Happy Friday from the Starting 5 squad — and the NBA’s new Minutes King. 👑
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Dec. 20, 2024
KAT Comes Home: A monster double-double in Minny that’s never been seen before
West Eruptions: The Grizz go off, SGA & Jalen Green shine and Wemby did what?!
Must-See Moments: LeBron makes history, LaVine joins MJ and Simons calls game
Thursday Flair: Timely dubs, a Dunk of the Year candidate and an unreal oop
Friday Fire: Two surging East powers collide in a can’t-miss matchup, OKC-Miami & more
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Thursday’s scores and Friday’s slate…
Friday delivers three matchups, including a heavyweight showdown on NBA TV as the league-leading Cavs host the Emirates NBA Cup champion Bucks (7:30 ET).
NBA All-Star voting is live until Jan. 20. Fans can vote for starters every day via the NBA App and NBA.com with their NBA ID. Tap here to cast your ballot.
Speaking of stars, the Emirates NBA Cup All-Tournament Team dropped yesterday, headlined by Cup champ Giannis Antetokounmpo and OKC’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander:
The 2024 NBA G League Winter Showcase got underway Thursday, featuring a single-elimination tournament where the top eight teams from the Tip-Off Tournament compete for the Winter Showcase title.
Plus, World Basketball Day is almost here, as we celebrate the greatest game on Earth tomorrow.
1. KAT JOINS KAREEM IN BIG RETURN TO MINNESOTA
When asked about his first return to Minnesota since being dealt to New York this fall, Karl-Anthony Towns didn’t know what to expect:
- “I’ve never been traded before,” said Towns. “I’m usually the one in a Timberwolves jersey looking up at the tribute videos — it’s kind of weird being on the other side…
- “I just want to appreciate every second and every moment of this experience.”
When the moment came, Towns did more than take it in — he seized it.
Knicks 133, Wolves 107: In his first game back at Target Center after a nine-year tenure with the Wolves, KAT received a warm welcome and then caught fire for 32 points, 20 rebounds and six assists, fueling an emphatic Knicks win against his former team. | Recap
- KAT’s First Shot? A 3 from the top of the key, sparking a perfect 5-of-5 night from deep as the big man added to his career season from long range (46.1 3P%)
- And KAT Kept Cooking: By the half, he had a 22-point double-double, including 19 points in the 2nd quarter, as New York outscored Minnesota 41-18 to take a 22-point lead
- Towns finished 10-of-12 from the field and played just two minutes in the 4th as the Knicks stretched their lead to as much as 36, sealing a statement win
- “It was emotional,” said Towns on his return. “It’s always great to get love back from a place that I dedicated my life to.”
KAT & Kareem: With the performance, Towns joins Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (1975 vs. Bucks) as the only players to record 30+ points and 20+ boards in their first game back against their former team.
And the history didn’t stop there:
- 4th: Towns is the fourth player in NBA history to total 30+ points, 20+ rebounds and 5+ 3s in any game, joining Bill Laimbeer, DeMarcus Cousins and Raef LaFrentz
- 2nd: He also joins Willis Reed as the only Knicks with a 30/20 game on 80% shooting
- 1st: Combine both stats, and you get one player in NBA history to post a 30/20 game with 5+ 3s on 80% shooting — Karl-Anthony Towns
- “I just let the game come to me,” said KAT. “I didn’t want to let my emotions overcome the game … I wasn’t playing for myself, I was playing for the win.”
