Warning Out West: The Warriors are 4-1 since Jimmy Buckets moved to the Bay…
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Feb. 22, 2025
Clutch West Dubs: Houston gets its swagger back, Memphis closes with authority
East Streaks: The Cavs send a statement, Kuz returns to D.C. and the Pistons rev up
Roundup: Golden State & OKC stay hot, while Kyrie & Herro catch fire
Lakers at Nuggets: Jokić & the surging Nuggets meet the new-look Lakers tonight (8:30 ET, ABC)
League Pass Spotlight: Four more matchups featuring Playoff implications and rising guards
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Clear your schedule…
Tonight On ABC: Luka Dončić and LeBron James lead the Lakers into Denver, with Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets seeking their 10th straight win (8:30 ET).
Sunday On ABC: East elite collide with the 2nd-place Celtics hosting the 3rd-place Knicks (1 ET, ABC), before Kyrie, Klay and the Mavs visit Steph Curry’s Warriors in the Bay (3:30 ET, ABC).
Today’s Reads: USA Today on 10 storylines entering the 2nd half of the season … The Athletic on the rising ‘Euro-decel’ … Sportico on another emerging shot – the one-legged 3 … AP on Jokić celebrating his 30th birthday amid one of his best seasons.
1. WILD WEST WINS: ROCKETS REBOUND, GRIZZLIES RALLY
After stumbling into the All-Star break on a season-worst 2-7 stretch, Rockets coach Ime Udoka was asked what the keys were to turning things around.
“Staying confident,” Udoka said. “And getting that aggressive swagger back.”
In their first game since the break, his young squad did exactly that.
Rockets 121, Wolves 115: In a game featuring 11 ties and 20 lead changes, Anthony Edwards exploded in the 1st half for 25 points.
But Houston clamped down in the 2nd, while Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun and Amen Thompson came through in the clutch to seal a hard-earned win. | Recap
- Rocket Men: Green finished with 35 points on five 3s, while Sengun (24 pts, 13 reb) and Thompson (17 pts, 10 reb, 6 ast) added double-doubles
- Closing Time: In the 4th quarter, they stepped up, combining for 22 of Houston’s 23 points, including back-to-back buckets from Sengun & Green in the final 1:11 to ice the game
- “The plan was to get back to doing what we do,” said Green on the win. “And that’s coming out and playing hard every night.”
- Edwards finished with 37 points – three shy of what would have been his fourth 40-piece in six games
Two games up on the 4th-place Rockets, the Grizzlies also came through in clutch time to jump Denver for 2nd in the West.
Grizzlies 105, Magic 104: Orlando’s 2nd-ranked defense held Memphis’ league-leading offense 17 points below its season average (122.8). But it was the Grizzlies’ defense that secured the dub after an epic rally. | Recap
- The Surge: Down 19 in the 3rd, the Grizz used a 23-2 run to set up a thrilling 4th, where a clutch layup from Ja Morant (23 pts, 5 ast) and a Desmond Bane free-throw gave them the lead with 45 ticks left
- The Stand: Memphis then got back-to-back stops, capped by Jaren Jackson Jr.’s game-sealing block at the buzzer for a timely win after two straight losses
2. EAST STREAKS: CAVS DOMINATE, PISTONS & BUCKS DUB AGAIN
In a heavyweight East bout, the conference leaders let it fly – and sent a message.
Cavaliers 142, Knicks 105: Leading the league in 3-point percentage, the Cavs shot 51.4% from deep (19-37) – Cleveland’s second-highest mark of the season – to take a 77-50 halftime lead on the way to an emphatic win, marking its sixth in a row. | Recap
- Spida Spark: Donovan Mitchell dropped 24 of his game-high 27 points before the break, while Evan Mobley finished with 21
- Depth Shines: Led by Ty Jerome (19), Cleveland’s bench outscored New York’s 70-30 – tied for its highest-scoring game this season
- NY Duo: Jalen Brunson (26) and Karl-Anthony Towns (23) combined for 49 points in the loss – the Knicks’ largest of the season
Don’t look now, but two more East contenders are heating up.
Pistons 125, Spurs 110: The Pistons are purring. Cade Cunningham (25 pts, 12 ast) and Jalen Duren (21 pts, 15 reb, 5 assists, 2 posters) each posted double-doubles to power Detroit past De’Aaron Fox (27 pts, 5 ast) and the Spurs for its fifth straight win — all by 10+ pts. | Recap
Bucks 104, Wizards 101: Kyle Kuzma posted 19 points in his return to D.C., while his trade partner, Khris Middleton, scored 12 in his first game with the Wiz, which saw the Bucks escape for their third win in a row, despite Giannis (18 pts) fouling out. | Recap‘
3. ROUNDUP: WARRIORS & THUNDER STAY HOT, KYRIE & HERRO COOK
Another dub for the new-look Dubs.
