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Starting 5: Ingram wins it, Shai lifts OKC, Boston cools Detroit

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Starting 5: Ingram wins it, Shai lifts OKC, Boston cools Detroit


Winner, winner, turkey dinner.

Brandon Ingram called game to lift Toronto to 4-0 on the second-to-last night of Emirates NBA Cup Group Play.


5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Feasting: OKC & Toronto extend win streaks to stay unbeaten in Cup Play

More Streaks: Boston snaps Detroit’s historic heater, Herro lifts Miami to another dub

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Setting The Stage: Three wins create three “win-and-in” Group Play finales on Friday

Roundup: Houston & Memphis pull off late rallies to cap a hectic 9-game slate

Season Of Giving: 20 years of NBA Cares and holiday support across the league


BUT FIRST..

Friday Finale: After a day off to celebrate Thanksgiving, the NBA returns on Friday with an 11-game slate to close Emirates NBA Cup Group Play. 

That includes a Prime doubleheader as the Bucks visit the Knicks (7:30 ET), before the Lakers welcome the Mavs (10 ET).

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1. BEAST STREAKS: OKC IMPROVES TO 18-1, INGRAM CALLS GAME

The Thunder entered Wednesday not only eyeing a crucial Group Play win, but one of the best starts in NBA history.

Standing in their way: Anthony Edwards and the Wolves, eager to avenge last year’s West Finals loss and cut into OKC’s push for more hardware.

But when Minnesota made its run, the champs responded.

Thunder 113, Wolves 105 (West A): Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put on an MVP performance (40 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast) to give OKC control, but the Wolves never went away and an Edwards 3 with 1:02 left made it a one-point game.

Twenty-four seconds later, Chet Holmgren (12 pts, 9 reb) answered with a lead-extending triple, and SGA sealed it at the line as OKC never allowed another bucket – closing on an 8-1 run to earn its 10th straight win, improving to 18-1 and 3-0 in Group Play. | Recap

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  • “We knew they were going to fight, give us a challenge,” said SGA postgame. “It took us making plays on both ends of the floor down the stretch to come out with a W – and we did so.”

All-Time Open: The Thunder are just the fifth team ever to start a season 18-1 or better and the second in three decades, joining the 2015-16 Warriors – who finished with the best record in NBA history (73-9).

  • The Other 3? The 1993-94 Rockets, ‘90-91 Blazers and the ‘69-70 Knicks. Houston and New York both won the NBA title that season
  • OKC Identity: It’s Shai’s 16th 30-piece of the season and OKC’s 11th time holding an opponent to 105 points or fewer – both the most in the NBA
  • Elite Execution: Amid the 10-0 run, SGA is averaging 32.0 ppg on 58.2% shooting, while the Thunder are allowing just 101.1 ppg with a +20.9 point differential
  • Where They Stand: Ant led Minnesota (31 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast, 5 3s), which is eliminated from Cup contention, while OKC can clinch West A with a win over Phoenix on Friday (9:30 ET, League Pass)

Having already clinched East Group A, the red-hot Raptors eyed a 4-0 Group Play finish to boost their odds of homecourt advantage in the Quarterfinals.

With 0.6 seconds left on Wednesday, Brandon Ingram delivered for Jurassic Park.

Raptors 97, Pacers 95 (East A): Tied at 95, Jakob Poeltl blocked Indy’s attempted winner, setting up Ingram’s (26 pts, 8 reb) heroic jumper to complete Toronto’s perfect Group Play and grab its fifth clutch win in its 9-game W streak – now the hottest in the East. | Recap

  • “Just wanted to be super aggressive, and get into my spots,” Ingram said of his game-winner, with the moment reminding him of last shots he’s “seen on TV.”
  • Pitching In: Scottie Barnes (24 pts, 10 reb) and Immanuel Quickley (15 pts, 6 ast) supported Ingram, while season highs from T.J. McConnell (16 pts, 7 reb) led Indy
  • Historically Hot: This is just the fifth time in team history that Toronto has had a win streak as substantial as 9 games
  • “We’re going to need this crowd big,” Ingram said postgame, with the win and Detroit’s loss ensuring the Knockout Round visits The North

2. MORE STREAKS: CELTICS COOL PISTONS, HEAT WIN AGAIN

A historic stretch of 14 games and 28 days of perfect results all culminated in 15 pivotal seconds Wednesday night.

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That’s when Boston’s defense took control.

