NBA · Game Review

NBA game reviews – 2025-12-01

Big Scoring, Big Performances: NBA Game Reviews and Betting Takeaways

It was a huge day of NBA action with several high-scoring clashes and some monster individual stat lines that would have swung plenty of multis and player props. From Payton Pritchard’s explosion in Boston’s narrow win, to Tyrese Maxey’s 44-point outburst in Atlanta, through to Luka Dončić and Austin Reaves powering the Lakers past the Pelicans, there was no shortage of drama.

Below is a detailed game-by-game breakdown of every matchup listed, pulling out the key scores and performances from the official box score data. If you’re betting on the NBA, thinking about player props, or just tracking form for future markets, these numbers matter.

Boston Celtics vs Cleveland Cavaliers

Boston edged out Cleveland in a tight one, taking a 117–115 win on the road. The Celtics set the tone early, winning the first three quarters:

  • 1st quarter: Boston 28 – 26 Cleveland
  • 2nd quarter: Boston 30 – 25 Cleveland (half-time 58–51 to Boston)
  • 3rd quarter: Boston 32 – 28 Cleveland
  • 4th quarter: Cleveland stormed back 36 – 27, but fell just short

From a betting viewpoint, it was one of those games where anyone backing Cleveland live in the fourth would have thought they were a serious chance after that late surge.

Key Boston performances

  • Payton Pritchard: Huge night with 42 points, 6 made threes, 3 rebounds and 3 assists (48 PRA). He also logged 2 turnovers and contributed 2 in the combined turnovers + steals + blocks metric. Any Pritchard overs on points, threes, PR, or PRA would have cleared comfortably.
  • Jaylen Brown: All-round line with 19 points, 12 rebounds, 11 assists (42 PRA, 31 PR, 30 PA). He did have 6 turnovers, finishing on 7 in the TOs + steals + blocks stat.
  • Xavier Tillman: Impactful defensively and on the glass with 9 points, 6 rebounds, 0 assists, plus 3 steals and 1 block. That gave him 15 PR, 9 PA, 6 steals+blocks, and a strong 6 in the turnovers + steals + blocks combo.
  • Jordan Walsh: Quiet scoring-wise with 14 points, but did a bit of everything – 11 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals, 1 block, and 4 turnovers. He finished with 25 PR, 26 PRA, and 7 in the turnovers + steals + blocks category.

Cleveland’s response

Cleveland shared the load across the board and came within a bucket of stealing it late.

  • Evan Mobley: The standout for the Cavs with 27 points, 14 rebounds, and 4 assists. That’s an elite 45 PRA, 41 PR and 31 PA – all massive numbers for player prop markets.
  • Darius Garland: Strong playmaking and scoring: 21 points, 3 rebounds, 8 assists (32 PRA, 24 PR, 29 PA). He also had 4 turnovers.
  • Donovan Mitchell: Solid line with 18 points, 7 rebounds, 8 assists (33 PRA, 25 PR, 26 PA), plus 3 steals but also 5 turnovers (8 in the turnovers + steals + blocks category).
  • Jaylon Tyson: Contributed 17 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 2 steals and 2 blocks (23 PRA, 22 PR, 18 PA, 4 steals+blocks).

For punters, this clash was a goldmine for overs on PRA and secondary players like Mobley and Pritchard. It also highlights how key turnover markets can be – Brown and Mitchell both racked up big TO numbers.

Atlanta Hawks vs Philadelphia 76ers

In one of the highest-scoring games of the day, the Atlanta Hawks outgunned the Philadelphia 76ers 142–134 in a shootout.

  • 1st quarter: 76ers 29 – 25 Hawks
  • Half-time: 76ers 58 – 57 Hawks
  • 3rd quarter: 76ers 31 – 26 Hawks
  • 4th quarter: Hawks flipped the script, 32 – 26, and went on to win behind an 85-point second half.

Atlanta’s offensive explosion

  • Jalen Johnson: Massive two-way performance with 41 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 assists. That’s 62 PRA, 55 PR, 48 PA – elite numbers across all main combo markets.
  • Nickeil Alexander-Walker: Another huge line: 34 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, plus defensive activity (1 steal, 1 block). He finished with 49 PRA, 42 PR and 41 PA.
  • Onyeka Okongwu: Double-double style impact: 10 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists – 29 PRA, 23 PR, 16 PA, plus 1 steal.
  • Dyson Daniels: Stuffed the sheet with 17 points, 9 rebounds, 8 assists, 2 steals (34 PRA, 26 PR, 25 PA).
  • Perimeter shooting: Nickeil Alexander-Walker nailed 6 threes, Jalen Johnson hit 4, while Keaton Wallace added 2 and Mouhamed Gueye, Vít Krejci and others chipped in from outside.

