The NBA was back in action after a brief one-day break, and Wednesday’s schedule wasted little time delivering drama. From multiple elbow jabs to a nostalgic game-winner, it was a loaded night. Here is all you need to know:
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Joel Embiid breathes through explicit chants
Joel Embiid had an eventful night in Detroit with an entire arena going against him. Here’s why: Late in the second quarter, a confrontation with Pistons big man Tolu Smith quickly turned into a heated exchange. With 1:25 remaining in the half, Embiid and Smith were battling for position underneath the basket, only to get stalled after a whistle.
Embiid appeared to catch Smith with an elbow to the chest. Smith responded by swatting the ball out of Embiid’s hands, setting off a brief shoving match that required players and officials to intervene. After reviewing the incident, the officials assessed Embiid a technical foul for initiating the altercation.
That decision only made the Detroit crowd louder. Fans broke into explicit chants of “F*** Embiid,” and booed him. But the Sixer big man appeared to embrace the hostility, smiling and encouraging them to continue.
The Sixers ultimately had the last laugh, escaping Little Caesars Arena with a 112-106 victory. Embiid finished with 26 points and 15 rebounds, while Philadelphia improved to 8-1.
Refs slap Jonathan Kuminga with a flagrant
With no offensive pressure on him, the Timberwolves’ Jonathan Kuminga has been balling lately. He has established himself as an enforcer at both ends of the court. But staying in his character for a defensive possession, JK ended up in trouble. He caught Alperen Sengun with an elbow to the jaw.
The incident occurred with 5:24 remaining in the second quarter, when Kuminga secured a defensive rebound following a missed Sengun attempt.
As he gathered the ball, Kuminga extended his off-hand and struck the Houston Rockets center in the face, sending him to the floor. Rockets’ Kevin Durant immediately stepped in to confront the Minnesota forward, forcing teammates and officials to separate the players.
After reviewing the play, officials assessed Kuminga a Flagrant Foul 1, ruling the contact unnecessary and excessive. Sengun stayed in the game and converted both free throws.
Kuminga, however, made his presence felt at the other end. He finished with 16 points and eight rebounds, including two crucial fourth-quarter three-pointers as Minnesota pulled away for a 117-107 win.
Devin Booker takes a scary hit
Nothing’s been going in the Phoenix Suns’ favor. In last night’s NBA game, the team suffered its 5th loss (132-119), taking on the Blazers. But the result was not the only concern for Phoenix.
Devin Booker took a frightening hit to the face while attempting a layup against Robert Williams III late in the third quarter.
Booker went down hard. He stayed on the floor for the next sequence, but he looked visibly shaken. Following that, he headed to the locker room with 2:51 remaining in the period. He returned early in the fourth.
He finished with a game-high 33 points, but on a losing cause. After the game, he reassured reporters, including Suns insider Duane Rankin, that he was “okay.”
Still, Phoenix has little time to recover. The loss dropped the Suns to 1-5, and Booker stressed the importance of managing the quick turnaround ahead of their next game against Orlando.
Klay Thompson delivers game-winner ahead of Warriors reunion
Klay Thompson rolled back the clock to seal the Wednesday night NBA action. He gave Miami another reason to believe in its late-game shooting after burying a corner three with one second remaining in overtime to beat the LA Clippers 117-116.
The Heat had to fight back from a 20-point second-quarter deficit before trailing by 15 at halftime, before Thompson delivered the decisive shot.
He finished with 30 points and eight three-pointers, capping the night with a moment that brought his teammates rushing onto the floor to celebrate. Moreover, Thompson had an extended celebration on the floor, performing his signature three-point celebration.
The timing could hardly be better for Thompson.
Miami now heads into a highly anticipated meeting with the Golden State Warriors on Thursday, giving the veteran guard an immediate opportunity to face the franchise where he won four championships.
Thompson has already made his intentions clear. While he still considers Stephen Curry, Draymond Green, and his former teammates close friends, he admitted that he wants to “beat them bad.” After Wednesday’s finish, he will arrive in San Francisco with some momentum behind him.
Damian Lillard locks horns with Dillon Brooks
The Suns-Blazers matchup also produced another heated moment, this time involving Damian Lillard and Dillon Brooks. The incident unfolded in the third quarter after Brooks stepped out of bounds but still attempted a dead-ball shot. As he landed, Brooks extended his right leg and made contact with the back of Lillard’s left foot.
Lillard immediately confronted him. The reaction carried added significance given the guard’s history with that leg: he suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon during the 2025 playoffs and missed the entire 2025-26 season.
The exchange, however, did not derail Portland. Lillard responded on the court, finishing with 25 points, as the Blazers used a 43-point second quarter to take control.
Portland improved to 6-1 with the 132-119 win, while Phoenix fell to 1-5.
Hornets’ Kon Knueppel exited with leg soreness
Kon Knueppel’s long-awaited season debut barely got off the ground. The Charlotte guard lasted fewer than six minutes on the floor Wednesday before appearing to aggravate the left hamstring injury that had kept him sidelined to begin the season. The team addressed it as “soreness in his left leg”.
The first sign of trouble came with 6:12 left in the opening quarter. As the player dribbled up the floor, something appeared to go wrong with his left leg. He lost the ball out of bounds and looked like he was in pain. It was an unsettling sight for a player who had only just made it back onto the court.
After the game ended, Hornets coach Charles Lee didn’t have any update on Knueppel’s injury or any details regarding it. The coach, however, did mention that Knueppel would be evaluated.