NBA Recap: Rookies Steal Show as Fears, Acuff Jr. and Boozer Star

Grizzlies stay hot, NBA Thursday 3-game roundup

Rookie night in the NBA as Jeremiah Fears leads Pelicans to first victory, Darius Acuff Jr. drops career-high 34 points for Kings, and Cameron Boozer's historic triple-double powers Grizzlies to 5-0 start.

Pelicans win battle of winless teams; Grizzlies stay unbeaten...

New Orleans finally got off the mark on Thursday night, as Jeremiah Fears led the Pelicans to their first victory of the season with a 132-120 win over Sacramento in a matchup of previously winless sides.

The 20-year-old rookie stuffed the stat sheet with a 22-point, 13-assist double-double, adding eight rebounds, four blocks and two steals. Zion Williamson chipped in 22 points, as seven Pelicans finished in double figures to move New Orleans to 1-4.

“We're not off to a great start, but we're changing this thing around for sure,” Fears said.....

Darius Acuff Jr. kept his impressive rookie campaign rolling for Sacramento. The seventh overall pick from June's draft dropped 34 points and dished out 14 assists, surpassing the 33-point career-best he set against Portland last week.

The Kings got 24 points apiece from De'Andre Hunter and Precious Achiuwa, but it wasn't enough as they slipped to 0-5. Sacramento remains one of two teams still searching for a first win, alongside the 0-4 Brooklyn Nets.

Atlanta bounced back on its home floor, using a dominant 43-point third quarter to seize control before closing out a 114-111 win over Cleveland.

Onyeka Okongwu powered the Hawks with 29 points and 12 rebounds, Nickeil Alexander-Walker added 25, and Aaron Wiggins came off the bench to contribute 20. The victory snapped a three-game slide and gave Atlanta its first home win of the young season.

James Harden led Cleveland with 24 points in a game where the Cavs held a lead as large as 15 points in the second quarter.

Donovan Mitchell finished with 22, including a tough driving layup that cut the deficit to 112-111 with 20.6 seconds left. Nickeil Alexander-Walker answered with two clutch free throws, and Mitchell couldn't connect on two late looks from deep that would have tied it.

The night wrapped up with a reunion in Portland, as Ja Morant faced his former team for the first time. The visiting Grizzlies came in looking to push their perfect start to 5-0 in the 2026/27 season.

Morant had a quiet outing against his old club, finishing with 14 points, 2 rebounds and 3 assists. Deni Avdija carried the Blazers with 24 points, the only Portland player to top 15, as the team struggled to match Memphis offensively.

Rookie Cameron Boozer led the charge for Memphis, posting 18 points, 12 rebounds and 12 assists to become the second-youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double.

It was far from a solo act for Memphis. All five starters scored in double figures, and the duo of Isaiah Stewart and Quentin Post added 28 off the bench as the Grizzlies cruised to a 124-103 victory to stay perfect and extend their stunning unbeaten start.

Cam Boozer with his first career triple-double 😤 He is the 2nd-youngest player in NBA history to record a triple-double 👀 https://t.co/PfEQ4bdzUJ

— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) October 30, 2026