Starting 5, Nov. 13: Klay Thompson returns to the Bay; Emirates Cup ...

Night 1 of the Emirates NBA Cup hit different, just ask Steph.

THE LINEUP ????

Nov. 13, 2024 | What’s inside today’s edition?

The Captain’s Return: An epic ovation, a Splash Brother showdown and a ‘Night, Night’

More Cup Drama: A wild OT ending, a game-winning tip-in and Embiid’s season debut

Tuesday Takeovers: Book cooks, Giannis dominates and the Blazers go off

We(st) Meet Again: Two rematches out West loom large tonight on ESPN

LP Lineup: Cavs aim for lucky 13, Wemby goes for 3, Suns & Kings clash again

BUT FIRST … ⏰

Get ready for a stacked slate tonight…

Wednesday delivers 11 matchups, headlined by an ESPN doubleheader as the Pelicans travel to OKC for a 2024 Playoff rematch (7:30 ET) before LeBron James and the Lakers face the Grizzlies in Los Angeles (10 ET).

Nine games air on League Pass, including a Cavs at Sixers clash with Cleveland seeking the sixth 13-0 start in NBA history (7:30 ET).

1. AN INSTANT CLASSIC IN KLAY’S RETURN TO THE BAY

In Klay Thompson’s first game back in the Bay, the former Splash Brother felt the love, but Steph Curry and Draymond Green refused to let him leave with a win.

Curry went on a personal 10-0 run beginning with 3:10 to play – hitting a pair of 28-foot 3s along with a pull-up jumper and layup – to turn a six-point deficit into a four-point lead with 28 seconds left While Steph accounted for the Warriors’ 10 in that run, it was Draymond’s defense that was key to the Mavs’ zero, highlighted by a massive block on Daniel Gafford as Steph was heating up After a Quentin Grimes 3 made it a one-point game, Curry (37 pts, 9 ast, 5 3s) iced it at the line in the closing seconds before Luka Dončić missed a potential game-tying 3 to seal the 120-117 win in what Curry said “felt like a Playoff-type atmosphere.” | Recap | All-Access | Watch the final 5:25

Thompson finished with 22 points and six 3s in his first game back at his former home arena. His final 3-pointer came with 5:17 to play to put the Mavs up five before Steph’s closing run.

Klay: “I appreciate the fans very much, the captain’s hat ended up being a great touch … I saw a lot of familiar faces in the crowd, that was a warmhearted feeling … it was really cool to see the fans, their gratitude towards myself, something that I’ll never take for granted.” Kerr: “I was a little misty-eyed, for sure, that was really cool … Our crowd was great. Klay was great, you can see how much he enjoyed it … beautiful scene.”

The love for Klay began as soon as he made his entrance into the Chase Center – greeted by hundreds of Warriors employees during his tunnel walk to the visiting locker room.

During player introductions, the Warriors played a video tribute before introducing Klay as the final Mavs starter to an extended thunderous ovation from the crowd as the fans tipped their captain’s hats to the four-time champ.

After greeting Curry and Green before the opening tip, the game finally got underway, with Klay drawing a foul on Steph on Dallas’ opening possession Midway through the 2nd quarter, Klay got loose for back-to-back triples in the span of 30 seconds and delivered a Steph shimmy on his way back up court while Curry could only shake his head with a smile “He knows better than that” – Curry said after the game with a laugh

The night could not have gone better for the Warriors, who honored one of the greatest players in franchise history before going out and earning a hard-fought win to improve to 9-2 overall and 1-0 in Group Play.

2. MORE NBA CUP NIGHT 1 DRAMA + EMBIID’S DEBUT

Pistons 123, Heat 121 / OT (East Group B): With Miami facing a 14-point deficit in the 4th quarter, Tyler Herro (40 pts, 5 reb, 8 ast, 4 stl, 10 3s) erupted, sinking six 3s in the final frame to force overtime, where he hit a go-ahead jumper to put the Heat up two with 1.8 seconds to play.

