In Oklahoma City, the Lakers ended their four-game losing streak with a 129-120 win over the Thunder, following their recent struggles after winning the first in-season tournament. The victory was largely attributed to an outstanding performance by Lebron James.
Lakers coach Darvin Ham made changes to his lineup, starting Jarred Vanderbilt instead of D’Angelo Russell to prioritize defensive effort. However, it was NBA’s leading scorer, Lebron James who led the way, scoring 15 of his 40 points in the fourth quarter as the Lakers effectively prevented the Thunder from rallying back from a 26-point deficit. Anthony Davis contributed 26 points and 11 rebounds, while Rui Hachimura added 21 points off the bench for the Lakers, who totaled 37 assists and made 16 three-pointers.
Brooklyn Nets 126, Detroit Pistons 115
Detroit, a well-known basketball team that won NBA championships in 1989, 1990, and 2004, has not secured a victory since October 28th. Mikal Bridges led the Nets with 29 points, six rebounds, and seven assists, while seven players on the team scored in double figures. Jaden Ivey contributed 23 points, and Cade Cunningham added 22 for the Pistons. Brooklyn dominated in the paint with a 62-42 scoring advantage and also had an 18-9 lead in second-chance points. The Nets took control early and never trailed after the first quarter. Although the Pistons were within six points late in the third quarter, the Nets went on a 15-0 scoring run to secure the win.
Milwaukee Bucks 130, New York Knicks 111
In New York, Giannis Antetokounmpo led Milwaukee to a 130-111 win over the Knicks, extending the Bucks’ winning streak to seven games. The Greek standout scored 28 points and contributed seven rebounds and seven assists, while Bobby Portis came off the bench to score 23 points and grab a team-leading 11 rebounds for the Bucks, who now have a 22-7 record.
Denver Nuggets 102, Charlotte Hornets 95
In Charlotte, the Nuggets secured a 102-95 win over the Hornets by dominating the third quarter. Michael Porter Jr. contributed 22 points, while Nikola Jokic had 18 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists before fouling out. Denver outscored the Hornets 30-9 in the third quarter, leading to their fourth consecutive victory. Despite trailing by six at halftime, the Nuggets started the third quarter with a 25-1 run, preventing the Hornets from scoring a basket until the final minute of the period.
Golden State Warriors 126, Portland Trail Blazers 106
The Golden State Warriors secured their fifth consecutive win with a 126-106 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, led by Klay Thompson’s 28 points and Stephen Curry’s 27 points.
Memphis Grizzlies 125, Atlanta Hawks 119
The Memphis Grizzlies have won three consecutive games since Ja Morant’s return from a 25-game suspension, defeating the Hawks 125-119 in Atlanta. Desmond Bane put up 37 points and Morant contributed 30 points along with 11 assists for the Grizzlies. They held off a strong performance from Atlanta’s Trae Young, who recorded a double-double with 30 points and 13 assists. This marked Young’s seventh consecutive game achieving at least 30 points and 10 assists, equaling Oscar Robertson’s record for the longest streak of this kind.
Dallas Mavericks 144, San Antonio Spurs 119
Luka Doncic of the Dallas Mavericks scored 39 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, and made 10 assists in a triple-double performance. He then sat out the fourth quarter as the Mavericks secured a 144-119 win over the San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs were missing Victor Wembanyama for the game.
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