Celtics 117, Pistons 114 (East B): Derrick White (27 pts) closed with 11 4th-quarter points on three of a season-high six 3s, and forced one of two key turnovers in the final 15 seconds as Boston stood tall in a wild finish to snap Detroit’s 13-game win streak. | Recap

  • C’s Keys: Jaylen Brown (33 pts, 10 reb, 5 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk) set the tone in all aspects as Boston’s defense held Detroit to its 2nd-lowest field goal percentage (39.8) of the season
  • All-Out Cade: Cunningham (42 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast) led all scorers, nearly willing the Pistons to OT by drawing a 3-shot foul, but couldn’t hit the game-tying free throw 
  • “I couldn’t be more proud of the group,” said Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff on Detroit’s franchise-record-tying win streak coming to an end. “Win or loss.”
  • Winner Take All: The Pistons (2-1) meet the Magic on Friday (7:30 ET, LP) to decide East B, while Boston is eliminated despite the victory

ICYMI: Tyler Herro is back – and the Heat can’t stop stacking dubs.

Heat 106, Bucks 103 (East C): After scoring 24 and the game-winner in his season debut on Monday, Herro led Miami again with 29 points and 7 dimes as the Heat held on to edge out Ryan Rollins (26 pts) and the Bucks, extending their win streak to six games. | Recap

  • Spo’s 800th: With the win, Erik Spoelstra became the 9th-fastest coach to reach 800 career victories and just the 17th all-time
  • Eyeing Its Ticket: Miami finishes 3-1 in Group Play and will clinch East C if the Bucks beat the Knicks on Friday (more on that below ⬇️)

3. SETTING THE STAGE: 3 WINS CREATE 3 ‘WIN-AND-IN’ FRIDAY FINALES

While Orlando and Detroit entered Wednesday already locked in for an East B winner-take-all duel on Friday, three more teams earned group-clinching opportunities with victories last night.

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Suns 112, Kings 100 (West A): In the Thanksgiving spirit, Mark Williams was eating (21 pts, 16 reb, 9-12 FG), while Collin Gillespie matched him with 21 points along with 9 helpers to power Phoenix to a wire-to-wire win, improving to 3-0 in West A. | Recap

  • Suns Shining: Devin Booker added 19 points and 6 assists as the Suns improved to 9-2 in their last 11 – a stretch in which they rank 3rd in DefRtg
  • Winner Take All: Up next for Phoenix? OKC, also 3-0, in a Friday showdown to decide the group (9:30, League Pass)

The Blazers simply needed a win to punch their ticket to the Knockout Round.

De’Aaron Fox and the Spurs had other ideas.

Spurs 115, Blazers 102 (West C): With San Antonio up 2 at the half, Fox caught fire, pouring in 23 of his 37 points in the final two quarters, as the Spurs outscored Portland 59-48 to avoid elimination, despite Deni Avdija’s big night (37 pts, 6 reb, 8 ast). | Recap

  • Deciding Duel: Both at 2-1, the Spurs now face the Nuggets on Friday to decide West C (9:30 ET, LP)

Knicks 129, Hornets 101 (East C): For the first time in the play-by-play era, all five Knicks starters had 10+ points at the half, as New York jumped out to a 72-47 lead and didn’t look back to improve to 2-1 in Group Play, eliminating Charlotte (0-3). | Recap

  • NY5: Led by Jalen Brunson (33 pts, 14-28 FG) and Josh Hart (22 pts, 7 ast), the Knicks’ starting 5 combined for a season-high 111 of their 129 points
  • Win & In: New York can claim East C with a victory over Milwaukee on Friday (7:30 ET, Prime), while a Bucks victory would hand the group to Miami


4. ROUNDUP: HOUSTON & MEMPHIS RALLY FOR LATE DUBS

Trailing by as many as 14 points in the 3rd quarter, Houston flipped a switch.

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Rockets 104, Warriors 100 (West C): The Rockets outscored the Warriors 57-41 in the 2nd half on the strength of Reed Sheppard’s career night (31 pts, 9 reb, 5 ast), leading Alperen Sengun (16 pts, 6 reb, 6 ast) and five Rockets in double-digits to victory. | Recap

  • Dubs Check: Jimmy Butler III led the Bay with 21 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists, with Steph (14 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast) exiting in the final minute with quad pain

Grizzlies 133, Pelicans 128 (OT, West C): Vince Williams Jr. was feeling extra generous on Thanksgiving eve, dishing out a career-high 17 assists, while Jaren Jackson Jr. (27 pts, 5 3s), Jaylen Wells (25 pts, 5 3s) and Zach Edey (21 pts, 15 reb) all scored season-highs to rally the Grizz past the Pels in OT. | Recap

  • Epic Finish: Memphis chipped away at a 17-point deficit before its 15-7 4th-quarter run forced Zion Williamson (17 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast) to extend the game with 0.9 left
  • But overtime was all Grizz, as Jackson (5 pts) and Wells (4 pts) single-handedly outscored NOLA 9-3 to complete the comeback, improving to 2-1 in Group Play
  • Pacing The Pels: Jose Alvarado (24 pts, 6 3s) led eight Pelicans in double figures
  • What It Means: The Grizzlies’ win eliminated the Wolves, Kings, Warriors and Rockets. Memphis contends for the West Wild Card on Friday, facing the Clippers (10 ET, LP)

5. SEASON OF GIVING: 20 YEARS OF NBA CARES

For 20 years, NBA Cares has helped bring people around the world together through the game of basketball.