But Jalen Duren tied the game on a lob from Cade Cunningham with 1.1 ticks left and an excess timeout technical foul by Miami gave Detroit a free throw and possession. Malik Beasley then sealed the Pistons’ win at the line. | Recap | Watch the final OT minutes

Pistons Fuel: Cunningham and Beasley led Detroit with 21 points apiece, while Jaden Ivey (19 pts, 7 ast) and Tobias Harris (18 pts) combined for 37 Motown Momentum: The victory puts Detroit at 5-7 with four wins in its last six games. Last season, the Pistons didn’t notch their fifth win until Jan. 24 Heat Check: Herro is the first player in Heat franchise history to record 40+ points, 5+ assists and 10+ 3s in a game, while Bam Adebayo added 20 points, including a monster alley-oop finish

Hawks 117, Celtics 116 (East Group C): Jaylen Brown (37 pts, 14-22 FG) and Derrick White (31 pts, 5 ast, 7 3pm) combined for 68 points, but the Hawks rallied from 15 down and Onyeka Okongwu tipped in the go-ahead bucket with 6.1 seconds left to give Atlanta the dub.

Dyson Daniels (career-high 28 pts, 7 ast, 6 stl) led the way for Atlanta, while Okongwu had 15 pts & 6 reb in the big opening W. | Recap

Tough C’s Matchup? The Hawks, who were without Trae Young, were one of four teams to beat the Celtics twice last year and are now 1-1 against the defending champs this season

Knicks 111, 76ers 99 (East Group A): In his season debut and a 2024 Playoff rematch, Joel Embiid posted 13 points, five assists and three boards in 26 minutes. Although Paul George (season-high 29 pts, 10 reb, 7 3s) kept the Sixers within striking distance, the Knicks used a complete team effort to pull away late. | Recap

All NY: OG Anunoby (24 pts, 6 reb), Karl-Anthony Towns (21 pts, 13 reb, 6 ast) and Jalen Brunson (18 pts, 5 ast) led the Knicks in scoring, and Josh Hart (14 pts, 12 reb, 10 ast) notched a triple-double

3. BOOK COOKS, BUCKS BOUNCE BACK, BLAZERS POP OFF

Suns 120, Jazz 112 (West Group B): With Kevin Durant – the NBA’s sixth-leading 4th-quarter scorer – out, Devin Booker played the role of closer for Phoenix on Tuesday, dropping 15 points and four 3s in the 4th to lead the Suns over the Jazz to open Group Play. | Recap

Big Two: Booker (31 pts, 5 3s, 4 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk) and Bradley Beal (24 pts, 4 ast, 2 stl) combined for 55 points, while Mason Plumlee (15 pts, 14 reb) stepped up for the injured Jusuf Nurkić as the Suns climbed to 9-2 Collins Not Enough: John Collins (29 pts, 10 reb, 4 ast, 3 stl) led the way for the Jazz, while Lauri Markkanen added 17 points and five dimes as Utah fell to 2-8

Bucks 99, Raptors 85 (East Group B): Opening the Emirates NBA Cup without Damian Lillard (concussion protocol), Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee in points (23), assists (7) and blocks (4) as the Bucks topped Gradey Dick (career-high 32 points) and the Raptors. | Recap

Quick Start: The Bucks never trailed after Brook Lopez (13 pts, 7 reb, 3 blk) converted this spin-and-slam and-1 on the game’s opening play. Bobby Portis added 17 points and eight boards off the Bucks’ bench Group Play games count toward the standings for the NBA Cup and the regular season and the Bucks – having dropped eight of their last nine games – needed the W in both columns

Blazers 122, Timberwolves 108 (West Group A): The Blazers put together the best team shooting performance of the season so far – 51.2% (43-84) from the field, 56.3% (18-32) from 3 and 90% (18-20) from the line – to top the Wolves to open Group Play. | Recap