Sixers’ big guns fire in defeat

  • Tyrese Maxey: Monster scoring night with 44 points, 7 rebounds, 9 assists (60 PRA, 51 PR, 53 PA). He did have 6 turnovers, but that won’t have bothered anyone on his points or PRA overs.
  • Quentin Grimes: Excellent all-round line: 28 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists and strong defensive numbers (2 steals, 0 blocks). He finished with 42 PRA, 38 PR, 32 PA, and 5 in turnovers + steals + blocks.
  • Paul George: Contributed 16 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, a big 5 steals and 0 blocks (27 PRA, 23 PR, 20 PA, 6 tos+stl+blk).
  • Joel Embiid: More subdued by his standards but still solid: 18 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal and 1 block (24 PRA).

Any overs bettors on scoring or PRA had a field day here. Both teams cleared 130, and multiple players smashed standard lines in points, assists and rebounds. This is the type of matchup that tells you to keep an eye on Atlanta overs in future high-paced spots.

Toronto Raptors vs New York Knicks

The Knicks controlled this one, taking down the Raptors 116–94 at home. New York blasted out of the blocks with a dominant 41–22 first quarter and never really looked threatened.

  • Half-time: Knicks 59 – 52 Raptors
  • 3rd quarter: Knicks 34 – 25
  • 4th quarter: Knicks closed it 23 – 17

Knicks balance and hustle

  • Josh Hart: Classic do-it-all performance – 20 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, plus 3 steals. That’s a massive 39 PRA, 32 PR, 27 PA, and 7 in the turnovers + steals + blocks category (he did have 4 turnovers).
  • Karl-Anthony Towns: Reliable production inside and out: 22 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists (32 PRA, 30 PR, 24 PA) with a made three.
  • Miles McBride: Efficient guard play: 14 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, 0 blocks (21 PRA, 19 PR, 16 PA).
  • Mikal Bridges: Added 14 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, 2 blocks (20 PRA, 17 PR, 17 PA, and 4 steals+blocks).
  • Mitchell Robinson: Elite work on the glass with 15 rebounds to go with 2 points (17 PRA, 17 PR).
  • Perimeter shooting: McBride (4 threes), Clarkson (3), Hart (4), Bridges (2) and Towns (1) gave the Knicks excellent spacing.

Raptors’ efforts in a tough loss

Toronto struggled to keep pace, but a few players still produced noteworthy lines for props.

  • Scottie Barnes: One of Toronto’s best with 18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, 2 blocks (27 PRA, 23 PR, 22 PA).
  • Collin Murray-Boyles: Very solid: 11 points, 8 rebounds, 2 assists (21 PRA, 19 PR, 13 PA), with 4 turnovers.
  • Immanuel Quickley: Team-high 19 points, plus 2 rebounds and 8 assists (29 PRA, 21 PR, 27 PA). He also hit 4 threes.
  • Brandon Ingram: Finished with 14 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists (19 PRA, 15 PR, 18 PA).

From a betting angle, the Knicks comfortably covered any typical home spread with that 22-point margin, and a lot of New York role players like Hart and McBride paid off handsomely on PRA and ancillary markets.

San Antonio Spurs vs Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota overturned a small half-time deficit to beat the Spurs 125–112 at home. San Antonio actually led 62–61 at the break, but the Timberwolves won the second half 64–50, including a decisive 36–19 fourth quarter.

Timberwolves’ stars lift late

  • Anthony Edwards: Premier scoring performance with 32 points, along with 3 rebounds and 6 assists (41 PRA, 35 PR, 38 PA). He did have 7 turnovers, hitting 7 in the TOs + steals + blocks stat, but his offensive output more than made up for it.
  • Julius Randle: Huge all-round game: 22 points, 6 rebounds, 12 assists. That’s 40 PRA, 28 PR and 34 PA. He also contributed 1 steal.
  • Naz Reid: Strong off the bench with 15 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals (23 PRA, 20 PR, 18 PA).
  • Donte DiVincenzo: Sharpshooting and hustle: 18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, plus 4 threes made (27 PRA, 23 PR, 22 PA).
  • Jaden McDaniels: Quietly effective with 13 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal and 0 blocks (20 PRA, 17 PR, 16 PA).

Spurs’ frontcourt keeps it close

  • Zach Edey: Enormous interior line: 32 points, 17 rebounds, 0 assists, with 5 blocks and 0 steals (49 PRA, 49 PR, 32 PA, 5 steals+blocks). He did have 5 turnovers, taking his tos + steals + blocks to 10.
  • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: Solid wing production with 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 made threes (19 PRA, 16 PR, 16 PA).
  • Cedric Coward & Jaylen Wells: Both posted similar multi-category lines. Coward had 10 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists (19 PRA, 17 PR, 12 PA). Wells delivered 15 points, 3 rebounds, 1 assist and hit 3 threes (19 PRA, 18 PR, 16 PA).
  • Cam Spencer: Chipped in 16 points, 0 rebounds, 3 assists, plus 4 made threes (19 PRA, 16 PR, 19 PA).

Minnesota’s depth and late-game scoring won out, making them a strong cover at home after a slow start. Bettors targeting Spurs big man props would have loved Edey’s monster PR and PRA totals.

Memphis Grizzlies vs Sacramento Kings

Memphis went into Sacramento and claimed a 115–107 win, finishing the game strongly after trailing 59–62 at half-time. The Grizzlies won the fourth quarter 32–20 to close it out.