Established in 2005 to unite the league’s community efforts and amplify positive impact of teams and players off the court, NBA Cares has continued to drive change on key issues facing fans and communities.

Now, as we head into the winter holidays, we also head into one of the key moments on the NBA Cares calendar: the NBA Cares Season of Giving.

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  • “It’s been 20 years of meaningful impact, and that’s what we’re most proud of,” said Kathy Behrens, the NBA’s President of Social Responsibility and Player Programs
  • “[The] commitment to community that’s existed in our league from the very beginning, and will no doubt live on for decades to come, is truly I think what makes the NBA so special.”

Designed to brighten the winter holidays for children and families across the globe, the NBA Cares Season of Giving will reach thousands of children, families and those in need through hundreds of local events.

  • All 30 teams will host local events across the country, with players, legends, coaches and teams – both NBA & affiliate league – engaging communities through education, health, wellness & hands-on service
  • OKC’s Isaiah Hartenstein served meals for Thanksgiving, the Pistons donated food and household essentials for Season of Giving
  • Philly’s Tyrese Maxey hosted his annual Turkey Giveaway, distributing 3,000 holiday meals, while Dylan Harper helped lead the Spurs annual Turkey Drive
  • The Wolves held their annual Holiday Shopping Event, surprising young fans with a shopping spree alongside players, while the Hawks packed 1 million meals at State Farm Arena
  • Cleveland’s Jarrett Allen brought holiday cheer to Open Doors Academy students and Houston’s Jabari Smith surprised residents from the Julia C. Hester Community Center with a Thanksgiving meal
  • The Knicks hosted a fall dinner that served 250 families affiliated with the NYC Department of Homeless Services
  • And for the 28th year, the Pacers provided warm meals and winter essentials inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse for Hoosiers in need

Join the NBA Family in making a difference this holiday season. Visit NBACares.com to learn how you can help, and follow #NBACares on social as the NBA family highlights charitable efforts from now through Dec. 31.

Want to share Starting 5 with a friend? Send them this link.

Shape the Starting 5.  Email us here.

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Boston, MA

Charlotte plays Boston on 5-game win streak

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Charlotte plays Boston on 5-game win streak


Charlotte Hornets (31-31, ninth in the Eastern Conference) vs. Boston Celtics (41-20, second in the Eastern Conference)

Boston; Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. EST

BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Celtics -6.5; over/under is 214.5

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BOTTOM LINE: Charlotte is looking to keep its five-game win streak alive when the Hornets take on Boston.

The Celtics are 27-13 against Eastern Conference opponents. Boston is sixth in the NBA with 46.2 rebounds led by Nikola Vucevic averaging 8.8.

The Hornets are 19-21 in conference matchups. Charlotte is 7-8 when it turns the ball over less than its opponents and averages 15.0 turnovers per game.

The Celtics average 15.5 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.7 more made shots on average than the 12.8 per game the Hornets allow. The Hornets average 16.0 made 3-pointers per game this season, 2.1 more made shots on average than the 13.9 per game the Celtics allow.

TOP PERFORMERS: Jaylen Brown is averaging 29 points, 7.1 rebounds and five assists for the Celtics. Payton Pritchard is averaging 17 points and 5.8 assists over the past 10 games.

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Kon Knueppel is averaging 19.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists for the Hornets. Brandon Miller is averaging 22.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.6 assists over the past 10 games.

LAST 10 GAMES: Celtics: 8-2, averaging 109.4 points, 50.7 rebounds, 27.1 assists, 6.1 steals and 6.4 blocks per game while shooting 45.7% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 98.5 points per game.

Hornets: 7-3, averaging 117.3 points, 47.8 rebounds, 27.4 assists, 8.5 steals and 4.2 blocks per game while shooting 45.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 106.2 points.

INJURIES: Celtics: Jayson Tatum: out (achilles), Neemias Queta: day to day (rest).

Hornets: Coby White: day to day (injury management).

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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.



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First Alert: Mix of snow and rain today, then looking ahead to warmer weather

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First Alert: Mix of snow and rain today, then looking ahead to warmer weather


Today is a First Alert weather day. A system to our south is pushing mix of snow and rain into southern New England through this evening and tonight. 

For us here in Greater Boston, expect snow to continue spreading over our area through the afternoon/evening commute. In fact, parts our area could see up to 1 to 2 inches of snow accumulation before the sleet and rain move in.

