the towering stature of a redwood tree, possesses the nimble feet of a man half his size, owns a wingspan wider than Texas and the skillset of the game’s best guards.
It’s a fantastical combination of traits and talents that the visiting Warriors knew was impossible to stop.
They only needed to make him sweat, to expend energy against men with – at least by the NBA’s outlandish standards – more reasonable proportions.
And that’s exactly what they did in Golden State’s 125-120 victory in the heart of Texas. They hurled body after body at him, invaded his space and made sure to bump him at every opportunity.
“You’ve got to make him work for everything,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “You can’t give him the easy stuff.”
Golden State employed five different individual defenders – Draymond Green, Al Horford, Jonathan Kuminga, Will Richard and Jimmy Butler – on Wembanyama in the first half alone.
His stat line was still, undeniably, impressive: 31 points, 15 rebounds, 10 assists and a block in 36 minutes. It was his 17th career game with at least 30 points and 10 boards.
But compared to some of the truly outlandish performances Wembanyama has compiled over the course of his first 10 games this season, the Warriors’ defense actually won their fair share of possessions.
They forced the 21-year-old Frenchman into eight turnovers, and on the vast majority of his 22 shots, a Warrior was there to contest. Whether that raised hand actually meant something is up for debate.
“When he pulls up like that for 3, it’s hard and you try your best to challenge it,” Horford said. “I felt like we did good, and we contained him as best we could.”
As he has done so often over the course of a career that has seen him earn nine all-defense selections, Draymond Green bore the brunt of the team’s toughest assignment.
Even though Wembanyama stood nearly a foot taller than Green, the wily veteran had an advantage in both the strength, and center of gravity categories.
He used both to great effect.
Though Green may have had only one official steal, his point-of-attack defense allowed his teammates – Gary Payton II was a particular standout – to swarm the driving Wembanyama.
It was the same tactic Phoenix used to hold him to just nine points earlier in the season.
And if the Spurs center was able to get off a shot against Green, it was often a tough fallaway after the Warriors captain blunted Wembanyama’s initial drive.
Of course, Wembanyama’s prodigious offensive talent is only half of the reason he is in line to become the game’s top player. His endless wingspan and coordination have turned him into basketball’s best defender, one whose mere presence deters drives.
But on Wednesday night, Steph Curry showed no fear en route to 46 points. The Warriors star made five shots in the paint, often driving right at Wembanyama and drawing fouls if he did not finish the layup.
The Warriors (7-6) know what it takes to deal with Wembanyama. Now they’ll get to put that method to the test again on Friday, when Golden State finishes the baseball-style series in San Antonio for an NBA Cup group-stage game.
“You don’t fight it, because you know that there might be some other options on the other side,” Curry said. “His presence is crazy, but there’s other ways and other outlets to create offense if you can get into the paint.”
The Nuggets were 0-4 in his previous 50-point outbursts.
“It’s a good feeling,” the three-time NBA MVP said.
He equaled Oklahoma City star Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, who had 55 in a double-overtime game at Indiana on Oct. 23.
Jokic has been on a roll during Denver’s winning streak. He’s the first player in NBA history to average a 35-point triple-double while shooting 60% or better across a six-game stretch.
He’s averaging 35.8 points, 12.0 rebounds and 11.0 assists while shooting 73.9% from the field and 55.6% from 3-point range.
Opposing defenses have thrown everything at him in a fruitless effort to slow down the 7-foot Serbian.
“I think I saw everything,” he said, “but I think it’s hard. We are really running a lot of plays for me, all kind of different plays.”
Playing on the second night of a back-to-back, Jokic scored 25 of Denver’s 39 points in the first quarter.
“I didn’t open the game really good,” he said. “I think I missed like two, three layups, and after that I felt good.”
Last season, Jokic played well on the back end of consecutive games, too. His routine on 24 hours’ rest includes a daytime nap in between eating things like avocado, eggs, oatmeal and toast.
