{"id":307234,"date":"2025-11-22T15:02:16","date_gmt":"2025-11-22T15:02:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/307234\/"},"modified":"2025-11-22T15:02:16","modified_gmt":"2025-11-22T15:02:16","slug":"starting-5-raptors-clinch-suns-thunder-blazers-rally-flagg-shines-as-mavs-survive","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/307234\/","title":{"rendered":"Starting 5: Raptors Clinch, Suns, Thunder & Blazers Rally, Flagg Shines As Mavs Survive"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

Dancing into the Knockouts.<\/p>\n

By clinching East Group A, Toronto became the first team to punch its ticket out of Group Play and into the Knockout Rounds of the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup.<\/p>\n

\"Raptors<\/p>\n

5 STORIES IN TODAY\u2019S EDITION \ud83c\udfc0<\/p>\n

Nov. 22, 2025<\/p>\n

Raptors Advance: Toronto becomes the first team to reach the Knockouts<\/p>\n

Friday Comebacks: Suns, Thunder & Blazers all rally for critical Cup victories<\/p>\n

3-Point Wins: Mavs take dual-elimination game with NOLA, Nuggets outlast Rockets<\/p>\n

East Roundup: Heat offense sizzles in Chicago, Nets survive elimination in Boston<\/p>\n

Saturday Preview: One key story to know entering each of today\u2019s seven games<\/p>\n

BUT FIRST \u2026 \u23f0<\/p>\n

A full Saturday of hoops awaits\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Scores<\/p>\n

Exclusive Weekend Streaming Access: Today through Sunday are NBA ID Member Days<\/a>, where fans in the U.S. with NBA IDs can stream League Pass on us. Not an NBA ID member yet? Tap here to join now<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Day-To-Night Hoops: A full 12 hours of basketball is on tap today, including an NBA TV doubleheader \u2013 Knicks at Magic (5 ET<\/a>, Tap To Watch<\/a>) and Pistons at Bucks (8 ET<\/a>, Tap To Watch<\/a>). We\u2019ve got all seven games covered in Section 5.<\/p>\n

1. RAPTORS PUNCH FIRST TICKET TO KNOCKOUT ROUNDS
\n\"Brandon<\/p>\n

Mark Blinch\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The last time the Raptors started a season this strongly (11-5), they were the defending NBA champs.<\/p>\n

With their third Cup win Friday (and sixth straight overall) aligning with a Pacers loss, they\u2019re this year\u2019s first team to advance<\/a> past Group Play.<\/p>\n

Raptors 140, Wizards 110 (East A): Brandon Ingram (8 reb, 6 ast, 2 stl) and RJ Barrett (8 reb, 4 ast) each scored 24 points to lead four 20+ point Toronto scorers in their ninth win of the month, clinching Group A. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

What It Means: 3-0 Toronto (+53) moves on to the Knockout Round for the team\u2019s first time, and makes Indy\u2019s loss the first elimination of the tournament.
\nLevel Up: Toronto\u2019s 19+ point trio of Ingram (21.1 ppg), Barrett (19.6 ppg) and Scottie Barnes (19.4 ppg, 23 pts Friday) all scored over 20 in the same game for the first time
\n\u201cLet\u2019s keep winning, go to Vegas, it\u2019d be great,\u201d Barnes said with a smile postgame. \u201cWe know what this team can bring to the table every night.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Donovan<\/p>\n

Minutes earlier in Cleveland, Donovan Mitchell and crew put the Pacers\u2019 2025 Cup journey in jeopardy.<\/p>\n

Cavs 120, Pacers 109 (East A): Andrew Nembhard\u2019s career-high 32 points and 47 more from Pascal Siakam (26) and Bennedict Mathurin (21) wasn\u2019t enough to overcome Mitchell (32 pts, 9 reb, 5 ast) and three more Cavs with 20+ points. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