One Of 14: Portland became the 14th team in NBA history to hit those shooting percentages while attempting at least 30 3-pointers Team Effort: Jerami Grant (21 pts, 8 ast) led seven Blazers in double figures and was one of six Blazers with multiple 3s in the win. Toumani Camara and Dalano Banton led the 3-point barrage with four apiece

Magic 114, Hornets 89 (East Group A): Franz Wagner (32 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast, 3 stl) was cooking while his brother, Mo Wagner, added 18 points as the Magic outscored Charlotte 58-37 in the 2nd and 3rd quarters to pull away for a big win, despite LaMelo Ball’s game-high 35 points, seven dimes and six 3s. | Recap

For the full regular season standings click here.

4. ESPN DOUBLEHEADER: TWO WEST REMATCHES TONIGHT

Pelicans at Thunder (7:30 ET): After Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder ended the Pelicans season in four games in the first round of the 2024 Playoffs, Brandon Ingram and NOLA will seek payback in OKC.

Storming Defense: The Thunder, who are allowing a league-best 105.2 ppg this season, held New Orleans to a Playoff-low 89.5 ppg in their first-round series, which saw Zion Williamson sidelined due to a strained left hamstring Star Updates: Williamson will also be out tonight with a left hamstring strain, while Thunder center Chet Holmgren is sidelined with a pelvic fracture Shai Shines: In OKC’s first game without Holmgren on Wednesday, Gilgeous-Alexander dropped a career-high 45 points along with nine assists and five steals in a win over the Clippers A New Test: Now facing a Pelicans club that’s one of three teams to allow just one 30-point scorer this season, what will SGA have in store tonight?

Grizzlies at Lakers (10 ET): Looking to improve to 6-0 at home, LeBron James and the Lakers will square off against the Grizzlies for the second time in seven days.

Last Wednesday, Ja Morant, Jaren Jackson Jr. and Jaylen Wells tallied 20 points apiece to lead Memphis to a 131-114 win over Los Angeles. However, Morant is out tonight due to an injured right hip The King’s Streak: James posted a season-high 39 points in the loss and has recorded back-to-back triple-doubles in two straight Lakers wins Good Omen? James has only recorded three straight triple-doubles three times in his career, with the last occurrence coming in the 2019-20 season, when the Lakers went on to win the NBA Finals

5. LEAGUE PASS: CAVS GO FOR 13-0, WEMBY HEATS UP, SUNS-KINGS REMATCH

Cavaliers at 76ers (7:30 ET): On Monday, the Cavs became the eighth team in NBA history to begin a season with a dozen straight wins. Tonight, they’ll look to keep the run going and become the sixth team to go 13-0 out of the gate when they visit the Sixers.

Offense Leading The Way: The Cavs lead the NBA in points per game (122.4), field goal percentage (52.0%) and 3-point percentage (41.3%) Historic Pace: Cleveland’s 60.7 effective field goal percentage (which accounts for the value of 2s and 3s) is on pace to be the highest ever – topping the 57.8% set by Indiana and Boston last season

Wizards at Spurs (8 ET): On Saturday, Victor Wembanyama sank a career-best six 3-pointers in a one-point loss to Utah. Two days later, he matched that mark as the Spurs tied their team record with 22 3s in a 20-point win over Sacramento. Can Wemby catch fire from 3 for a third straight game?

Suns at Kings (10 ET): Three days ago, the Kings went into Phoenix and snapped the Suns’ seven-game win streak with an OT victory in Phoenix’s first game without Kevin Durant (ankle). What’s coming tonight?

Six more matchups on League Pass round up the 11-game night.

Pacers at Magic (7 ET) Celtics at Nets (7:30 ET) Bulls at Knicks (7:30 ET) Clippers at Rockets (8 ET) Pistons at Bucks (8 ET) Timberwolves at Blazers (10 ET)