“The way he played today is how he works out when no one is watching,” coach David Adelman said. “He prepares every day for situations like this.”
Jokic had eight points in the second quarter before coming back with 19 in the third, including two personal runs of six straight points.
“The guys, especially in the fourth quarter, they’re giving me the ball,” he said. “I just keep shooting it.”
Jokic sat out the fourth until coming back with about six minutes remaining. He scored three points to complete his night going 18 for 23 from the field. He missed adding to his league-leading six triple-doubles with six assists. He was 5 of 6 on 3-pointers and made 14 of 16 free throws.
“He was extraordinary,” Adelson said. “That’s one of those performances you won’t forget.”
The Nuggets led by 16 points going into the fourth and extended their advantage to 22 points early on.
Adelman said there was “zero disrespect” to the Clippers in deciding to put Jokic back in.
“They started to press us and he’s one of our best ballhandlers, he’s a guy that can bleed the clock, he’s one of the best players alive,” the coach said. “It would be stupid for me not to put my best players back in to make sure we win the game.”
North Carolina guard Luka Bogavac (44) breaks to the basket against Radford guard Del Jones (10) in the first half on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C.
Robert Willett
rwillett@newsobserver.com
Chapel Hill
North Carolina guard Luka Bogavac (44) lead the Tar Heels with 19 points, center Henri Veesaar added 18 points in the 89-74 victory. Senior guard Seth Trimble did not play as he recovers from an injury.
Radford forward Louie Jordan (6) traps North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (13) in the first half on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina forward Jarin Stevenson (15) works for an offensive rebound against Radford forward Louie Jordan (6) in the first half on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina guard Luka Bogavac (44) lines up a three-point attempt in the first half against Radford on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina guard Seth Trimble (7) takes a place at the end of the bench as he recovers from an injury, during the Tar Heels’ game against Radford on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Trimble will not play for several weeka after breaking a bone in his left arm. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina guard Jonathan Powell (11) puts up a shot against Radford guard Lukas Walls (24) in the first half on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina guard Jaydon Young (4) and Radford guard Brennan Rigsby Jr. (4) hit the court after a loose ball in the first half on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina forward Zayden High (1) and guard Luka Bogavac (44) trap Radford guard Brennan Rigsby Jr. (4) in the first half on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina center Henri Veesaar (13) dunks over Radford forwards Frederik Erichsen (7) and Louie Jordan (6) in the first first on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C.
North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson makes a steal from Radford guard Del Jones (10) in the first half on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina coach Hubert Davis directs his team on offense in the first half against Radford on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
North Carolina forward Caleb Wilson (8) drives to the basket against Radford guard Mari Jordan (5) in the first half on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
Trainer Doug Halverson helps North Carolina forward Jarin Stevenson (15) to his feet after an injury in the first half against Radford on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 at the Smith Center in Chapel Hill, N.C. Robert Willett rwillett@newsobserver.com
(CNN) — The Dallas Mavericks fired general manager Nico Harrison on Tuesday, dismissing the man who traded away fan-favorite Luka Dončić in one of the most shocking NBA trades in recent memory.
Mavs fans essentially rebelled against Harrison in the months after the early February trade, chanting, “Fire Nico!” at every opportunity. Harrison became something akin to Public Enemy No. 1 in Dallas, even after lucking into the top pick in the 2025 NBA Draft and drafting Duke star Cooper Flagg.
In a letter to fans, owner Patrick Dumont said the current state of the organization is not in line with the expectations fans have set for the Mavs.
“No one associated with the Mavericks organization is happy with the start of what we all believed would be a promising season,” Dumont wrote. “You have high expectations for the Mavericks, and I share them with you. When the results don’t meet expectations, it’s my responsibility to act. I’ve made the decision to part ways with General Manager Nico Harrison.”
He added, “I know our players are deeply committed to a winning culture, this decision was critical to moving our franchise forward in a positive direction.”
The organization announced Michael Finley and Matt Riccardi will serve as co-interim general managers while a permanent replacement is sought.