What It Means: With Toronto\u2019s win clinching Group A, the Pacers (0-2, -31) are eliminated from Knockout contention. Cleveland (2-1, +33) remains in contention for the East\u2019s Wild Card spot
\nBig Halves: For the 3rd time in nine days and league-best 9th time overall, Mitchell had 20 points in a 2nd half
\nTeam 20+: Evan Mobley (12 reb, 5 blk) added 22 points, with 20 apiece from De\u2019Andre Hunter (7 reb, 2 stl, 3 3s) and Darius Garland (7 ast, 3 3s), in his first game since Nov. 10 (toe)<\/p>\n

\"NBA<\/p>\n

2. COMEBACKS: SUNS STUN WOLVES, THUNDER TUNE OUT JAZZ, BLAZERS BLAST WARRIORS
\n\"Colin<\/p>\n

Barry Gossage\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

In a game that saw both teams go on big runs \u2013 Phoenix led by 18 in the 1st half, Minnesota rallied back and led by eight with a minute left \u2013 it was Phoenix who made the critical final push in the last minute to stun Minnesota and remain unbeaten in Group Play.<\/p>\n

Suns 114, Wolves, 113 (West A): Trailing by eight with under a minute to play, the Suns closed the game on a 9-0 run, capped off by Colin Gillespie\u2019s tough floater<\/a> with 6.4 seconds remaining to lift Phoenix to the win. | Recap<\/a> | Thrilling Finish<\/a><\/p>\n

\"Colin<\/p>\n

With Phoenix\u2019s top two scorers this season \u2013 Devin Booker (27.1 ppg) and Dillon Brooks (21.0) \u2013 having fouled out, the Suns put the ball in Gillespie\u2019s hands and he delivered.<\/p>\n

What Happened: How do you turn an eight-point deficit into a one-point win in under 60 seconds? By turning up the defense as Phoenix forced three straight turnovers and struck quickly on offense to capitalize on Minnesota\u2019s miscues
\nWhat It Means: Behind a combined 42 points and four 3s apiece from Gillespie and Booker, the Suns improved to 2-0 in Group Play, while the Wolves fell to 2-1 (+53 diff) despite Edwards\u2019 second 40+ game of the season (41 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast, 4 stl, 5 3pm)<\/p>\n

\"Shai<\/p>\n

Adam Pantozzi\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Utah led by as many as 18 in the 1st half and went into halftime holding a 68-67 lead over the defending champs. Then, OKC\u2019s defense happened. And everything quickly changed.<\/p>\n

Thunder 144, Jazz 112 (West A): The Thunder held the Jazz to 20 points in the 3rd quarter and 24 in the 4th as they dominated the 2nd half (77-44), resulting in a 32-point win to improve to 16-1 on the season and remain unbeaten in Group Play. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Closing Time: Trailing by seven with 7:20 left in the 3rd quarter, the Thunder outscored the Jazz 33-4 to end the frame and take control. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 12 of his game-high 31 during that stretch
\nTeam Effort: SGA led eight Thunder players in double figures, while OKC\u2019s defense made it 15 straight games without allowing a 30+ point scorer as Lauri Markkanen (30.6 ppg entering Friday) was held to 19 points
\nWhat It Means: With the win, the Thunder (+63) improve to 2-0 in Group Play and hold the point differential tiebreaker over the fellow 2-0 Suns (+23). With the loss, the Jazz (0-3) were eliminated from the Knockouts<\/p>\n

\"Portland<\/p>\n

Noah Graham\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

With 6:27 left in the 3rd quarter, the Warriors had overcome an early deficit to lead by 11 with Steph Curry sitting on 27 points and six 3s. Just when it looked like Golden State was in control, the Blazers flipped the game with a 30-12 run over the next 10-and-a-half minutes.<\/p>\n

Blazers 127, Warriors 123 (West C): Portland got a combined 94 points from Deni Avdija (26 pts, career-high 13 ast), Caleb Love (26 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast), Donovan Clingan (22 pts, 10 reb) and Toumani Camara (20 pts, 4 3pm) as the Blazers\u2019 balance was enough to counter Curry\u2019s game-high 38 with nine 3s. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

What It Means: With the win, the Blazers (2-1, -18) take first place in the group over the Nuggets (2-1, +23), whom they beat head-to-head. Meanwhile, the Warriors (1-2, -28) dropped to fifth in the group<\/p>\n