2. WEST BUCKETS: WEMBY & GRIZZ ERUPT, SGA & GREEN DELIVER
Spurs 133, Hawks 126 (OT): Victor Wembanyama showed off his out-of-this-world skillset, erupting for 42 points on seven 3s along with six boards and four blocks to lift the Spurs over Trae Young (23 pts, 16 ast) and the Hawks. | Recap | Catch the OT Finish
- Victor-y: In a game that featured 14 ties and 15 lead changes, it was Wemby who delivered the decisive blow, single-handedly outscoring Atlanta 8-6 in OT
- The Youngest: At 20 years and 350 days old, Wemby is the youngest player in NBA history to total 40+ points, 5+ rebounds, 5+ assists and 3+ blocks in a game
- The Most: His eight career games of 5+ 3s and 3+ blocks are the most in NBA History
- “Are we playing in our backyard, or are we playing in the NBA?” Devin Vassell said in awe of Wemby’s play
- Trae’s Huge Night: Meanwhile, Young posted his league-leading 20th double-double of points & assists this season — seven more than the next closest player (Cade Cunningham)
Grizzlies 144, Warriors 93: The league’s leading offense went off for a season-high 144 points, dropping 30+ in all four quarters as the Grizzlies took a 69-38 lead into the half and never looked back for their 11th win in 13 games. | Recap
- Grizz Scoring: All 12 of Memphis’ players scored 5+ points, led by Santi Aldama (21 pts, 14 reb), while setting a franchise record with 27 made 3s
- Grizz Roaring: It’s the Grizzlies’ third 140+ point game this season, setting a new franchise record, and it’s the biggest win in the NBA this season
- Grizz Soaring: On Nov. 19, Memphis was 10th in the West with an 8-7 record. Through Dec. 19, it holds second place at 19-9
Thunder 105, Magic 99: In a matchup between the top two scoring defenses in the NBA, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander shined with 35 points, six dimes and four steals, leading OKC to a hard-fought win in Orlando following Tuesday’s loss to the Bucks in the Emirates NBA Cup championship. | Recap
- Thunder Strike: It was OKC’s 12th game this season holding an opponent under 100 points, tied for the most in the NBA with — guess who — Orlando. In those games, the Thunder are 12-0
- Thunder Storm: It’s OKC’s sixth victory in a row as it matches Boston for the second-most wins in the league
Rockets 133, Pelicans 113: Ranked second in DefRtg (105.6), it was Houston’s offense that led the way Thursday as Jalen Green went for 34 points, while Dillon Brooks (26) and Alperen Sengun (23) added 20-pieces to rebound from Saturday’s loss in the NBA Cup semis. | Recap
3. CAN’T-MISS MOMENTS: LEBRON & LAVINE MAKE HISTORY, PLUS THIS ⬇️
Blazers 126, Nuggets 124: Nikola Jokić (34 pts, 8 ast) and Jamal Murray (24 pts, 10 ast) combined for 58 points and 18 assists to help rally Denver from 17 points down, but Anfernee Simons called game with a silky winner off the glass at the buzzer. | Recap
- Simons: “Those are the moments that we live for.”
Bulls 117, Celtics 108: In a duel between the NBA’s top two leaders in 3s made, Zach LaVine poured in 36 points on six triples as Chicago outscored Boston 57-42 from 3 to hand the defending champs just their sixth loss this season. | Recap
- LaVine’s Milestone: It was LaVine’s 50th career 35+ point game with Chicago. The only other Bull to reach that mark? Michael Jordan — who did it an astounding 321 times
Lakers 113, Kings 100: In another historic LeBron James milestone, the King passed Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (57,446) for most minutes played in NBA history (57,470), logging 34 while posting 19 points and seven dimes.