The Dončić trade ended up ushering in one of the bleakest stretches for any NBA team in recent memory. On February 1, the Mavericks sent Dončić, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris to the Lakers for Anthony Davis, Max Christie and the Lakers’ 2029 first-round draft pick.
In the period after the deal, the Mavericks went 14-21, lost Anthony Davis – the main player Dallas received in return for Dončić – for weeks due to injury in his first game with the team, lost talisman Kyrie Irving to a season-ending ACL injury and watched a slew of other players go down hurt. Davis returned as the Mavs tried to win a spot in the NBA playoffs through the play-in round but ultimately fell short.
During that entire time, the fans demanded Harrison be fired and pundits declared that the Mavericks had just made a potentially franchise killing move. Dončić is just 26 years old, led the team to the NBA Finals in the 2023-24 season, had been named All-NBA each year he had been in the league and was entering his prime. All reporting around the deal indicated that Dončić never planned to leave Dallas, and his emotional return to Texas in April indicated that the pain of the surprise move still pained him.
The 26-year-old told ESPN that he threw and cracked his phone when he first heard about the trade, adding that he felt “sadness mostly” and that he “felt like my heart was broken, honestly.”
Los Angeles Lakers guard Luka Doncic reacts while watching a tribute video before first game in Dallas after the trade. Credit: Kevin Jairaj/Imagn Images / Reuters via CNN Newsource
“I did know that Luka was important to the fanbase,” Harrison told reporters during his season-ending news conference. “I didn’t quite know to what level.”
At the time, Harrison remained staunch in his belief that Dallas has the makings of a winning team despite the trade and fan backlash.
“We feel that’s a championship-caliber team and we would have been winning at a high level and that would have quieted some of the outrage,” Harrison said, adding that being healthy is the only thing keeping the team from challenging for a title. “And so unfortunately we weren’t able to do that, so it just continued to go on and on.”
But how the franchise handled the Dončić trade and its immediate aftermath sealed Harrison’s fate in the minds of many Mavs fans.
Dallas Mavericks fans hold up a sign referring to Mavs general manager Nico Harrison during the game against the Sacramento Kings at American Airlines Center on February 10. Credit: Tim Heitman / Getty Images via CNN Newsource
One of the things that particularly irked fans was a report after the trade that slammed Dončić’s conditioning, with ESPN citing sources inside the franchise revealing frustration with his diet. The treatment of a player who was widely revered as an icon in Dallas, especially less than a year after an NBA Finals appearance, went over like a ton of bricks.
“Everyone wants to point at Luka’s flaws, at least for a half-second,” Mavs fan Matthew Slovak told CNN. “The overwhelming narrative is that this is the most ridiculous thing ever, but there was that, ‘Yeah, but.’ There is no ‘yeah, but.’ – this is the most indefensible trade of all time.”
In his letter, Dumont emphasized that he understood the frustrations of the fans.
“I understand the profound impact these difficult last several months have had. Please know that I’m fully committed to the success of the Mavericks,” he wrote.
“Thank you for your support, thank you for holding us accountable, and thank you for your passion and for your patience. You deserve transparency and a team that reflects your spirit. Our goal is to return winning basketball to Dallas and win championships. Our family is committed to that mission and to continuing to invest in Dallas and the Mavericks’ future.”
CNN’s Ben Morse and Andy Scholes contributed to this report.
A real scowl peaks out behind the practiced one. He is quick to laugh, but also to anger. When he came into the league, there were suggestions that perhaps he should play as point guard, and he still has a point guard’s instinct to include his teammates. But he has had to do so much on his own.
As a rookie, he had nineteen unassisted dunks; five years later, he had more than a hundred. So far this year, he is averaging more than twenty points in the paint while playing just over thirty minutes a game. He’s making nearly eighty per cent of his shots within five feet of the rim. A lot of them, spectacularly, are driving dunks. He is a team unto himself. On Friday night, against the Chicago Bulls, he scored forty-one points, to go with fifteen rebounds, nine assists, two steals, and two blocks. No one has a greater impact on the court right now than Antetokounmpo.
