The Mecca’s rocking, and the Knicks are rolling.
New York eyes its sixth straight win and an 8-0 start at MSG to open tonight’s ESPN doubleheader.
5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀
Tuesday Takeovers: A Sixers surge, Chet’s perfect night and another Joker ace
Roundup: Knicks protect home court, Raptors respond, Jazz hit every note
Tonight On ESPN: Two generational scorers collide, Magic visit streaking Knicks
Motown Revival: From last to first – how Cade & Detroit found their edge
Big Stage: How Jokić, Wemby & Giannis dominate in three distinct ways
BUT FIRST … ⏰
Twelve games tip off tonight, led by an ESPN doubleheader as the Magic meet the Knicks at MSG (7 ET), before Luka and the Lakers visit SGA and the defending champs (9:30 ET).
New-Look ASG: The 2026 NBA All-Star Game will feature a new U.S. vs. World round-robin tournament with three teams battling across four mini-games at LA’s Intuit Dome.
City Edition Jerseys Unveiled: The 2025-26 Nike NBA City Edition uniforms are here, with fresh takes on fan-favorite classics.
1. TUESDAY TAKEOVERS: PHILLY FINISHES, CHET & SHAI ROLL, JOKIĆ COOKS
Three meetings this season.
Three final-minute wins.
All decided by less than three points.
76ers 102, Celtics 100: Kelly Oubre Jr’s go-ahead putback with 8.7 seconds left proved to be the game-winner, as Derrick White (18 pts, 5 reb, 7 ast, 2 blk) missed a deep 3 in response, and Neemias Queta couldn’t redirect it in. | Recap
- Back-and-Forth: The game saw 10 2nd-half lead changes, with five in the 4th quarter. Philly used a 16-4 run to take control for the final two minutes
- Hot Hand: That run was keyed by leading scorer Justin Edwards (season-high 22 pts, 5-of-6 3PM), who was 3-3 from deep in the 4th before his only miss became Oubre’s winner
- Team Leaders: Tyrese Maxey added 21 pts, 5 reb, and 9 ast, while Joel Embiid was out with knee soreness
- Gold Standard: Jaylen Brown led the Celtics with 24 pts, 6 reb, and 5 ast in Boston’s new City Edition jerseys
A perfect night from the field kept the Thunder a perfect 5-0 at home, and an NBA-best 11-1.
Thunder 126, Warriors 102: Chet Holmgren (23 pts, 11 reb) went 9-for-9, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (28 pts, 5 reb, 11 ast, 3 stl) led all scorers in just 3 quarters, and the Thunder held the Warriors to their second-lowest scoring outing of the season. | Recap
- Holmgren’s History: Chet is the first player in OKC franchise history to record 20+ pts and 10+ reb with 100 FG% in a game
- SGA Posts: Shai extended his 20+ pt game streak to 84 games, the third-longest in history, with a historic showdown against Luka Dončić tonight
- Weathering Warriors: Steph Curry (11 pts) returned from illness but was limited with foul trouble. Jonathan Kuminga’s 13 pts led all Dubs scorers
Nikola Jokić makes history even when it’s not a triple-double.
Scoring is what Denver needed from him last night, as his season-high 35 points closed out the Kings and NBC’s Coast 2 Coast Tuesday.
Nuggets 122, Kings 108: Leading by one, Denver dropped a 37-pt 4th quarter to pull away, with Joker (15 reb, 7 ast, 2 stl) leading all scorers in his stat showdown with Russell Westbrook (14 pts, 8 reb, 11 ast). | Recap
- Still Historic: Jokić collected his 26th 35+ pt, 15+ reb, 5+ ast game, passing Giannis (for now) for 4th-most in NBA history
- Gold On A Roll: Jamal Murray (23 pts, 8 ast) and Aaron Gordon (17 pts, 7 reb) flanked Jokić for Denver’s 5th straight win
- Co-Kings: Domantas Sabonis (19 pts, 8 reb) and Drew Eubanks (19 pts, 7 reb) shared top scoring duties for Sacramento
2. ROUNDUP: KNICKS EXTEND STREAK, RAPTORS REBOUND, JAZZ ERUPT
New threads, same results.
