Wemby's Nine Blocks, Flagg's 43 and AD's 44 in a Loss: Monday's Eight-Game Slate Had a Little of Everything

By Jordan Pierce, RF Sports Radio NBA voice

NBA fans, Monday had the best player in the league doing it at both ends, a teenager in Dallas putting up 43, and Anthony Davis scoring 44 and still losing. Eight games, and every one of them told you something.

The facts

Per the Associated Press, Victor Wembanyama scored 40 points with 11 rebounds and nine blocks in just 25 minutes as San Antonio beat Phoenix 122-96 for its ninth straight win. He shot 15 of 19. The Spurs are 9-2. Devin Booker scored 32 for the Suns, who shot 39.3 percent.

In Dallas, Cooper Flagg had 43 points and 10 rebounds and Kyrie Irving scored 35 as the Mavericks rallied past Indiana 125-122. In Atlanta, Luka Doncic returned with 32 points and 10 assists, and the Lakers won 124-114 for their sixth straight win with Austin Reaves out sick a day after his 43. Walker Kessler had 21 and 10. The Lakers are 10-2.

Davis had 44 points and 13 rebounds for Washington after being a game-time decision with an ankle issue, but Detroit won 122-111 behind John Collins' 24 and 10; the Wizards have lost four straight. Golden State routed New Orleans 138-87 for its eighth straight win, and Stephen Curry's 25 moved him past DeMar DeRozan into 16th on the career scoring list with 26,803, per AP. Elsewhere, per ESPN's scoreboard, Charlotte beat Cleveland 124-112, Memphis won 118-102 at Toronto and Houston beat Denver 110-100 despite 38 from Jamal Murray.

Tonight's six-game slate, per ESPN, includes Celtics (8-2) at 76ers (9-2) at 7 p.m. CT on NBC and Thunder (8-2) at Trail Blazers (6-3) at 10 p.m. CT on NBC, plus Bucks at Knicks, Clippers at Suns, Heat at Jazz and Magic at Kings.

RF Sports Radio's take (opinion)

My take: Wembanyama is the MVP right now, and it is not close. Forty and nine blocks in 25 minutes is a stat line that does not make sense, and he did it five days after 52 and 24 against Dallas. If the Spurs keep winning, the race is over by Christmas.

The Lakers and Warriors streaks are the other story. Six and eight straight wins, and Golden State has had 30 or more assists in three straight games, per AP. The West is going to be a fight.

And Davis deserves a word. Forty-four on 16-of-21 on a bad ankle is a reminder of what he can still be, even on a team that has lost four in a row.

Opinion: Philadelphia-Boston tonight is the best game of the week in the East. The 76ers' 9-2 start needs a signature win, and this is it.

What to watch next

Watch 76ers-Celtics and Thunder-Blazers tonight, and the Mavs at Minnesota on Thursday. For our recap of Saturday's seven-game slate, read our Nov. 8 Saturday slate recap, and follow the league on our NBA page.

Radio question: is there any debate left about the MVP, or is Wembanyama already running away with it?

Sources: ESPN / AP - Wembanyama has 40 points, 9 blocks as Spurs win 9th straight; ESPN / AP - Doncic powers the Lakers past the Hawks; ESPN / AP - Collins leads Pistons past Davis and Wizards; ESPN / AP - Curry, Podziemski lead Warriors' 138-87 win over Pelicans; ESPN / AP - Flagg has 43 points as Mavericks beat Pacers; ESPN - NBA scoreboard, Nov. 9 and Nov. 10.