Nine games took place tonight (between Monday and Tuesday) in the best league in the world, and the Lakers were defeated without Anthony Davis and LeBron James in Phoenix, while Milwaukee beat New Orleans and Philadelphia survived a thriller against Toronto.
Tonight’s games in the NBA:
Cleveland Cavaliers (11:21) – Utah Jazz (16:17) 99:122
Philadelphia ’76 (12:17) – Toronto Raptors (18:13) 101:104
Atlanta Hawks (15:16) – Orlando Magic (21:11) 125:126
Houston Rockets (21:9) – San Antonio Spurs (20:10) 124:105
Minnesota Timberwolves (15:16) – Dallas Mavericks (16:15) 106:116
New Orleans Pelicans (12:18) – Milwaukee Bucks (8:22) 128:119
Oklahoma City Thunder (18:13) – Portland Trailblazers (14:17) 121:123
Phoenix Suns (12:19) – Los Angeles Lakers (17:13) 104:130
Sacramento Kings (12:16) – Charlotte Hornets (23:7)
New Orleans Pelicans (12:18) – Milwaukee Bucks (8:22) 128:119
Giannis Antetokounmpo returned after a one-game rest, and returned in a big way: against one of the best teams in the West, the Bucks star provided a great performance with 42 points (26 in the first half) and 10 rebounds, and led his team to its seventh consecutive victory. Brook Lopez added 30, Joe Ingles returned after 11 months and made his Milwaukee debut with 0 points in 15 minutes. The Pelicans, who are losing ground with their fourth straight loss, got 37 points from Jonas Valanciunas and 31 from CJ McCollum.
Phoenix Suns (12:19) – Los Angeles Lakers (17:13) 104:130
Without Anthony Davis, LeBron James and Russell Westbrook, it wasn’t really a force. Although the Suns were also missing six players, including Devin Booker, but Chris Paul delivered his best performance of the season with 28 points, five other players scored in double figures and the Suns won their third straight. Dennis Schroeder scored 30 for the loser, who also got 17 from Kendrick Nunn.
Oklahoma City Thunder (18:13) – Portland Trailblazers (14:17) 121:123
With all due respect to the game itself, which ended with a winning basket by the amazing Shai Gilges Alexander, the story that will be remembered from this night is Damian Lillard, who overtook Clyde Drexler to become Portland’s all-time scoring leader. History happened in the third quarter, with a 3-pointer that allowed the point guard to cross the 18,040 career point barrier, in 730 games. Lillard needed 21 points to break the record – he finished with 28, but, as mentioned, it was not enough against SGA, who finished with 35 points. Jeremy Grant added 26 for the loss.
Cleveland Cavaliers (11:21) – Utah Jazz (16:17) 99:122
Donovan Mitchell met the team that drafted him and traded him over the summer, providing 23 points in 23 minutes, leading the Cubs to their fourth straight win. Cleveland, with the best home record in the league (2:15), also got 22 from Jadi Osman and 20 from Jarrett Allen. Laurie Markkanen (24) and Jordan Clarkson (23) led from the other side.
RIP CITY BUCKETS ????
Damian Lillard passes Clyde Drexler as the Blazers’ all-time leading scorer ???? pic.twitter.com/1i1Hlg8RQU
— SportsCenter (SportsCenter) December 20, 2022
Philadelphia ’76 (12:17) – Toronto Raptors (18:13) 101:104
The Sixers continue the momentum, with a fifth victory in a row – and this time it went hard. A 1:19 run put the Raptors back in the game, and after Tobias Harris’ game-winning 3-pointer turned out to be one that was caught after legal time, the teams went to overtime. The same Harris again provided a big 3-pointer that ensured the victory, and arranged for the sinking guest a sixth consecutive loss, despite Pascal Siakam’s 38 points and 15 rebounds. Joel Embiid stood out with 28 points and 11 rebounds, Harris finished with 21.
Minnesota Timberwolves (15:16) – Dallas Mavericks (16:15) 106:116
Towards the end of the third quarter, Luka Doncic and Jason Kidd were sent off, for harsh claims against the refereeing team, and from there the Mavericks never came back – not with a short roster missing four rotation players, and also Dorian Finney Smith who was injured before the last quarter. Doncic scored 19 before the suspension (5 of 17 from the field), Spencer Dinwiddie led with 20, but it was not enough against Anthony Edwards’ 27 points, 13 rebounds and 9 assists. Naz Reed added 27 of his own and the Wolves won their third straight.