The Philadelphia 76ers lost their 15th game of the season and 25th straight dating back to last season.

HOSPITAL WARD

DeMarcus Cousins headed straight to the locker room after subbing out in the third quarter. He was grabbing at his lower right back for a few possessions prior, and he returned to the action later, scoring 12 points in the fourth quarter. However, Cousins didn't play the final minute of the game or overtime. He endured a stiff back, and his availability for Wednesday's game against the Bucks is uncertain. He finished with 30 points (13-21 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 2-4 FT), 11 rebounds, three blocks, one assist, and one steal in 31 minutes. Coach Karl had this to say after the game:

"You could see it was bothering him. He went back in. We probably should have not played him because he was never a hundred percent after that."

Nik Stauskas didn't play in the second half because of left knee soreness. He missed most of the preseason due to a stress reaction in his right leg, and this setback profiles as a compensatory injury. It's unknown if Stauskas will miss additional time. The Sixers play three more games this week, and if Stauskas rests during the three road games, Isaiah Canaan, who started for Stauskas in the second half, gets a bump in minutes.

Rudy Gobert suffered a bruised tailbone early in the fourth quarter and was cleared to return, but he rested the remainder game as the Jazz were behind 22 points when he exited. He failed to block a shot for the second time this season. The Jazz receives a day off before their next contest, and since Gobert was listed as probable after experiencing an Enes Kanter elbow to the back, he's a strong bet to play against the Clippers.

M.I.A.

• Charlotte
  • Troy Daniels (personal)
• Cleveland
  • Kyrie Irving (knee)
  • Iman Shumpert (wrist)
  • Mo Williams (ankle)
  • Timofey Mozgov (shoulder)
• Detroit
  • Brandon Jennings (back)
  • Jodie Meeks (back)
• Miami
  • Amar'e Stoudemire (illness)
• Minnesota
  • Nemanja Bjelica (knee)
  • Nikola Pekovic (ankle)
• Orlando
  • C.J. Watson (calf)
• Philadelphia
  • Tony Wroten (knee)
  • Kendall Marshall (knee)
  • Carl Landry (wrist)
• Phoenix
  • Eric Bledsoe (knee)
• San Antonio
  • LaMarcus Aldridge (ankle)

ROTATION NOTES

Rudy Gay emerged from a one-game hiatus, sending Darren Collison back to a reserve role. Gay played 42 minutes in the overtime loss and compiled 28 points (13-21 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 0-1 FT), 10 rebounds, and one steal. Ben McLemore was the odd-man out, playing 19 minutes in an overtime loss.

Coach Karl limited starting center Willie Cauley-Stein to eight minutes in the first half and never went back to him. Omri Casspi replaced Cauley-Stein in the second-half starting lineup in an effort to match the Hornets' smaller lineup.

P.J. Hairston slotted back into the starting lineup after missing four games due to quad contusion, shifting Jeremy Lin to the bench. Per usual, Hairston played less than 20 minutes. Cody Zeller reemerged after sitting out the previous game with a sore ankle.

Coach Clifford benched Al Jefferson, Marvin Williams, and Hairston in the fourth quarter and overtime. He did so because the Hornets were down 15 points entering the final stanza, and the group he threw out there was able to take a two-point lead before allowing the game-tying basket at the buzzer. Clifford employed the same group in overtime, and they rewarded him with a victory.

Kevin Martin replaced Tayshaun Prince in the starting lineup, and Shabazz Muhammad replaced Prince in the rotation. As promised, Muhammad played 16 minutes as the backup small forward to Prince's 10. All three struggled to make their mark on the box score, but Martin played 32 minutes as he attempts to end his season-long shooting slump.

Gorgui Dieng played 29 minutes because Karl-Anthony Towns accumulated four fouls in his first 10 minutes on the court. They were never on the court together, even with Nemanja Bjelica (knee) out for the second straight game. Barring injury or future foul trouble for Towns, Dieng will continue to play around 20 minutes a night.

Kevin Durant, after missing the previous six games with a hamstring injury, rejoined the starting lineup, sending Dion Waiters back to whence he came. Durant scored 19 of his 27 points (10-13 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 4-4 FT) in the first half and added six rebounds, four steals, one assist, and one block in 30 minutes. He was without restrictions, but the blowout nature of the game allowed him to rest the entire fourth quarter.

Eric Bledsoe was unavailable one night after suffering and playing through knee pain against the Pelicans. Devin Booker made the first start of his career, and after some admirable performances off the bench, he struggled against the Spurs to the tune of four points (2-5 FG, 0-2 3Pt), four rebounds, and one assist in 24 minutes. Bledsoe is expected back for Wednesday's game against the team he suffered the knee discomfort and still put up 29 points, seven rebounds, and six assists.