3. TIGHT FINISHES OUT WEST: MAVS SURVIVE ELIMINATION, NUGGETS OUTLAST ROCKETS<\/p>\n

\"[<\/p>\n

The first double-elimination game of the 2025 Emirates NBA Cup was a pressurized fight till the final possession, with 10 lead changes and 8 ties in the 4th quarter.<\/p>\n

Mavericks 118, Pelicans 115 (West B): Naji Marshall\u2019s clutch 3 with under a minute to play preserved Cooper Flagg\u2019s historic career best, as Dallas stayed alive and eliminated NOLA despite four 20+ point Pels. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

King\u2019s Company: Flagg\u2019s career-high 29 points, along with 7 rebounds and 5 assists<\/a>\u00a0makes him the 2nd-youngest all-time to record a 25\/5\/5 game, behind only LeBron
\nMore Legends: Coop\u2019s fifth 20+ point outing before the age of 19 moves him past Kobe for second-most all-time, again trailing only LeBron
\nRookie Reunion: Flagg\u2019s high school teammate<\/a> Derik Queen (20 pts, 7 reb, career-high 11 ast) joined Chris Paul and Darren Collison as the only Pels rookies with a 20+ point, 10+ ast, 5+ rebound game
\nWhat It Means: The Mavs (1-2, -11) remain in the hunt for the West Wild Card, while the Pels (0-3, -19) fail to return to the Knockout Round in consecutive years<\/p>\n

\"Jamal<\/p>\n

The highly anticipated clash of top offenses became a defensive battle, with Denver\u2019s fourth-rated D holding Houston to a season-low 109 points.<\/p>\n

Nuggets 112, Rockets 109 (West C): Jamal Murray scored 14 of his 26 points in the 4th quarter, teaming with leading scorer Nikola Joki\u0107 (34 pts, 10 reb, 9 ast<\/a>) to overcome KD (13 pts) and Alperen Sengun (14 pts, 5 reb, 6 ast) and clip Houston\u2019s 5-game win streak. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Rocket Reed: Sheppard hit four 1st half triples for 20 points on the way to a career-high 27 to lead Houston
\nAssist Unicorns: Joki\u0107<\/a> and Sengun<\/a> didn\u2019t look on these two dimes, but you have to see them
\n\u201cWe were really focused at the end,\u201d said Joki\u0107 postgame, reliant on their top defense and clutch free-throw shooting (9-10 in the 4th)
\nWhat It Means: The 2-1 Nuggets (+26) are second in the group, while the 1-2 Rockets (+10) drop to 4th<\/p>\n

4. HEAT SIZZLE IN CHI-TOWN, NETS STAVE OFF ELIMINATION
\n\"Norman<\/p>\n

Jeff Haynes\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Check out Miami\u2019s scoring average \u2013 and league ranking \u2013 over the past four seasons:<\/p>\n

109.5 ppg (30th) in 2022-23
\n110.1 ppg (26th) in 2023-24
\n110.6 ppg (24th) in 2024-25
\n124.8 ppg (1st) in 2025-26 after Friday night\u2019s win in Chicago<\/p>\n

Heat 143, Bulls 107 (East C): The Heat\u2019s surge in offense continued on Friday as they put up 140+ points for a league-high fourth time this season to race past the Bulls, with Kel\u2019el Ware (20 pts, 14 reb) and Norm Powell (19 pts) leading eight Heat players in double figures. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Been There, Done That: The Heat and Bulls are familiar with each other in high-stakes games. Miami has eliminated Chicago in each of the past three SoFi NBA Play-In Tournaments, keeping the Bulls out of the postseason
\nWhat It Means: The Bulls fall to 1-2 (-42) in Group Play, but avoid elimination. Meanwhile, the Heat improve to 2-1 (+46) and sit in 2nd place in both East Group C (behind 2-0 Milwaukee) and the East Wild Card (behind 2-0 Orlando)<\/p>\n

