Starting 5: Luka, Joker duel tonight, KD wins it, 42 for Ant, Wemby hosts Hornets

KD called game.

The active leader in game-winners came through yet again to lift Houston into 3rd place.

Read on for more Friday fireworks from big names and everything you need for a Saturday of key clashes.

March 14, 2026

Tonight on ABC & ESPN: Luka & Joker’s rematch in Nuggets vs. Lakers, Kawhi’s Clips host Kings

On Prime: Wemby makes a leap on MVP Ladder as Brandon Miller’s red-hot Hornets visit

League Pass Spotlight: Winner takes 5th place as Magic eye 5-0 season sweep of streaking Heat

Big Plays, Big Names: KD’s game-winners, Ant’s 40-ball, Raps’ swat-and-slam, Detroit’s duo rolls

Roundup: Kawhi & Mathurin guide Clips, Mobley lifts Cavs, Knicks and Blazers grab victories

Saturday brings a seven-game slate spanning 12 hours

What To Watch Today: On Prime, Wemby’s Spurs take on the streaking Hornets (3:30 ET) before an L.A. doubleheader with the Lakers hosting the Nuggets (8:30 ET) on ABC, and the Clippers welcoming the Kings (10:30 ET) on ESPN.

League Pass On Us: Unlock more games with NBA ID Member Days. Any NBA ID member can watch up to 15 games this weekend for free on League Pass, on us – along with other member-only perks. Not an NBA ID member yet? Join the action now.

Over the past nine days, since Luka Dončić and Nikola Jokić last met, the pair has each found yet another level – even for them.

Tonight, under the bright lights of Saturday Primetime on ABC (8:30 ET), the two offensive engines meet to close the circle, carrying unmatched momentum.

• In his last four games Dončić is averaging 40 ppg, 9.5 rpg, 7.3 apg and 6.3 3s, numbers not seen in any other four-game span in NBA history
• Jokić, meanwhile, has averaged 26.3 ppg, 15.3 reb, and 12.7 ast on 56.3% FG in his last three – a run only he and Wilt Chamberlain have ever accomplished before
• Last Thursday, Joker’s Nuggets got the W, with his monster triple-double (28 pts, 12 reb, 13 ast) outdueling Dončić’s near match (27 pts, 11 reb, 7 ast)
• Joker’s Latest: Jokić (31 pts, 20 reb, 12 ast) fueled Denver’s comeback win in San Antonio Thursday, giving him the 2nd-most 30/20/10 games in NBA history
• Fresh Off 50: Luka enters coming off an explosive 51-point, 10-rebound, 9-assist outing last time out, his first 50-point game as a Laker

While fiery competitiveness defines them on the court – the two also share a long, often hilarious, friendly rivalry together.

• ‘Brotherly’ Love: Their relationship (and antics) were on full display for Team World at NBA All-Star in LA. Joked the Joker: ‘They think we’re good friends, so they put us next to each other.’
• Inspiring 51? On a podcast this week discussing play styles, Joker cited a 51-point EuroLeague final score, saying ‘Luka Dončić would score that alone.’
• Luka then went off for exactly 51 points in Thursday’s win over the Bulls

Just a half-game separates the 4th-seeded Lakers and 5th-place Nuggets entering tonight, with the season tie-breaker also up for grabs in this series finale between the two contenders.

ESPN then picks up the action across town, as Kawhi and the climbing Clippers host the Kings (10:30 ET).

• Plus Two: The first NBA team to ever move above .500 after starting 15-or-more games under (6-21), 8th-place LA rolled to 34-32 last night
• Kawhi Carrying: Since returning from All-Star Weekend, Kawhi’s career-best scoring clip (28.3) has increased to 29.6 ppg
• ‘Ain’t no stopping Kawhi,’ Ant Edwards said Wednesday. ‘Kawhi may be one of the best players to ever play the game when he’s healthy. I think a lot of his peers feel the same way about him.’
• Westbrook Watch: On the other side, Russ can make his own history, needing just 12 assists to pass Mark Jackson and 13 to outdo Steve Nash for fifth most all-time

With 14 more wins than they had all of last season, the 2nd-place Spurs are crashing the top tier of the West.

And now, when it matters most, they’ve won 16 of their last 18 games, in the lead-up to their first Playoff appearance since 2019.

In this week’s Kia MVP Ladder from Shaun Powell, the battery at the center of their streak is invading an equally exclusive rankings club.

“It would always be a tall order for anyone to crack the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander/Nikola Jokić stranglehold on the top two spots in the Kia Race to the MVP, so it’s a good thing Victor Wembanyama stands 7-foot-4. Or maybe even 7-foot-5.”

The MVP conversation has centered on those two, not only this season but also last season. They’ve always been a level up on the rest of the league because of their talent, team success, and consistency.

And now along comes a player who is doing much the same.

He’s perhaps sitting in pole position for the league’s top defensive award as he leads the league in blocked shots, averaging 4.3 blocks per game over his last 11 games. In that span, he owns seven double-figure rebound games with a high of 17. Plus, he’s doing all that while his shooting and creativity are greatly improved from last fall.

Also factor in this perspective: Wembanyama is doing damage against the best the league can offer. His March 5 demolition of the East-leading Pistons – 38 points, 16 rebounds, and five blocks – was among the best performances of the season by anyone. Then he followed up with a 39-point, 11-rebound showing vs. Boston.

All told, the Spurs have lost only once with Wembanyama in the lineup since Jan. 31. They are also right on the heels of the West-leading Thunder, a team Wembanyama has dominated this season.

Today on Prime (3:30 ET), shown at prime time in his home country of France, Wemby leads San Antonio’s top-3 defense (110.6 DefRtg) against the league’s highest-rated offense of 2026, the Charlotte Hornets (120.1).