FANTASY LINE OF THE NIGHT

Kemba Walker is shooting 46 percent from the field and 40 percent on three-pointers. This is completely unexpected, especially since he hasn't cracked 40 percent shooting in three seasons. Last night in an overtime thriller, Walker registered 39 points (16-23 FG, 4-6 3Pt, 3-4 FT), six rebounds, five assists, three blocks, and two steals in 47 minutes. He spent the summer working on his outside shot, and he's currently one of 16 players hitting at least 43 percent of their above-the-break three-pointers (minimum 30 attempts). This is insanity. It's also a function of the offense. By surrounding Walker with competent three-point shooters, the floor is much more balanced. He continues to struggle finishing around the basket due to his diminutive size, but he's converting closer to league average, which is a substantial improvement.

ROOKIE OF THE NIGHT

Jahlil Okafor sent Karl-Anthony Towns to the bench with early and persistent foul trouble and finished the night with 25 points (10-15 FG, 5-7 FT), 12 rebounds, two blocks and one assist in 33 minutes. Most importantly, Okafor didn't get his shot blocked. He entered the night as the only player to have a field goal blocked more than 30 times this season. Gorgui Dieng was no match for Okafor, but the rookie center was held to six points in the second half once Towns gained consistent minutes. Coach Brown found a way to alternate Okafor and Nerlens Noel at center and play them both 32 minutes. They were on the court together a total of 16 minutes, a number that's usually closer to 20.

TRIPLE-DOUBLE WATCH

Rajon Rondo beguiled the box score with 14 points (6-12 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 20 assists, eight rebounds, four steals, and one block in 46 minutes. It's as if he required two full years recovering from a torn ACL. Who knew? He leads the NBA with 10.8 assists in 36.7 minutes per game. His stats this season parallel his production in 22 games with the Celtics last year. I don't like that he's playing over 40 minutes a night for the health concerns, but as long as he can sustain 32-34 minutes a night, Rondo will persevere in his stat-chasing pursuit.

Nicolas Batum's performance in home games exceeds his production in road tilts. In 43 minutes last night, Batum wrangled together 18 points (5-16 FG, 1-7 3Pt, 7-7 FT), 10 rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and one block. The Hornets play three more home games this week.

Russell Westbrook didn't detonate the box score with Kevin Durant back in the lineup, but he merely required 27 minutes to record 20 points (5-10 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 10-10 FT), nine assists, seven rebounds, and one steal. Westbrook's usage will experience a noticeable dip upon Durant's reintegration, but he's such a stat freak, it doesn't diminish his overall value.

BOX SCORE HIGHLIGHTS AND ODDITIES

Kevin Love led the Cavaliers with a season-high 34 points (11-18 FG, 6-9 3Pt, 6-7), but only registered eight rebounds in 34 minutes because Tristan Thompson is starting for the injured Timofey Mozgov (shoulder) and grabbed 14 boards in 34 minutes. Matthew Dellavedova played on a sore leg and produced nine assists on zero turnovers in 24 minutes, and J.R. Smith scored a season-high 26 points and connected on six three-pointers. LeBron James chipped in 15 points and 13 assists. The Cavaliers routed the Magic.

No Magic starter played more than 26 minutes in their blowout loss. Elfrid Payton was held scoreless and missed all seven attempts, Nikola Vucevic was a team-worst negative 34 plus-minus, and Evan Fournier kept chugging along with 13 points (4-5 FG, 3-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT) in 23 minutes. On the flip side, Shabazz Napier led the team in minutes (29) and dished out a career-high nine assists. Andrew Nicholson scored a team-high 18 points (6-9 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 3-3 FT), 15 of which were recorded in the first half. Coach Skiles said the following after the loss:

"It's time to change the lineup. Pretty much everything is a consideration."

A few things to consider: Vucevic possesses a team-worst 110.1 Defensive Rating and negative 5.4 plus-minus, Victor Oladipo and Payton have not meshed well in the starting unit, and Tobias Harris has played significantly better defense this season. I think we're getting to the point where Aaron Gordon becomes a vital factor. He recorded 11 points (5-10 FG, 1-2 3Pt), six rebounds, three blocks and one assist in 25 minutes last night. It's not worth overreacting to because Skiles benched all his starters and Gordon was guaranteed minutes to help guard LeBron James, but Gordon was on track to start until he suffered a fractured jaw prior to training camp. Skiles is looking for a more cohesive lineup because the Magic continue to get outplayed at the beginning of halves. They face the Knicks on Wednesday.

Arron Afflalo failed to record a steal or block for the seventh time this season, extending his streak to 217 minutes to start the season without both. The triangle offense has boosted his assists and offset the invisible defensive stats, but you're better off streaming a spot on your team over rostering Afflalo.

Kristaps Porzingis added 20 points (7-18 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 3-3 FT), 14 rebounds, two blocks, one assist, and one steals in 37 minutes. There are no words, just right. He's receiving unfettered playing time, which may ultimately be his downfall if coach Fisher doesn't reduce the minutes of a 20-year-old who's dealt with three left leg injuries prior to the season and played 50 games at 21.4 minutes per game in Europe last season. Per the NBA.com game recap, Porzingis has taken the first shot in each of the last seven games.

