Daily Dose of NBA with BN - Dec 25th
Celtics down Lakers, Curry struggles against Nuggets, AD's 40 not enough, Brunson's 38, Jaquez career-high, Luka's 50 ball, Knicks defeat Bucks, and Mavs take care of Suns in a five-game slate of Christmas Day basketball in the NBA.
Porzingis and Celtics hand Lakers Christmas Day defeat
The Boston Celtics squared off against historic rival Los Angeles Lakers on Christmas Day and walked away from Staples Center with a 126-115 victory.
The Celtics were on the last game of a grueling road trip but rose to the occasion following a hot first-quarter start to secure the win.
The Celtics opened up a 19-point advantage in the blink of an eye in the first 12 minutes, forcing the Lakers to play catch-up, mainly through the play of Anthony Davis.
The Lakers big man was excellent all night long in the losing effort, putting up 40 points and grabbing 13 rebounds to become the first Lakers player since Kobe Bryant in 2004 to have at least 40 points on Christmas Day.
Running partner LeBron James was unusually quiet with just 16 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists, but did clash knees with Jaylen Brown in the second period.
Kristaps Porzingis led the way for Joe Mazzulla's men, scoring 28 points and grabbing 11 boards in the win. The Celtics had plenty of steady contributors throughout the night, with Jayson Tatum also adding 25 points and the roster boasting six players in double figures.
Brunson explodes as Knicks get signature win over Bucks
The New York Knicks sent Madison Square Garden into a frenzy, beating Eastern Conference foe Milwaukee Bucks 129-122.
The Bucks went into the contest holding a seven-game winning streak, but Jalen Brunson and the Knicks ended it in front of their home crowd.
Brunson was by far the best player on the floor on the evening, sizzling for 38 points and six assists. Julius Randle added 24 points, RJ Barrett had 21, and Imannuel Quickly had a complimentary 20 off the bench in a signature win for the franchise.
Damian Lillard finished the game with 32 points and eight assists, while Giannis Antetokounmpo notched 32 points and 13 boards in the loss.
The win sees the Knicks improve to 17-12 on the campaign.
Curry struggles as Warriors fall to Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets kept within striking distance of the top seed in the Western Conference with a 120-114 win in the Mile High City.
Warriors superstar Stephen Curry had an uncharacteristic poor shooting night, going just seven-for-21 from the field and finishing the contest with 18 points. It was a tough offensive showing for the Dubs, who only had Andrew Wiggins over 20 points in their losing effort, as their struggles continue on the road.
Nuggets big man Nikola Jokic went a perfect 18-for-18 from the free throw line to finish the game with 26 points, 14 rebounds, and eight assists, while point guard Jamal Murray led all scorers with 28 points.
The win sees Denver improve to 22-10 on the year.
Jaquez and Heat hold off Sixers
The Miami Heat held off a furious comeback by the Philadelphia 76ers to prevail 119-113 in South Beach.
The matchup saw both teams head into the contest undermanned, as the Heat were without Jimmy Butler, and the 76ers did not have superstar big man Joel Embiid on the floor.
In an early avalanche, the Heat opened up a 19-point advantage early in the contest before Philly slowly but surely clawed their way back to even up the score heading into the final period.
Some clutch shot-making from Duncan Robinson, Kyle Lowry, and rookie Jamie Jaquez saw the Heat execute down the stretch and secure the win in what was a gallant effort from the Sixers without their main scorer.
Tyrese Maxey struggled from the floor for Nick Nurse's men, finishing the game with just 12 points on four-of-20 shooting from the field, while Tobias Harris notched 27 points and Kelly Oubre had 25 of his own.
Rookie sensation Jamie Jaquez was brilliant for the Heat in the starting lineup, finishing with a career-high 31 points and ten rebounds, while Bam Adebayo put up 26 points and 15 boards in the win.
The Heat improved to 18-12 with the victory.
Luka unstoppable as Mavs continue Suns woes
The Dallas Mavericks continued the Phoenix Suns' forgettable start to the season with a 128-114 win in the Valley.
The Suns were without Bradley Beal yet again, and they missed another scoring punch as both Kein Durant and Devin Booker struggled to shoot the ball on the evening.
As for the Mavs, who were without Kyrie Irving, they were led yet again by superstar Luka Doncic, who was unguardable in the victory.
The early MVP favorite was dominant, finishing the contest with a scorching 50 points, six assists, 15 assists, four steals, and three blocks.
Derrick Lively III chipped in with a solid 20 points and ten boards as the Mavs lifted to their 18th win of the campaign.
Tonight sees the nine-game slate in the association, with the Grizzlies clashing with the Pelicans, the Pacers meeting the Rockets, the Hawks facing the Bulls, and the Timberwolves locking horns with the Thunder.
Nightly Notables