The Bucks have played with math for a long time, trying to leverage Antetokounmpo’s efficiency. But, since winning that title in 2021, the team has not been back to the Eastern Conference Finals, let alone the Finals. The Bucks have been knocked out of the playoffs in the first round three years in a row. Antetokounmpo, once criticized for poor shooting, has shot better than sixty per cent from the field in back-to-back seasons. But the team’s front office has had trouble finding the right people to fit around him, and the coaches have struggled to create space on the floor for him to move.
This past off-season was an odd one for the Bucks. After the quick playoff exit, there were rumors that Antetokounmpo would be the latest N.B.A. star to ask for a trade. As training camp began, the rumors got more specific: he had been eying the New York Knicks as a possible destination, people claimed. He was forthright when asked about it: “I’ve said this many times: I want to be in a situation that I can win,” he told the press. He added, “I’m locked into whatever I have in front of me. Now, if in six, seven months I change my mind, I think that’s human, too.”
The right to change one’s mind is not a grace often afforded to pro athletes—nor to the rest of us, for that matter. The public record is what it is, and commitment is framed as an all-or-nothing proposition. But Antetokounmpo stepped into this season with a display of strength and dominance that is awesome even from him. In the off-season, the Bucks cut the high-priced All-Star Damian Lillard and shifted some of that money to Turner, and they secured a pair of guards: Ryan Rollins, a second-year second-round draft pick, and Cole Anthony, a talented player whose progress with his previous team, the Orlando Magic, had appeared to stall. Rollins has been a terrific defender and the Bucks’ second leading scorer, and Anthony has shown a feel for moving the ball to the right spot. Turner, a six-foot-eleven center who can shoot the three, flies around to create space, and the sharp-shooting A. J. Green complements Antetokounmpo’s paint game by staying outside the three-point arc. Every player has a purpose. But it only works with Antetokounmpo. When he’s on the court, the Bucks have one of the best offenses in the league. When he’s off the court, they stink.
You could say that about many stars—it’s what makes them stars. The Denver Nuggets are nothing without Nikola Jokić; LeBron James, for decades, was a team unto himself. But Antetokounmpo’s burden seems different. There is a solitariness about him that he can’t or won’t shake. Two of his brothers are now his teammates, and he defends the rest of the Bucks as if they were his brothers, too. After the game against the Pacers, he explained his response to the crowd’s derision as an act of generosity toward Turner, who had been a critical part of the team that had knocked the Bucks out of the playoffs only a few months before. “It was just me trying to show camaraderie, encouragement to my teammate,” Antetokounmpo said. “Which, if you really think about it, four or five months ago he was the one blocking my shot, pushing me on the floor.” He added, “I respect him when I played against him, and now that he’s my teammate it’s a lot of love towards him.” Maybe so. And yet, watching the other Bucks hang off of Antetokounmpo after that buzzer-beater—as he stared into the middle distance, seeming almost oblivious to the teammates clasping at his shoulders, with his fingers on his lips as the boos rained down—I couldn’t help thinking that he still looks like a man apart. ♦
NEW YORK (AP) — Labaron Philon scored 25 points and No. 15 Alabama passed an early season non-conference test with a 103-96 victory over fifth-ranked St. John’s on Saturday afternoon.
Philon helped Alabama clinch the win with a deep 3-pointer for a 98-88 lead with two minutes remaining. He shot 10 of 17 from the field in his second straight strong performance as Alabama took control late in the first half, withstood a comeback and executed in the final minutes.
Aden Holloway added 21 points after sitting out the season opener with a wrist injury as the Crimson Tide (2-0) shot 48.1%. Taylor Bowen Bol and Latrell Wrightsell Jr. contributed 17 points each for Alabama, which impressively started a run of four straight games against ranked teams. They will face top-ranked Purdue, Illinois and Gonzaga after Saturday.