Much of Greater Boston will likely see snow amounts on the lower end. Higher snow amounts are expected toward southern New Hampshire and along and north of outer Route 2. Also, some ice accumulations are possible, up to a tenth of an inch, creating a thin glaze here and there.

Dozens of schools in Connecticut and Massachusetts have already announced early dismissals as a result of the storm.

While this system won’t cripple our area, conditions could still create a mess on the roads during the evening commute through tonight. Be careful while driving. A Winter Weather Advisory remains in effect for parts of our area through early Wednesday morning. High temperatures will be in the mid to upper 30s today. Overnight lows will drop into the low 30s.

We’ll wake up to patchy fog Wednesday morning before the sun returns. High temperatures will be in the upper 40s. We’ll stay in the 40s on Thursday with increasing clouds. But by late Thursday night into Friday, wet weather returns. Some snow could mix with the rain into Friday morning. Highs will be in the upper 30s Friday.

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Warmer weather is expected this weekend. Highs will be in the 50s Saturday and possibly near 60 on Sunday.



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Boston police officials dominate the list of highest-paid city workers in 2025 – The Boston Globe

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Boston police officials dominate the list of highest-paid city workers in 2025 – The Boston Globe


That was more than what every other city department spent on overtime combined, though it was a slight drop from the $103 million the police department spent on overtime in 2024.

High overtime spending inside the police department has long been controversial and a source of frustration for police-reform advocates. Last year’s nine-figure total comes as Mayor Michelle Wu warns of a challenging budget season to come for the city, which is grappling with inflation and the possibility of more federal funding cuts.

In a December letter, Wu told the city council that she instructed city department heads to find ways to cut 2 percent of their budgets in the next fiscal year. She also imposed a delay on new hires. Boston Public Schools Superintendent Mary Skipper has also proposed cutting somewhere between 300 and 400 positions next fiscal year due to budget constraints.

Overall, the city spent about $2.5 billion on employee salaries in 2025, up around 1.5 percent from $2.4 billion in 2024. The city employs roughly 21,000 workers, according to a public dashboard.

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In a statement, Emma Pettit, a spokesperson for Wu’s office, attributed the payroll increase to raises, and in some cases, employees receiving retroactive pay, that were part of contracts the city negotiated with its various labor unions.

“We’re grateful to our city employees for their hard work to hold Boston to the highest standard for delivering city services,” Pettit said.

When Wu won her first mayoral race in November 2021, all of the city’s 44 union contracts had expired. Since then, Wu’s office has negotiated new agreements with all of them, and last year, agreed to a one-year contract extension with the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, the city’s largest police union.

But as the city heads back to the bargaining table to negotiate extensions or new contracts with others, city leaders should keep cost at the forefront of those conversations, said Steve Poftak, president of the Boston Municipal Research Bureau, a business-backed budget watchdog group.

“As budgets tighten, I’m hopeful that it increases the scrutiny on these collective bargaining agreements,” Poftak said.

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The top earner on the city’s payroll last year was Boston Police Captain Timothy Connolly. In addition to his $194,000 base salary, Connolly took home nearly $230,000 in overtime, about $26,000 in undefined “other pay,” and roughly $49,000 as part of a higher-education bonus, for a total of $498,145 in compensation.

Skipper, as BPS superintendent, was the 55th-highest earner among city workers, coming behind 54 members of the police department. She made a total of $378,000 in 2025.

Nearly 300 city employees made more than $300,000 last year. In contrast, Wu made $207,000, though her salary increased to $250,000 this year. More than 1,700 city employees made more than the mayor in 2025.

Larry Calderone, president of the Boston Police Patrolmen’s Association, argued that the high overtime costs in the police department are, in part, a result of understaffing.

The department is short roughly 400 rank-and-file police officers, Calderone said, meaning the department has to pay its staff to work overtime and fill vacant shifts. The average salary for an officer in the BPPA is roughly $195,000, Calderone said.

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With several large events approaching, including a Boston-based fan fest around this summer’s World Cup matches and the return of a fleet of tall ships to Boston Harbor, Calderone said most of the members of his union are likely to be working the maximum allowable 90 hours a week.

“We just don’t have the bodies on the street,” he said.

The Boston Police Department and the Boston Police Superior Officers Federation — the union that represents the department’s sergeants, captains, and lieutenants — did not immediately return requests for comment Monday.

Jamarhl Crawford, an activist and former member of the Boston Police Reform Task Force, said while high spending on overtime is not new for the police department, it’s a pressing problem the city should tackle.

The police and fire departments are “essential components of the city and society in general … [and] folks should be getting a fair wage. But it also has to be within fiscal responsibility,” Crawford said.

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“In another 10 years,” he continued, “with pensions and everything else, this type of thing can bankrupt the city.”


Niki Griswold can be reached at niki.griswold@globe.com. Follow her @nikigriswold. Yoohyun Jung can be reached at y.jung@globe.com.





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