Photo by Elsa/Getty Images
Tuesday had a five-game slate of all close contests
History is literally happening all around you everyday, and the NBA is included in that.
Tuesday night gave us LeBron moving up the all-time assists leaderboard (and closer to the scoring record) and LaMelo, a 6’8 playmaking master in his own right, becoming Charlotte’s franchise leader in triple doubles. Jokic, meanwhile, continues to solidify his own case for an MVP three-peat.
Plus, with teams like the Heat, our first winner of the night, and the Clippers both climbing up the standings at steady paces, the ramp-up into the playoffs is going to be so fun on both sides of the NBA.
Miami endures late push from Cleveland in 100-97 win
The Heat fell behind 16-5 to start the game, but Jimmy Butler responded in a big way, scoring 11 of Miami’s next 13 points on his way to a game-high 23 (6-16 FG). Bam Adebayo and Caleb Martin each added 18-point double doubles while Martin also contributed to Miami vastly outshooting Cleveland from deep. He shot 4-5 while they shot 14-31 (45.2%) as a team compared with Cleveland’s 11-40 (27.5%).
Most of the poor three-point shooting can be placed on the shoulders of the All-Star backcourt between Donovan Mitchell (3-13) and Darius Garland (2-7). They each finished with 16 points for the second-most on the team behind new-age Tim Duncan himself, Evan Mobley. The second-year big finished with 19 points (9-15 FG), seven rebounds, four assists, and two blocks (team-high +16), but disappeared as a scorer down the stretch, taking just two shots in the fourth.
Lakers spoil primetime night at MSG with 129-123 overtime win over Knicks
LeBron James, with a 28/10/11 triple double, passed Mark Jackson and Steve Nash on the all-time assists list to place him at 4th all-time with 10,339 in his career. He’s now roughly 900 behind his close friend, Chris Paul. James is also just 89 points from topping Kareem Abdul-Jabbar the all-time scoring record.
James was clutch down the stretch of this game, accounting 11 for of the Lakers’ final 19 points. It was just enough to overcome 60 combined points from Jalen Brunson and Julius Randle and a 16/13 double double from Isaiah Hartenstein.
Clippers eliminate early Bulls’ lead in 108-103 win
Vuc hits his threes and the Bulls are kinda good. Vuc misses his threes and the Bulls are kinda bad. I swear it’s only slightly more nuanced than this.
— Ricky O’Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) February 1, 2023
Nikola Vucevic shot 3-4 from three in the first quarter where the Bulls were +12, but he was 0-2 the rest of the way, where the Bulls were -17. Kawhi Leonard was the game’s leading scorer with 33 points while defending his tail off, getting five steals and two blocks.
Bucks handle Hornets 124-115
It won’t come as a surprise to anyone that Giannis Antetokounmpo posted 34 points and 18 rebounds on really good efficiency (14-24 FG) in a win the same way it won’t come as a surprise to anyone that LaMelo Ball showed out — 27/10/11 triple double, his second of the season — despite a loss.
Jokic can’t stop being awesome as Nuggets beat Pelicans 122-113
Up to 16 triple doubles in 44 games this season, Jokic (26/18/15) has become a model of consistency, flanked by 32 points (10-21 FG) from Jamal Murray, who’s tied a season-best streak of four games with at least 20 points.
The Nuggets have dominated the West — 2.5 games up on #2 and 6.0 games up on #3 — but they seem insistent on moving Bones Hyland, who’s interested in a larger role. I personally can’t imagine that there’s an outcome that involves moving off of Bones and getting better for this potential championship run.
The Pelicans, meanwhile, are reeling in a major way, having lost a league-worst nine games in a row and falling from 3rd in the West to 10th in a little over two weeks. Zion Williamson, who’s been out for 15 games with a hamstring injury that will be re-evaluated in about a week, is really starting to make his absence felt.