Hassan Whiteside recorded an assist, his first since November 1st. He notched six last season. His total lies at four thus far. Clearly, you shouldn't care about his assists, but he was his typical self otherwise (11 points, 11 rebounds, five blocks). He's blocked 63 shots in 13 games, which is more than 11 NBA teams.

T.J. McConnell still hasn't attempted a free throw through the first 15 games of the season. The streak extends to 429 minutes sans a free throw.

Andrew Wiggins scored 15 of his 32 points (10-21 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 11-12 FT) in the fourth quarter. He filled the rest of the stat sheet with six rebounds, three assists, two blocks, and one steal in 38 minutes. Over the last eight games, Wiggins is averaging 26.1 points on 48 percent shooting in 37.1 minutes per game. The rest of the cupboard isn't completely bare, and he's exceeded my expectations. He was dealing with back and knee soreness in the first few games, but those have apparently subsided.

Markieff Morris found the touch for one night, scoring a season-high 28 points (12-15 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 2-2 FT) and supplementing the scoring outburst with eight rebounds, four assists, and one steal in 34 minutes. This all occurred without Eric Bledsoe (knee) in the lineup, and it's safe to assume he won't maintain similar efficiency. The loss of his brother, Marcus, from the lineup accounted for a six-percent dip in his field-goal accuracy over the previous two seasons. On top of Marcus' departure, Markieff was already a terrible three-point shooter, further derailing his efficiency.

Tyson Chandler played fewer than 20 minutes for the third consecutive game. Foul trouble didn't intervene in any instance. Coach Hornacek has decided to use smaller lineups, even avoiding Alex Len in those minutes Chandler doesn't play. The combination of Mirza Teletovic and Jon Leuer are eating up minutes and helping space the offense with their perimeter shooting. Chandler has played more than 30 minutes only four times this season, and two of those occasions transpired in the first two games. Hornacek employed a similar strategy last season, capping Alex Len to 22 minutes a night in favor of using Morris as the nominal center. Chandler's likely going to get marginalized in the Suns' next two games versus the Pelicans and Warriors.

Danny Green scored a season-high 18 points (7-15 FG, 4-9 3Pt), grabbed six rebounds, and handed out four assists in 34 minutes. Tony Parker contributed 20 points (10-13 FG, 0-2 FT), eight assists, three steals, and one rebound in 32 minutes. LaMarcus Aldridge's absence played a pivotal role in the return to typical Spurs basketball. It resulted in a 24-point, 13-rebound, four-assist, four-steal, and one-block effort from Kawhi Leonard in 37 minutes. Leonard has played at least 37 minutes each of the last four games and is averaging a career-high 34.5 minutes per game.

The Bucks blew the Pistons out by 21 points. Greg Monroe (20 points, 13 rebounds, two steals, one assist) was the only starter on either side to play at least 30 minutes. Giannis Antetokoumpo and Jabari Parker were the only starters to compete in the fourth quarter. Ersan Ilyasova was scoreless on seven miss shots. Andre Drummond secured all 15 of his points and 14 of his 15 rebounds in the first half.

The Thunder blew out the Jazz by 22 points. Serge Ibaka blocked four shots and Gordon Hayward played a game-high 30 minutes.

NIGHTLY LEADERS

Points

1. Kemba Walker, G, CHA: 39 points
2. Kevin Love, F, CLE: 34 points
3. Andrew Wiggins, F, MIN: 32 points

Rebounds

1. Andre Drummond, C, DET: 15 rebounds (9 offensive)
2. Kristaps Porzingis, F, NYK: 14 rebounds (1 offensive)
3. Tristan Thompson, F, CLE: 14 rebounds (3 offensive)

Assists

1. Rajon Rondo, G, SAC: 20 assists
2. LeBron James, F, CLE: 13 assists
3. Ricky Rubio, G, MIN: 11 assists

Steals

1. Rajon Rondo, G, SAC: 4 steals
2. Kawhi Leonard, F, SAC: 4 steals
3. Kevin Durant, F, OKC: 4 steals
4. Carmelo Anthony, F, NYK: 4 steals
5. Dion Waiters, G, OKC: 4 steals

Blocks

1. Hassan Whiteside, C, MIA: 5 blocks
2. Serge Ibaka, F, OKC: 4 blocks
3. Five players tied with three blocks

Three-Pointers

1. Kevin Love, F, CLE: 6-9 3Pt
2. J.R. Smith, G, CLE: 6-10 3Pt
3. Three players tied with four three-pointers

Minutes

1. Kemba Walker, G, CHA: 47 minutes
2. Rajon Rondo, G, SAC: 46 minutes
3. Nicolas Batum, F, CHA: 43 minutes