Grizzlies’ frontcourt dominance

  • Zach Edey: Backing up another big performance, Edey again was the standout for Memphis in this data set: 32 points, 17 rebounds, 0 assists, plus 5 blocks (49 PRA, 49 PR, 32 PA, and 10 tos+stl+blk – 5 turnovers included). He’s clearly been a force in the paint.
  • Jaren Jackson Jr.: Contributed 13 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal and 0 blocks (24 PRA, 19 PR, 18 PA).
  • Cam Spencer: Provided perimeter scoring with 16 points, 0 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 made threes (19 PRA, 16 PR, 19 PA).
  • Kentavious Caldwell-Pope: Rounded line of 13 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, plus 2 threes (19 PRA, 16 PR, 16 PA).

Kings’ stars keep them competitive

  • DeMar DeRozan: Big scoring from the veteran: 23 points, 1 rebound, 4 assists, 3 steals, 1 block (28 PRA, 24 PR, 27 PA).
  • Malik Monk: High-impact bench performance with 21 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals and 2 blocks (33 PRA, 27 PR, 27 PA, 4 steals+blocks). He did have 1 turnover.
  • Zach LaVine: Added 19 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals (25 PRA, 22 PR, 22 PA).
  • Precious Achiuwa: Strong role-player line with 11 points, 7 rebounds, 0 assists (18 PRA, 18 PR, 11 PA).

For punters, the Grizzlies delivered solid returns on PR and PRA props for their bigs, while Sacramento’s guards and wings put up respectable counting stats despite the loss. The fourth-quarter swing underlines the importance of live markets when a game is tight heading into the last.

New Orleans Pelicans vs Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers rode a massive first-half performance to defeat the Pelicans 133–121 at home. LA exploded with a 46–27 first quarter and led 77–57 at half-time. New Orleans won the second half 64–56, but the damage was already done.

Lakers’ dynamic duo – Luka Dončić & Austin Reaves

  • Luka Dončić: Huge all-round game: 34 points, 12 rebounds, 7 assists, plus 1 steal and 1 block. That’s an elite 53 PRA, 46 PR, 41 PA.
  • Austin Reaves: Matched Luka in impact with 33 points, 5 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal and 1 block (46 PRA, 38 PR, 41 PA). He did have 5 turnovers, giving him 7 in the turnovers + steals + blocks stat.
  • Deandre Ayton: Dominant inside: 22 points, 12 rebounds, 1 assist, plus 4 blocks (35 PRA, 34 PR, 23 PA, 4 steals+blocks).
  • Jake Laravia: Strong complementary role with 10 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists (17 PRA, 15 PR, 12 PA) and 2 made threes.
  • Gabe Vincent: Efficient contribution of 6 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists (12 PRA, 8 PR, 10 PA), including 2 made threes.

Pelicans’ scorers keep it interesting

  • Saddiq Bey: Big line in defeat: 22 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists (36 PRA, 33 PR, 25 PA), with 3 made threes.
  • Bryce McGowens: Strong all-round performance – 23 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 threes (35 PRA, 30 PR, 28 PA).
  • Jeremiah Fears: Impactful guard play with 21 points, 2 rebounds, 3 assists (26 PRA, 23 PR, 24 PA) and a made three.
  • Derik Queen: Frontcourt presence: 15 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists (25 PRA, 22 PR, 18 PA).

Anyone backing overs on the main Lakers stars would have cashed comfortably here, especially on PRA and combo markets. The Pelicans’ scorers also hit strong numbers, making this game particularly friendly for player prop bettors across both sides.

Conclusion: What Today’s Numbers Mean for Your Betting Strategy

Across the board, this slate was packed with big scores and stat-stuffing performances. Boston survived a furious Cavaliers comeback on the back of Payton Pritchard and Jaylen Brown. Atlanta and Philadelphia combined for 276 points in a pure shootout, while the Knicks and Timberwolves both flexed with dominant home wins. Memphis and the Lakers rounded out the card with strong showings from their stars and frontcourts.

From a betting perspective, there were clear themes:

  • Several players – like Tyrese Maxey, Jalen Johnson, Luka Dončić, Austin Reaves, and Evan Mobley – smashed typical PRA-type numbers, underlining the value in tracking form and usage.
  • High-tempo games (Hawks vs 76ers, Pelicans vs Lakers) created ideal environments for overs on points, threes and assists.
  • Bigs like Zach Edey, Deandre Ayton, and Evan Mobley were dominant on the glass, a reminder that rebound and PR markets often provide an edge when the matchup suits.

If you’re looking to turn these insights into smarter bets, the next step is making sure you’re getting the best price every time. Before you lock in your next multi or player prop, compare what the major bookies are offering on spreads, totals and individual stat lines.

Use our odds comparison tool to line up prices across bookmakers in seconds, find the top value on your selections, and make more informed calls based on the kind of performances you’ve just seen. With so many players regularly beating their lines, getting the best odds on each leg can be the difference between a near miss and a big collect.