Warriors 132, Kings 108: DeMar DeRozan was cooking (34 pts, 6 ast), but Golden State’s balance was too much as Buddy Hield (22), Moses Moody (22), Brandin Podziemski (21) and Steph Curry (20) all ordered 20-pieces to outpace Sacramento in the NorCal Rivalry. | Recap
- Steph & Jimmy: Curry added 6 assists and 2 steals, while Jimmy Butler finished with 17 points, 7 dimes and 3 swipes, improving to 4-1 as a duo
Thunder 130, Jazz 107: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (21), Chet Holmgren (20) and Jalen Williams (18) combined for 59 points, and the Thunder splashed 19 3s to open their 2nd half of the season with a wire-to-wire win over the Jazz. | Recap
- Back Ballin’: OKC is now 8-1 in their last 9 outings after seeing their 7-game win streak end in Minnesota before the All-Star break
- Driveway Dreams: JDub swapped jerseys with his younger brother Cody in their first NBA game against one another
Mavericks 111, Pelicans 103: Kyrie Irving put on a scoring clinic, splashing five 3s en route to 35 points, while P.J. Washington tallied 24 to lift the Mavs over Zion Williamson (29 pts) and the Pels, marking Dallas’ third straight win and its fifth in six games. | Recap
- Kai Clicking: Amid the Mavs’ 5-1 stretch, Irving (5 GP) is averaging 27.8 ppg while shooting 43.6% from 3
- “Kai is the true leader for this team,” said Washington postgame. “He’s encouraging guys to take the right shot. He’s talking out defense. He’s talking out offense … it just makes everybody’s game elevate.”
Heat 120, Raptors 111 (OT): RJ Barrett (29 pts) helped Toronto erase a 14-point deficit to force OT, but Tyler Herro wouldn’t be denied, turning in 28 points and 7 dimes, capped by a clutch and-1 in the extra frame to help Miami pull away, halting a 4-game slide. | Recap
4. NUGGETS vs. LAKERS LEADS 3-GAME WEEKEND ON ABC
Nikola Jokić’s resume is already a mile high, but if you ask Nuggets coach Michael Malone, the reigning Kia MVP has taken his game to even greater heights this season.
“A guy who’s been a three-time MVP, a Finals MVP and a world champion, and he’s playing the best basketball of his life,” said Malone on Wednesday – Jokić’s birthday. “As Nikola turns 30, this is the best he’s ever played.”
- This season, Jokić is averaging a career-high 29.7 points and 10.2 dimes, along with 12.7 boards – ranking 3rd in scoring, 2nd in assists and 3rd in rebounds
- No other player ranks in the top 20 in all three categories
And the Joker’s numbers have translated to wins, as Denver is riding a season-best nine-game win streak, surging to 3rd in the West.
But tonight on ABC (8:30 ET), the Nuggets’ streak will be put to the test against Luka Dončić, LeBron James and the new-look Lakers, opening a fresh chapter in a budding rivalry that’s leaned toward Denver of late.
- In the 2023 Playoffs, Denver swept Los Angeles in the West Finals on its way to its first NBA title in franchise history
- In the 2024 Playoffs, the Nuggets ended the Lakers’ season again, bouncing them in five games in the First Round
- In the regular season, it’s been a similar story, as Denver has won the last five meetings between the two sides
Against the Purple & Gold, Jokić has been golden, averaging 27.5 pts, 13.9 reb and 10.0 ast in their 17 meetings since 2022-23, including seven triple-doubles.
But it’s not just about the numbers – it’s the mastery with which he gets there, seemingly always having an answer no matter what the Lakers throw his way.
Double the defenders? Triple the trouble when you’re guarding 15.
And after 23 seconds of perfect defense, the Joker can save possessions with his ace – a patented over-the-head shot…
…which the Lakers have seen plenty of times before.
And while defenders can only shake their heads, Jokić has eyes in the back of his.
“He sees plays before they happen,” said James on Jokić after their 2023 Playoff duel. “There’s not many guys in our league like that … He’s special.”
Two of the game’s greatest distributors, Jokić and LeBron always seem to deliver when they share the floor. Now, another all-time maestro enters the rivalry in Dončić. Can he help the Lakers turn the tide?
Lakers-Nuggets tips off a huge weekend of hoops on ABC, with the Knicks visiting TD Garden on Sunday, before Klay Thompson returns to the Bay for the second time this season.
- Sunday (1 ET, ABC): Knicks at Celtics
- Sunday (3:30 ET, ABC): Mavs at Warriors
5. SATURDAY ON LEAGUE PASS: RISING GUARDS & PLAYOFF STAKES
Plenty more basketball is at hand Saturday, with four matchups on League Pass.
Suns at Bulls (5 ET): With Phoenix and Chicago amid four- and five-game skids, both are looking to turn the tides entering their first meeting this season. Kevin Durant has averaged 31.0 ppg in three of those contests, with his team eyeing the final Play-In spot out West.
- Dangerous: The Bulls nearly knocked off the Knicks in a 113-111 OT loss on Thursday after defeating them twice earlier this season
Nets at 76ers (7:30 ET): The good times are rolling in Brooklyn – winning 6 of its last 8 – as the club has stepped up defensively, leading the league in DefRtg and points allowed during that span. Meanwhile, the Sixers will look to snap a six-game skid.
Rockets at Jazz (9:30 ET): A duel between rising guards takes center stage as Houston’s Amen Thompson and Utah’s Isaiah Collier face off, with the Rockets looking to build on Friday’s win over the Wolves.
- Thompson and Collier both entered the starting lineup on Jan. 5 and have since put up 16.5 ppg/9.7 rpg/5.4 apg and 11 ppg/8.8 apg, respectively
Hornets at Blazers (10 ET): Miles Bridges has stolen the show in Charlotte with three 29+ point games in his last five outings after hitting that mark just once before the New Year.
- Off Trail: On the other side, the 13th-place Blazers have come back down to the earth with four straight losses after winning 10 of their previous 11 contests
- What’s Changed? Defense, in a big way. During its run, Portland boasted the league’s best DefRtg (104.7). Across its last four, it ranks 28th (121.8). Can Portland get back to its winning ways tonight?
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