Knicks 133, Grizzlies 120: Jalen Brunson notched his fifth 30-piece this season (32 pts, 10 ast), Karl-Anthony Towns added a double-double of his own (21 pts, 13 reb) and New York outpaced Ja Morant (16 pts, 10 ast) and Memphis for its fifth straight win, improving to 7-0 at MSG. | Recap
- Garden Blooming: It’s the Knicks’ best home start since 2012-13, when they went unbeaten at MSG until Dec. 17
- Broadway Buckets: Amid the win streak, they’ve poured in 130.2 ppg, while shooting 42.9% from 3
Raptors 119, Nets 109: After losing in Philly, Toronto resumed its winning ways as Brandon Ingram (25 pts, 5 reb, 4 ast) and Immanuel Quickley (24 pts, 8 reb, 5 ast) led the Raptors over the Nets for their fifth win in six games. | Recap
- Dino Defense: The Raptors have held their opponents under 110 pts in every win amid the 5-1 stretch
- Notorious Scoring: Michael Porter Jr. and Nic Claxton each scored 21 pts to lead the Nets, who debuted their Biggie-inspired City Edition jerseys
The Jazz didn’t just find their rhythm last night – they composed a symphony.
Jazz 152, Pacers 128: For just the sixth time in franchise history, Utah eclipsed 150 points, finishing 2 shy of its single-game record (154) as Lauri Markkanen (35 pts, 5 3s) led eight scorers in double figures to beat Pascal Siakam (27 pts) and the Pacers. | Recap
- Contagious: Ace Bailey (20 pts, 4 3s) and Svi Mykhailiuk (20 pts, 3 3s) combined for 40 points and 7 triples as Utah went 19-of-42 (45.2%) from deep, halting a 3-game slide
3. TONIGHT ON ESPN: SHAI DUELS LUKA, MAGIC VISIT KNICKS
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, the reigning Kia MVP and NBA champion.
Luka Dončić, a five-time All-NBA First Team honoree.
Combined, they’re two of the game’s modern greats, turning basketball into a spectacle on any given night. And tonight, one court now plays host to both of them
Tonight (9:30 ET, ESPN), the Thunder welcome the Lakers in a clash of superstars. Dončić (37.1 ppg) and SGA (32.8 ppg) each rank in the top-3 for scoring this season, and their latest meeting brings some serious history with it.
- Historic Duel: Luka and Shai enter tonight averaging a combined 69.9 ppg – the highest for any head-to-head matchup (min. 5 GP) since Elgin Baylor & Rick Barry in 1966
- Cream Of The Crop: They’re also the NBA’s top two scorers since 2022-23 — 32 ppg in 193 games and 31.5 ppg in 231 games, respectively
Balanced Battles: Shai holds a slight edge in the head-to-head series, winning seven of their 13 regular-season matchups. But in the 2024 West Semis, Dončić emerged, 4-2.
- Buckets: Of the two superstars, Gilgeous-Alexander has been a more efficient shooter in their all-time matchups, boasting a 50.1 FG% and 35.5 3P%
- Balance: Dončić, though, has the edge in overall production with 28.7 points, 8.6 rebounds and 8.2 assists per game
- Showtime: Which superstar will take over tonight?
Earlier in the evening, the Knicks will try to fend off a visiting opponent when the Magic come to town (7 ET, ESPN).
They’re one of five squads who remain undefeated at home, but the only team to reach 7-0 in that regard.
