LeBron James delivered 20 points, nine rebounds, and eight passes to push the Philadelphia 76ers past the New York Knicks 98-93 on Friday night, opening group-stage play in the fourth annual NBA Cup. The performance included a crucial offensive rebound and a spectacular block that evoked memories of his early career.
Philadelphia Prevails Over the Defending Champions Again
The matchup carried extra weight beyond the regular-season standings. While Philadelphia had already defeated the defending champions at Madison Square Garden earlier in the season, Friday’s game officially launched the group stage of the NBA Cup. The in-season tournament, which the Knicks won last year, features pool-play matches throughout November that count toward the regular-season standings. The tournament bracket moves to the quarterfinals and semifinals in early December, culminating in the championship game on Dec. 11 in Indianapolis.
Stephen Curry Climbs the NBA All-Time Scoring List
Out west, Golden State Warriors star Stephen Curry scored 31 points to lead his team to a 112-95 win over the Los Angeles Lakers in San Francisco. The milestone night pushed the 38-year-old’s career regular-season points total to 26’674. Curry surpassed Dominique Wilkins (26’668) to claim 18th place on the NBA’s all-time regular-season scoring list. Curry can hope to surpass Moses Malone, currently 12th on this list, during this season.
30 put on a show ‼️Stephen Curry has tied LeBron James for the most 40-point games after turning 35 years old in NBA history. pic.twitter.com/ZbSGfiC8lA
Dallas Mavericks Halt Houston Rockets’ Unbeaten Run
In Texas, the Dallas Mavericks handed the Houston Rockets their first loss of the campaign with a 116-111 victory. Kyrie Irving contributed 35 points and Cooper Flagg added 33 for the Mavericks. Houston held an eight-point cushion entering the fourth quarter, but Irving drained a three-pointer with seven minutes remaining to reclaim the lead for Dallas, which stayed ahead for the remainder of the contest.