\"Michael<\/p>\n

Brian Babineau\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Nets 113, Celtics 105 (East B): On Tuesday, the Celtics came to Brooklyn and beat the Nets for the 9th straight time. On Friday, the Nets returned the favor as they walked out of TD Garden in Boston with their first win over the Celtics since March 2023. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

How It Happened: Behind Michael Porter Jr.\u2019s 33 points and Nic Claxton\u2019s first career triple-double (18 pts, 11 reb, 12 ast), Brooklyn led by as many as 18<\/a> and held off Jaylen Brown (26 pts), Anfernee Simons (23 pts) and Boston in the 4th
\nWhat It Means: The Nets (1-2, -17) avoided elimination from the Knockouts, while handing the Celtics (1-2, -20) their second straight Group Play loss<\/p>\n

5. FULL DAY OF HOOPS ON US FOR NBA ID MEMBERS<\/p>\n

\"Fan<\/p>\n

Just over one month into the season, we\u2019ve seen high-scoring games, record breaking stats, and more\u2026 And you can tap into all of it this weekend, on us.<\/p>\n

In celebration of NBA ID Member Days this weekend, where fans in the U.S. with NBA IDs can stream League Pass games on us, we\u2019re looking at the quick keys to every matchup of this full day of hoops.<\/p>\n

Clippers at Hornets (1 ET): Two teams looking to end recent skids (three straight losses for LA, four for Charlotte) will turn to their high-powered offenses. James Harden and Hornets standout rookie Kon Knueppel both rank in the top-10 in 3-pointers.<\/p>\n

\"Karl-Anthony<\/p>\n

Knicks at Magic (5 ET, NBA TV): Two of the East\u2019s hottest teams meet as Orlando is finding its magic even without Paolo Banchero (groin), winning five of its last six games. The Magic delivered New York its first home loss of the season back on Nov. 12. Now both look to win their 8th in the last 11 games.<\/p>\n

Hawks at Pelicans (7 ET): No East team has more wins against West opponents so far this season than Atlanta\u2019s five. The Hawks will look to make it six when they visit a Pelicans squad looking to end an eight-game skid. Leading scorers and stat-stuffing forwards Jalen Johnson and Zion Williamson face off, as Nickeil Alexander-Walker comes off a career-high 38 points on eight triples.<\/p>\n

Wizards at Bulls (8 ET): Coby White\u2019s return (26.0 ppg in two games) has Chicago recapturing some of the spark that ignited its 6-1 start to the season. On the heels of a tough loss to Miami last night, the Bulls take on a Wizards club that\u2019s dropped 13 straight since starting 1-1.<\/p>\n

\"Cade<\/p>\n

Gary Dineen\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Pistons at Bucks (8 ET, NBA TV): A 12th straight win for East-leading Detroit would equal its best streak since its 2004 championship season. But the Pistons face a tall task in a Bucks squad that\u2019s won the last 13 meetings of this series. Detroit broke four similar 10+ game losing streaks last season, defeating the likes of the Knicks (16), Celtics (12), Cavs (12) and Clippers (10).<\/p>\n

Grizzlies at Mavs (8:30 ET): Memphis set a franchise record with 42 assists in a Thursday win over Sacramento without co-leading scorers Ja Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. (17.9 pts each). Dallas will lean on Cooper Flagg, coming off a career-high performance, in a match up of top rookies with Cedric Coward.<\/p>\n

Kings at Nuggets (10 ET): Nikola Joki\u0107 has been dominant against the Kings in two prior victories this season, averaging 34.5 points on 73.2% shooting, with 11.0 rebounds and 10.5 assists. Domantas Sabonis\u2019 absence (knee) could mean another big night for the Joker as the Kings fight to stop an eight-game skid.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Dancing into the Knockouts. By clinching East Group A, Toronto became the first team to punch its ticket…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":307235,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[64],"tags":[2967,355,143375,159179,159180,99],"class_list":["post-307234","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nba","tag-2967","tag-nba","tag-nba-starting-5-newsletter","tag-november-22","tag-raptors-advance-in-emirates-nba-cup-2025","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307234","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=307234"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/307234\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/307235"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=307234"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=307234"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=307234"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}