Thursday night delivered another eventful stretch of NBA action, with injury scares, historic performances, and a rookie showing remarkable toughness. Amid the grim injury updates, the action on the court doesn’t seem to end the excitement and drama!
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Marcus Smart’s Suspension
During the Houston Rockets’ game against the Golden State Warriors, Rockets guard Marcus Smart threw a punch at Charles Bassey. And after the game, Bassey had quite a lot to say about what took place.
“I baited for him to do something,” Bassey mentioned. “I don’t think he was trying to play. I think he was trying to get himself out of the game. I think he was trying to chill; he wasn’t trying to hoop. Like I said, man, that was fake. Fake toughness.”
While Smart was immediately given a Flagrant 2 foul and was also ejected with 21 seconds remaining in the third quarter, the NBA decided to also suspend him for three games.
Further, ESPN’s Bobby Marks reported: “3-game suspension for Marcus Smart will cost the guard $125,462. Houston will receive a tax variance credit or $62,731. They were $14,077 below the tax prior to the suspension.”
His suspension will begin on Friday, when his team will host the Utah Jazz. He will also miss the next games against the Washington Wizards on Sunday, and the Miami Heat on Monday.
Smart has appeared in nine games for Houston so far and has given the team 8.3 points per night. He is also averaging 2.6 rebounds and two assists, while knocking down 43.9% of his shots from the field and 40% from beyond the arc.
Joel Embiid Returns After Scary Knee Collision as 76ers Beat Raptors
Given the series of superstar injuries, the last thing Philly fans will want to hear is about their favorite big man, especially given his history with injury.
The Philadelphia 76ers needed a response after their 123–101 defeat to the Boston Celtics, but their Thursday night matchup against the Toronto Raptors nearly brought another setback.
Embiid went down in the first quarter after colliding his right knee with Ja’Kobe Walter, briefly raising concerns about another injury to the former MVP.
Given Embiid’s history of left knee surgeries and ongoing foot management, the sight of him limping toward the locker room was an alarming one for Philadelphia. Fortunately, the center returned to the game after a brief absence and finished with 20 points, helping the Sixers secure a 123–112 victory.
Philadelphia also had to manage without LeBron James, who was sidelined with back soreness.
Cade Cunningham Drops 52 in Historic Double-OT Win Against Wizards
Cade Cunningham keeps his consistency at an elite level. He delivered the performance of the night, scoring a career-high 52 points to lead the Detroit Pistons to a thrilling 144–140 double-overtime victory over the Washington Wizards.
The Pistons guard finished with 52 points, 11 assists, and five rebounds in 48 minutes, shooting 16-of-25 from the field. Even more impressive, he committed zero turnovers. This flawless effort even fetched him a place in history.
Cunningham became the first player in NBA history, since turnovers began being tracked in 1977–78, to record at least 50 points and 10 assists without giving the ball away.
Detroit needed every bit of that production. The contest featured repeated lead changes and ties, with the Wizards refusing to let the Pistons pull away. Trae Young and rookie AJ Dybantsa hit late shots to force overtime and then a second extra period.
Cunningham eventually took control in 2OT, hitting a three-pointer to reach 50 before sealing the victory with a baseline fadeaway. His remarkable efficiency proved decisive. Reflecting on the performance, he called it “the best I’ve ever done it in my NBA career, for sure.”
AJ Dybantsa Bleeds After Taking Blow to the Face, Still Delivers Clutch Shot
On the other end, the Wizards fought well with three of their starters scoring above 30 points. Meanwhile, AJ Dybantsa had a rough night offensively.
His scoring numbers did not define Dybantsa’s night against Detroit. The Washington rookie finished with just five points on 2-of-10 shooting, but his determination stood out during the double-overtime defeat.
With 26 seconds remaining in regulation, Cunningham drove into the lane and inadvertently struck Dybantsa in the face. The 19-year-old fell to the floor with blood coming from his mouth and was called for a defensive foul on the play. However, after receiving attention on the bench, he returned to the court.
His biggest contribution came in the first overtime. With just 0.1 seconds remaining, Dybantsa calmly knocked down a midrange jumper to force a second over time and keep Washington alive.
The Wizards eventually lost 144–140, but the rookie’s willingness to return and deliver in a crucial moment offered a glimpse of his competitive edge.
Bulls Rookie Caleb Wilson Undergoes Surgery, Faces 4–6 Weeks Out
The Chicago Bulls have suffered a significant setback after rookie forward Caleb Wilson underwent successful surgery to repair a fractured right hand. The team confirmed that the 20-year-old will be re-evaluated in three weeks, with an expected recovery period of four to six weeks.
Wilson sustained the injury during Wednesday’s 124–119 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. He fractured his right metacarpal while attempting to knock the ball away from Victor Wembanyama in the third quarter.
The setback is particularly frustrating given Wilson’s previous injury history. It marks his third significant hand injury in less than a year, following a broken bone in his left hand and a season-ending fracture to his right thumb during his freshman campaign at North Carolina.
The Bulls will now need Patrick Williams, Matas Buzelis, and Leonard Miller to absorb his frontcourt minutes during his recovery.
Nikola Jokic Could Walk Away From NBA After Completing Projected $388 Million Deal
Nikola Jokic may not be interested in extending his NBA career into his 40s. Recent projections suggest the Denver Nuggets superstar could consider retirement around 37 or 38, potentially bringing his career to a close after completing another massive contract, as per Brett Siegel.
Jokic is earning $59 million during the 2026–27 season and holds a $62.8 million player option for 2027–28. Many reports expect him to decline that option and enter free agency in 2027. Following that, he could pursue a five-year supermax extension with Denver worth as much as $388 million.
Such a deal would run through the 2031–32 season, when Jokic would be around 37. His salary in the final year could exceed $80 million, making it the biggest single-season payday of his career.
For Denver, the possibility of Jokic eventually stepping away makes the coming years particularly important.
The three-time MVP remains the centerpiece of the franchise, but if these retirement projections prove accurate, the Nuggets may have a relatively clear timeline for how long they can expect their superstar to remain in the league.