NBA Friday Roundup: Tatum's 34 Powers Celtics' 39-Point Rout of Hornets

The NBA Friday roundup on November 6, 2026 belonged to the Boston Celtics and the Oklahoma City Thunder, who turned two showcase games into routs. Jayson Tatum scored 34 points as Boston crushed the Charlotte Hornets 119-80 at Spectrum Center, while Ajay Mitchell poured in 35 as Oklahoma City beat the Memphis Grizzlies 128-97. Around the league, the Atlanta Hawks outlasted the Washington Wizards 139-132, the Toronto Raptors beat the Milwaukee Bucks 121-107, the Minnesota Timberwolves edged the New Orleans Pelicans 115-109, and the Dallas Mavericks topped the Utah Jazz 112-100.

Key Points

• Jayson Tatum scored 34 points with eight rebounds and nine assists as the Boston Celtics routed the Charlotte Hornets 119-80, a 39-point win at Spectrum Center.
• Ajay Mitchell scored 35 points on 14-of-20 shooting as the Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Memphis Grizzlies 128-97, leading by as many as 37 points.
• The Atlanta Hawks beat the Washington Wizards 139-132 at State Farm Arena, led by Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luguentz Dort.
• The Toronto Raptors beat the Milwaukee Bucks 121-107, the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the New Orleans Pelicans 115-109, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Utah Jazz 112-100.
• Charlotte's Brandon Miller left the game with a groin injury and did not return, the one sour note of a lopsided Friday night across the NBA.

What Happened

Boston's win in Charlotte was over almost as soon as it began. Tatum put up 34 points, eight rebounds and nine assists, shooting 9-of-16 from the field and 5-of-11 from three, and the Celtics led by 39 at the final buzzer in a 119-80 demolition. The Hornets, playing at home, had no answer for Boston's ball movement or its transition game, and the margin only grew as the second half wore on.

Charlotte's night got worse when Brandon Miller left the game with a groin injury and did not return. Losing Miller for any length of time would be a heavy blow for a team still building around its young core.

In Memphis, the Thunder were just as ruthless. Mitchell scored 35 points on 14-of-20 shooting, including four three-pointers, as Oklahoma City beat the Grizzlies 128-97 at FedExForum. The Thunder led by as many as 37 points, and the Grizzlies never mounted a serious run once the lead ballooned in the second half.

Background: A Night of Early-Season Statements

Friday's slate arrived with the regular season settling into its November rhythm, and the results reinforced the early shape of both conferences. Boston's win kept the Celtics among the Eastern Conference leaders, while Oklahoma City's rout underlined the Thunder's depth: even when their established stars were not the headline act, they could win by 31 on the road behind a 35-point night from Mitchell.

Friday's results followed a busy week around the league. The Cleveland Cavaliers had already beaten the Philadelphia 76ers 119-95 earlier in the evening in LeBron James' NBA Cup homecoming in Cleveland, a game covered separately by US News Pulse, and the Thunder's win in Memphis came days after their 124-116 home win over Cleveland, in which Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 42 points.

NBA Friday Roundup: Hawks, Raptors, Timberwolves and Mavericks All Win

Atlanta provided the night's most entertaining game, beating Washington 139-132 at State Farm Arena in a shootout that stayed close late. Nickeil Alexander-Walker and Luguentz Dort led the Hawks, who needed every point in a game where neither defence could get a stop for long.

In Milwaukee, the Toronto Raptors beat the Bucks 121-107 at Fiserv Forum, a solid road win against a team that has made a habit of defending its home floor. Toronto shared the scoring and kept Milwaukee's offence from finding a rhythm in the second half.

The Minnesota Timberwolves edged the New Orleans Pelicans 115-109 in the night's closest finish, a game that stayed in the balance into the final minute. Minnesota has leaned on its defence and half-court execution in tight games, while New Orleans will rue the missed chances late.

Dallas completed the Friday slate with a 112-100 win over the Utah Jazz, a professional road performance built on steady scoring and a defence that held Utah in check when the game tightened in the third quarter.

Reactions

The numbers told most of Friday's story. Boston's coaches have praised Tatum's all-round game all season, and his near triple-double in Charlotte was another example of the star doing everything the Celtics need without forcing the issue. For Charlotte, the focus after the game was inevitably on Miller's groin injury, while the Hornets wait for news on how long their young wing might be out.

In Oklahoma City, Mitchell's 35-point night drew attention for its efficiency: 14-of-20 from the field and four three-pointers in a performance that never looked rushed. Memphis left its home floor with questions to answer after a 37-point deficit, a margin that will sting even in a long season.

Why It Matters

Friday's results matter because they show how wide the gap has become between the league's contenders and its strugglers. Boston winning by 39 on the road and Oklahoma City winning by 31 away from home are not accidents; they are what deep, well-coached teams do to opponents that cannot match their talent or execution. The Celtics and the Thunder are building the kind of early-season cushion that makes the difference in April, when playoff home-court advantage is decided by a handful of games. For Atlanta, Toronto, Minnesota and Dallas, the wins were quieter but no less useful: November is when playoff teams bank the wins that carry them through the winter.

What Happens Next

The Celtics will look to carry Friday's form into their next outing, with Tatum's shooting touch and the team's defensive intensity both trending the right way. Charlotte will await news on Miller's groin injury, which will determine its rotation for the coming week. Oklahoma City returns home with momentum, while Memphis must regroup quickly. The league's attention turns to the weekend slate, where the NBA Cup group games add an extra edge to regular-season meetings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was the top scorer in Friday's NBA games on November 6, 2026?
Ajay Mitchell of the Oklahoma City Thunder led all Friday scorers with 35 points in the Thunder's 128-97 win over Memphis, just ahead of Jayson Tatum's 34 points for Boston against Charlotte.

What was the score of the Celtics vs Hornets game?
The Boston Celtics beat the Charlotte Hornets 119-80 at Spectrum Center in Charlotte, a 39-point win led by Jayson Tatum's 34 points, eight rebounds and nine assists.

What happened to Brandon Miller?
Charlotte Hornets forward Brandon Miller left Friday's game against Boston with a groin injury and did not return. The Hornets had not announced a timeline for his return at the time of writing.

Which other NBA games were played on Friday, November 6, 2026?
The Atlanta Hawks beat the Washington Wizards 139-132, the Toronto Raptors beat the Milwaukee Bucks 121-107, the Minnesota Timberwolves beat the New Orleans Pelicans 115-109, and the Dallas Mavericks beat the Utah Jazz 112-100.

Where can I read more NBA news?
US News Pulse covers the NBA throughout the season, including the Thunder's 124-116 win over Cleveland and the Hawks' 108-104 win over Indiana.