Twenty teams hit the court on Friday and the most entertaining game of the night emerged from New Orleans.
The Pelicans outlasted the Mavericks 114-112, with the cornerstones for both clubs putting on a show. All-Star forward Anthony Davis dropped a season-high 48 points and 17 rebounds for New Orleans, while talented rookie Luka Doncic went off for a career-high 34 points and seven 3-pointers in Dallas’ loss.
As scintillating as the battle was, was more thrilling action left on the table?
Down 111-109 with 1:18 left in the fourth quarter, the Mavericks turned to Doncic, who drained a deep 3-pointer for the lead over All-Defensive first team member Jrue Holiday. Moments later, Davis’ three-point play — a fall-away jumper from the baseline plus free throw — gave New Orleans the 114-112 lead.
With four seconds left and the Mavericks down by two, everyone watching couldn’t be faulted for assuming the ball would wind up in the hands of Doncic. Instead, the play design didn’t appear to feature the Slovenian rookie at all — the inbounds pass went to second-year guard Dennis Smith Jr., who didn’t get a shot off before time expired, leaving Doncic noticeably frustrated.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle stepped into the decision after the game. “I take responsibility for the last play,” per ESPN’s Tim MacMahon. “That’s on me, the fact that it was unsuccessful.”
Doncic’s nascent NBA career has been replete with clutch shots — he’s currently shooting 55 percent from the field and 41 percent from deep during the last five minutes of games within five points. Out of the 12 players with at least 60 points in clutch time — a list that includes James Harden, LeBron James and Kevin Durant — the early Rookie of the Year frontrunner has been the most efficient.
With the ball not touching his hands for the last shot on Friday, it feels as though we may have been robbed of another memorable “Halleluka” moment.
Nonetheless, the Pelicans snapped their five-game losing streak behind a monster game from Davis. The prodigious power forward showed everyone why he’s so coveted (it was reported earlier in the day that the league sent a memo to teams subtly saying to stop tampering with him).
He now has nine career games with at least 45 points and 15 rebounds, the most since the NBA/ABA merger in 1976-77. Shaquille O’Neal is next with seven games of its kind.
Doncic, at 19 years old, became the youngest player in NBA history to make seven 3-pointers in a game.
*Programming Note: Mavericks vs. Pelicans re-airs on NBA TV at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday*
Bringing out the receipts
Players present their quibbles to referees during breaks rather frequently, but it’s not often they provide the official with film on a tablet.
Down by 22 points in the fourth quarter against the Pacers, Blake Griffin brought his gripe and device to referee J.T. Orr and vehemently shared his complaint.
Either that or he was showing him why Bird Box is actually good.
How’s this for film?
A tablet won’t do this play justice.
Pistons coach Dwane Casey should blow this up on a projector tomorrow…
Walking in like…
This is next-level stuff. Set to sit his second game with a strained groin, LeBron James showed up to the arena with a glass of wine.
LeBron showed up to the game with a glass of wine pic.twitter.com/MA9mY3GXUz
— ESPN (@espn) December 29, 2018
The basics…
Andrew Wiggins couldn’t stop smiling at the fact he somehow left his jersey in the locker room.
https://twitter.com/fsnorth/status/1078821198555885568%20
Later, Timberwolves fans couldn’t stop booing him. He missed four different free throws in overtime and Minnesota lost 123-120 to Atlanta.
And that smile from earlier? Vanished.
Wiggins' face when he missed this FT pic.twitter.com/1zBtRuD9PG
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) December 29, 2018
Wiggins responded to the boos after the game. “That’s fans for you,” he said, per The Athletic’s Jon Krawczynski. “We’ve got some [expletive] fans and we’ve got some good fans. That’s just how it works.”
Vintage Parker
The score was within single digits when the Nets and Hornets began the fourth quarter, and at that time, Charlotte’s veteran Tony Parker had just two points. The French point guard caught fire in the frame, scoring 15 of the Hornets’ final 18 points. He burned Brooklyn’s defense with classic drives to the rim and pull-up jumpers and finished with a total of 17 points in the quarter on 8-for-10 shooting as Charlotte won 100-87.
Vucevic schools Raptors
Nikola Vucevic continues to make his case as an All-Star, posting 30 points, 20 rebounds and eight assists in Orlando’s 116-87 shellacking of Toronto.
Nikola Vucevic becomes the ninth #NBA player since 1975-76 to record 30+ points, 20+ rebounds and 8+ assists in a single game (Cousins, Lee, Duncan, Nowtizki, Barkley, English, Abdul-Jabbar, McGinnis).
(credit @bball_ref)#PureMagic pic.twitter.com/SSxLeBuw1X
— Orlando Magic PR (@Magic_PR) December 29, 2018
http://twitter.com/Magic_PR/status/1078842787234226181
Vucevic dominated against former teammate Serge Ibaka and helped snap the Magic’s four-game losing streak. The eighth-year center even grabbed a rebound with one hand while boxing out before dunking it home.
The Raptors, who were without Kyle Lowry, fell to second-place in the East.
Wade gives Bosh jersey
LeBron James received his signed, game-worn jersey from Dwyane Wade earlier this month. The other member of the Heat’s Big Three, Chris Bosh, was blessed with his on Friday.
Sunset vice style.
A signed ✍️⚡️ @dwyanewade #SunsetVice jersey for @chrisbosh! pic.twitter.com/FKqNyYely0
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) December 29, 2018
Lou troll
Lou Williams poured in a season-high 36 points off the bench in the Clippers’ 118-107 win over the Lakers. He drilled the dagger 3 in the face of Lance Stephenson, then mocked Stephenson’s air-playing guitar celebration.
Crossover of the Night
Ankle-breaker in South Beach!
