Top Stories

• Hawks come back from down

• Jaden Ivey’s 4pt play downs Kings

• Has Indiana figured it out?

• NBA All Star 2025 voting is now live!

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Games of the day

Last Night’s Top Games! (link to the box scores of every game from yesterday)

Jalen Johnson had a career-high 30 points and the Atlanta Hawks rallied from a late 21-point deficit by scoring 50 points in the fourth quarter in a 141-133 win over the Chicago Bulls. Atlanta trailed 124-107 with 6:23 remaining in the game and used a 23-2 run to take its first lead since the first quarter. Johnson added 15 rebounds and Trae Young scored 27 points, surpassing the 11,000 career point mark, and added 13 assists as the Hawks won their second straight. Zach LaVine scored a season-high 37 points in the loss. Jevon Carter scored 19 of his 26 points in the first quarter as the Bulls lost their third straight despite shooting 54% (53 for 98) from the field.

Jaden Ivey converted a four-point play with 3 seconds left and the Detroit Pistons rallied past the struggling Sacramento Kings 114-113. With the Pistons trailing by three, Ivey made a 3-pointer in the right corner and was fouled by De’Aaron Fox. Ivey hit the free throw to cap a 19-point comeback in the second half. Fox missed a halfcourt shot at the buzzer. Cade Cunningham scored 33 points to lead the Pistons. Malik Beasley added 22 off the bench, including six 3-pointers. The Kings, who played without Domantas Sabonis (illness), led 68-53 at halftime after shooting 54% in the half. Fox led Sacramento with 26 points, and Trey Lyles had 20 off the bench. Lyles had 15 at halftime. He scored 13 unanswered points in the second quarter to spark a 17-4 run by the Kings, who jumped out to a 16-point lead in the period.

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League News

Around the League

• The Indiana Pacers looked like a different team than the one that reached the Eastern Conference Finals a season ago after a 10-15 start. A five-day break helped the Pacers returned to the court with a spark that ignited a winning streak and an improved 15-15 record. The play of Tyrese Haliburton has helped their cause. Haliburton is averaging 8.8 assists on the season and during this five-game winning streak, he is dishing out an average of 10.6 dimes per game. When Haliburton is distributing the ball well, the Pacers benefit. They are 10-3 this season when he records 10 or more assists, and 5-12 when he doesn’t. The Pacers are moving the ball well, leading them to a league-best 50.6% shooting from the field. The Pacers have begun to excel on both sides of the ball and if they can maintain their defensive output while Haliburton continues to create open looks for his teammates, they will continue to be a dangerous team to face. 

• Injury Updates: Kawhi Leonard (knee) is out indefinitely, but he practiced with the team this week and is getting closer to returning. James Wiseman tore his achilles and will be out indefinitely. Taylor Hendricks (leg and ankle) suffered a fractured fibia and dislocated ankle and will be out for the season. Paolo Banchero (oblique) has a tear and will be out indefinitely, and re-evaluated in 3-4 weeks. Isaiah Jackson (achilles) will be out for the season. Zion Williamson (hamstring) will be out multiple weeks. Chet Holmgren (hip) suffered a fracture and will be out 8-10 weeks. DeAnthony Melton (ACL) underwent surgery and will be out for the season. Grant Williams (ACL) suffered a tear and will be out for the season. Franz Wagner (oblique) has a tear and will be out at least 4 weeks. Luka Doncic (calf) will be out at least a month. We wish all these guys speedy and successful recoveries.

• Trade Updates: The Miami Heat traded Thomas Bryant to Indiana for a 2nd round pick. The Brooklyn Nets traded Dennis Schroder for DeAnthony Melton.

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NBA MVP Ladder

1. Nikola Jokić, Denver Nuggets

Last Ladder: No. 1
Season stats: 31.0 ppg, 13.0 rpg, 9.8 apg

His case: As the regular season approaches the all-important Christmas Day checkpoint, nobody else in the league ranks among the top three in scoring, rebounds and assists. It’s a historic start that still cannot be ignored and gives the ladder edge to “The Joker.”

And Jokić needed a historic start to hold off No. 2 on the ladder, coming off a great weekend spent in Las Vegas where he won a lot of money.

2. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Milwaukee Bucks

Last Ladder: No. 2
Season stats: 32.7 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 6.1 apg

His case: He was the biggest player in the biggest game of the year, the NBA Cup title match against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Typical of his play all season, Antetokounmpo was a giant at both ends of the floor, punishing OKC with downhill drives to the hoop and delivering key defensive stops.

Should he be No. 1? It’s a worthy debate, for sure. He’s that close. And maybe another solid week will put him over the top before the calendar flips to 2025 and the MVP Ladder takes an even more serious turn.

3. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Oklahoma City Thunder

Last Ladder: No. 3
Season stats: 30.5 ppg, 5.4 rpg, 6.3 apg

His case: Shai hauled the Thunder to the Emirates NBA Cup Championship; in the quarterfinals, he outplayed the Mavericks and Dončić, who got the best of him in last year’s playoffs.

Shai had his worst game of the season in the Cup Championship. That said, his season should hardly be confined to one sour night.

4. Luka Dončić, Dallas Mavericks

Last Ladder: No. 6
Season stats: 28.9 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 8.2 apg

His case: Dončić rebounded from a sub-par showing against Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder in the NBA Cup Knockout Rounds with one of the most impactful performances of anyone this season: a 45-11-13 line in a shootout win vs. the Warriors on Sunday.

Since returning from a wrist injury a few weeks ago, Dončić is averaging more than 30 points (on more efficient shooting), 10 rebounds, nine assists and two steals per game. That latter number is important because it shows some growth defensively, which until lately was an issue with him.

5. Jayson Tatum, Boston Celtics

Last Ladder: No. 4
Season stats: 28.3 ppg, 9.0 rpg, 5.5 apg

His case: He dropped 34 points on the Bucks last week to temporarily put a halt to Milwaukee’s surge, and was the most productive player on a floor shared with Antetokounmpo.

With a mildly competitive upcoming schedule between now and the end of the calendar year, Tatum could supersize his already impressive scoring, rebounds and assists numbers.

The Next 5:

6. Karl-Anthony Towns, New York Knicks
7. Anthony Davis, Los Angeles Lakers
8. Victor Wembanyama, San Antonio Spurs
9. Trae Young, Atlanta Hawks
10. Tyler Herro, Miami Heat

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Fantasy Leaders

Trae and Jalen become the latest teammates in the Top 3

Overtime Thoughts