Meanwhile, Anthony Davis dominated inside with 21 points, 19 boards and six blocks to power the Lakers past the Kings. | Recap
- 40 For 40: Just 10 days from his 40th birthday, LeBron’s 57,470 minutes played totals nearly 40 full days of basketball
- 10K x 2: James also reached 10,000 points with the Lakers after doing so in Cleveland, joining Kareem (MIL & LAL), Carmelo Anthony (DEN & NYK) and Elvin Hayes (WAS & HOU) as the only players to reach 10K with two franchises
Pacers 120, Suns 111: Pascal Siakam notched 25 points and 18 rebounds as seven Pacers scored in double figures to combat Kevin Durant’s huge night (37 pts, 10 reb, 6 ast), giving Indiana its fourth win in five games. | Recap
4. THURSDAY ROUNDUP: TIMELY DUBS AND 2 MASSIVE JAMS
Clippers 118, Mavericks 95: Klay Thompson scored a team-high 22 points with Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving sidelined, but the Mavs couldn’t slow down Norman Powell (29 pts) and James Harden (24 pts, 7 ast), as LA handed Dallas just its third loss in 15 games. | Recap
Wizards 123, Hornets 114: LaMelo Ball turned in 34 points and 13 dimes, but Jordan Poole (27 pts) and the Wizards pulled away in the 4th quarter to end their three-game slide. | Recap
- “Oh My!”: Bilal Coulibaly had the announcers losing it on this monster one-handed oop 😂
Jazz 126, Pistons 119: Collin Sexton (30), Keyonte George (28) and Lauri Markkanen (27) combined for 85 points, as the Jazz jumped out to a 48-19 lead in the 1st quarter and held on to top Cade Cunningham (33 pts) and the Pistons. | Recap
- Dunk Of The Year Candidate? With the vicious poster above, George registered the fourth-highest Dunk Score of the season (109.2)
Nets 101, Raptors 94: Cameron Johnson had a night (33 pts, 10 reb, 6 ast, 4 3s), joining Kyrie Irving (2x) as the only players in franchise history to total 475+ points and 80+ 3s in the first 26 games of a season. The Nets closed the game on a 29-11 run to top the Raptors. | Recap
5. APPOINTMENT VIEWING: RED-HOT BUCKS MEET EAST-LEADING CAVS
On Nov. 4, the Cavs beat the Bucks 116-114 to improve to 8-0. It was Cleveland’s second win over Milwaukee in three days and matched its best start in franchise history, set in 1976-77.
The loss dropped the Bucks to 1-6 — their worst seven-game start since 1993-94, when they went on to finish 20-62.
Only three teams this century have made the Playoffs after going 1-6 or worse. However, the Bucks, with two closes losses to Cleveland, remained confident they were turning corner:
- Head Coach Doc Rivers: “This is a positive group. We believe we’re a really good basketball team that has played poorly at times. The last two games, you could say we played well and lost.”
- Giannis Antetokounmpo: “The energy is good, the ball is moving … I think we’re headed in the right direction…
- “That doesn’t mean we are going to go on a five-game winning streak or 10-game winning streak, but I know that we are playing better, and we trust one another better.”
Turns out it was a seven-game winning streak for the Bucks, part of a 13-5 stretch since their two losses to Cleveland. That run, the fourth-best in the NBA during that span, includes 12 wins in their last 15 games and an Emirates NBA Cup title.
The team with the best record since Nov. 4? The East-leading Cavs at 15-4.
Since their last meeting, Milwaukee and Cleveland have posted strikingly similar numbers — ranking top-five in wins, clutch wins, field goal and 3-point percentages while displaying nearly matching offensive and defensive ratings.
Tonight, Cleveland and Milwaukee clash for the third time this season (7:30 ET). But now, both teams are firing on all cylinders, ready to prove who’s best at their best.
OKC Heats Up: While the Cavs own the top record in the East at 23-4, the Thunder sit atop the West at 21-5, seeking back-to-back dubs in Florida as they visit Miami (8 ET, LP) after winning in Orlando on Thursday.
Tuesday’s loss to Milwaukee in the NBA Cup championship offered a valuable lesson for the young and contending Thunder, and last night’s win helped put that growth into action while washing out the taste of defeat.
- “We’ll learn from it,” said Jalen Williams on the Cup loss. “It’s a good opportunity … it’s definitely good practice, and we have a lot more to learn from … this is a good insight before we get into the thick of it.”
Friday marks a tough test for OKC’s top-ranked defense, as they’ll face a Heat squad that’s won four of its last five outings, averaging 123.0 ppg — the fourth-most in the NBA in that span.
To round out tonight’s slate, the Sixers host the Hornets in a rematch of Monday’s outing that saw Tyrese Maxey (40) and Paul George (33) combine for 73 points in a 121-108 Philly dub.
- In the win, Maxey and George became the first teammates in Sixers history to score 30+ points with 6+ 3s apiece. Will they stay hot tonight?
Ready for Friday’s slate? Put your game to the test with today’s NBA Play Trivia!