Holloway and Wrightsell were a combined 15-of-35 from the floor and hit six of Alabama’s 11 3-pointers in the Crimson Tide’s first appearance at Madison Square Garden since 2013-14.
Zuby Ejiofor scored 27 points for the Red Storm (1-1), who had a 12-game winning streak at MSG stopped. Bryce Hopkins added 19 and Ian Jackson finished with 14 as St. John’s shot 49.2% but missed 12 free throws.
Alabama ended the first half by outscoring St. John’s 16-6 and took a 53-44 halftime lead on a 3 by Holloway at the buzzer. The Crimson Tide held a 10-point lead early in the second and St. John’s stormed back, getting an 81-80 lead on a 3-pointer by Joson Sanon with 8:13 left.
Alabama: Hosts top-ranked Purdue on Thursday in the second of four straight games against ranked teams.
St. John’s: Hosts William & Mary next Saturday night.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Isaiah Hartenstein had a career-high 33 points and 19 rebounds and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Sacramento Kings 132-101 on Friday night.The 7-foot Hartenstein made 14 of 17 shots and had three assists and three blocks.Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 30 points to help the Thunder (9-1) bounce back two nights after suffering their only loss of the season in Portland.Cason Wallace scored 15 points and Isaiah Joe added 13 as the Thunder won their first game of the NBA Cup tournament.Oklahoma City led by 23 and took advantage of the absence of Sacramento big man Domantas Sabonis, outscoring the Kings 60-34 in the paint. Sabonis sat out his second consecutive game with sore ribs.Sacramento’s Russell Westbrook, who spent his first nine NBA seasons with the Thunder and is the franchise’s leading scorer, had 24 points and nine assists against his former team.The Thunder beat the Kings for the second time in 11 days, having won 107-101 in Oklahoma City on Oct. 28.In that game the Kings had a healthy Sabonis while the Thunder played without Chet Holmgren.It was a complete reverse this time. Sabonis watched from the bench in street clothes while Holmgren had 10 points and seven rebounds.The Kings trailed by 11 midway through the first quarter but Monk made a pair of 3s in the final two minutes as Sacramento rallied to lead 32-30.Hartenstein helped the Thunder regain the lead in the second quarter. He scored 15 points on 7-of-7 shooting and exchanged words with Kings center Drew Eubanks after a three-point play in the second quarter.Up nextThunder: At Memphis on Sunday night.Kings: Host Minnesota on Sunday night.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Isaiah Hartenstein had a career-high 33 points and 19 rebounds and the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Sacramento Kings 132-101 on Friday night.
The 7-foot Hartenstein made 14 of 17 shots and had three assists and three blocks.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander added 30 points to help the Thunder (9-1) bounce back two nights after suffering their only loss of the season in Portland.
Cason Wallace scored 15 points and Isaiah Joe added 13 as the Thunder won their first game of the NBA Cup tournament.
Oklahoma City led by 23 and took advantage of the absence of Sacramento big man Domantas Sabonis, outscoring the Kings 60-34 in the paint. Sabonis sat out his second consecutive game with sore ribs.
Sacramento’s Russell Westbrook, who spent his first nine NBA seasons with the Thunder and is the franchise’s leading scorer, had 24 points and nine assists against his former team.
The Thunder beat the Kings for the second time in 11 days, having won 107-101 in Oklahoma City on Oct. 28.
In that game the Kings had a healthy Sabonis while the Thunder played without Chet Holmgren.
It was a complete reverse this time. Sabonis watched from the bench in street clothes while Holmgren had 10 points and seven rebounds.
The Kings trailed by 11 midway through the first quarter but Monk made a pair of 3s in the final two minutes as Sacramento rallied to lead 32-30.
Hartenstein helped the Thunder regain the lead in the second quarter. He scored 15 points on 7-of-7 shooting and exchanged words with Kings center Drew Eubanks after a three-point play in the second quarter.
