The powers that be in the NBA got together and decided that one last present should be given out before the New Year: A jam-packed, thrilling Thursday night slate, something we’ve found to be far too rare this season. Let’s not waste any time and dig into all the action.
Cavs continue to spiral, fall to Pacers, 135-126
It’s hard to win when you almost willingly give up three after three to your opponents, but 19?! It’s near impossible in that case. That’s what Cleveland did on Thursday against the Pacers, who hit 19 of their 31 tries from deep en route to a nine-point victory over the reeling Cavs. Tyrese Haliburton led the way with 29 points — he made six of his eight triples — while Buddy Hield, who drained five out of six attempts from beyond the arc, added 25.
Also in double-figures: Bennedict Mathurin (23), Aaron Nesmith (22), and Myles Turner (14). They helped snap Indiana’s five-game losing streak against the Cavs, while Cleveland dropped their third straight.
Celtics win fourth-straight, beat Clippers, 116-110
Back on Dec. 12, the Los Angeles Clippers took the Boston Celtics to task in L.A., to the tune of a 113-93 thrashing. That 20-point defeat was Boston’s biggest of the season, and it was the first time this year the C’s scored fewer than 100 points (it has since only happened one other time, in a loss against the Magic). At that time, the Celtics were sliding, looking lost, like a team without an identity following a hot start that should’ve terrified teams across the league. Now, though? Boston looks to be back on track in a big way. Look no further than a bounce-back stretch of four straight wins after a lousy road trip earlier this month.
Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown scored 29 apiece to lead the Celtics, while Kawhi Leonard (26) and Paul George (24) kept things close for the Clippers. Ultimately, the difference-maker was Derrick White, whose second blocked shot of the night came with 33 seconds left, thwarting a George layup while Boston led by three.
Grizzlies cruise past Raptors, 119-106
*30 for 30 voice* “What if I told you that Ja Morant set another career-high… but it wasn’t in points?” You probably wouldn’t be all that impressed, given the nightly heroics he manages to pull off. But his career-high 17 assists on Thursday set a fresh tone for Memphis — as a team, the Grizzlies recorded a season-high 37 assists en route to a rather seamless victory over Toronto. Morant added 19 points, but it was Dillon Brooks who continued to exceed expectations, dropping 25 in the win.
Toronto, meanwhile, is 2-8 in its last 10. It might be time to tank.
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LaMelo leads Hornets over SGA and OKC, 121-113
LaMelo Ball flirted with a triple-double, scoring 27 points, pulling down 10 rebounds, and dishing out nine assists to lead Charlotte past the Thunder on Thursday. The win marked the team’s 10th of the season, and just their third in the last 14 games. Yikes overall, but hey, perhaps it’s the start of something new!
(Narrator: It isn’t.)
Spurs take advantage of depleted Knicks, win 122-115
No Brunson, no Barrett, no Toppin, big problem. Sure, San Antonio didn’t have Devin Vassell (knee) on Thursday, but without a significant majority of its usual suspects on the offensive contribution front, New York didn’t seem to stand a chance from the outset. Even against a San Antonio team that often finds wacky ways to lose.
Keldon Johnson scored 30 to lead the Spurs. Julius Randle scored a game-high 41, while Immanuel Quickley’s career night (36-7-7) went to waste in the loss. The Knicks have lost five in a row.
Luka leads Mavs over Rockets, 129-114
It’s unfair at this point, what Luka Doncic is capable of doing on a nightly basis while moving through what appears to be a personal, invisible cloud of molasses. Just the other night, he recorded a 60-point triple-double; on Thursday, he scored 35 points in his NBA-best eighth triple-double of the season, leading Dallas to its fifth-straight win. At this point, anyone else being the MVP frontrunner should be considered an insult.