- Garden Of Eden: New York owns a 124.5 OffRtg (1st), 41.1% 3-point percentage (4th), 107.2 DefRtg (5th) and averages 125 ppg (4th) at home
- Magic Moment: Orlando comes in two days removed from Desmond Bane’s buzzer-beating dagger, looking to start a streak of its own
- Rabbit In His Hat: Bane tallied 22 points Monday, his second with 20+ in his last three outings, as he continues to get comfortable with a new team
- “You need those moments throughout the season,” Bane said. “Close games that you win, close games that you lose. They all matter and lead to something bigger down the road.”
4. ON LEAGUE PASS: DETROIT SEEKS 8TH STRAIGHT DUB vs. CHICAGO
Dec. 21, 2023. The shortest day of the year was one of Detroit’s longest.
The Pistons had just lost on their home floor to the shorthanded Jazz, falling to 2-26.
It was their 25th straight loss – one shy of the NBA single-season record. But Cade Cunningham refused to waver.
- “We’re not 2-26 bad. No way,” said Cunningham postgame. “So yes, I think we can turn it around. I think we can play a lot better brand of basketball.”
That, they have.
Detroit finished 2023-24 in dead last – 50 games back of 1st place in the East. A season later, it tripled its win total. Now, it sits atop the conference at 9-2 – its best start since 2005.
The key? The brand of basketball Cunningham envisioned — the same one that’s defined Detroit’s greatest teams: grit, defense and togetherness.
- “Everything that we do is together,” said coach J.B. Bickerstaff after Monday’s win. “It’s top to bottom. These guys are doing whatever it takes to win.”
That sacrifice starts defensively.
Detroit boasts the 4th-best DefRtg in the NBA, holding five of its last seven opponents to 110 points or fewer – sparking a seven-game win streak that’s on the line tonight against the Bulls (7 ET, LP).
- Motown Muscle: The Pistons are the only team this season ranked top-5 in opponent field goal percentage (No. 2), forced turnovers (4) and rebounds (2)
- Rising Force: One reason why? Jalen Duren, who joins Victor Wembanyama as the only players averaging 15+ pts, 12+ reb+, 1+ stl and 1+ blk
- Two-Way Problem: That includes six double-doubles amid Detroit’s seven-game streak and 22.9 ppg on 67.5% shooting
- Two-Man Trouble: His distribution source? Cunningham, who has connected with Duren for 29 assists and 13 alley-oops – both the most of any NBA duo
While Duren’s developed into a beast, Cunningham continues to rise to superstardom, averaging a 30/10 double-double (31.1 ppg, 11.1 apg), with 25+ pts and 10+ ast in each of his last four games – the longest streak in franchise history.
But Cade’s not just the engine. He’s the constant. The tone-setter for Detroit’s grit, growth and revival.
- “Unbelievable player. Unbelievable person,” said Bickerstaff of Cunningham last week. “Great teammate. Great leader. Everything you want in a No. 1 guy, Cade’s it.”
5. MORE ON LEAGUE PASS: SUPERSTAR BIGS TAKE CENTER STAGE
Creation. Protection. Domination.
Jokić. Wemby. Giannis – three of the top four players on the Kia MVP Ladder, all reshaping the role of the modern big.
And they’re all in action tonight on League Pass.
Note: All advanced stats reflect numbers entering Tuesday.
Nuggets at Clippers (10:30 ET): Averaging a triple-double (26.2 pts, 13.2 reb, 11.4 ast), Jokić leads the NBA with 55.7 front-court touches per game – but takes just 1.2 dribbles per touch. Why? Because he doesn’t have to.
- Master Of Motion: While Jokić leads the league in passes per game (74.4), Denver ranks 1st in cut frequency, resulting in an NBA-best 30.2 apg – with over a third coming from the Joker
- Flow State: With constant movement orbiting one of the game’s greatest playmakers, the Nuggets generate 77.9 ppg off assists, powering the league’s No. 2 scoring offense
- One Reason? Easy buckets, as they lead the league in 2-point field goals off zero dribbles
(Above:) Scoring an NBA-best 16.6 ppg off cuts, the Nuggets initiate their action through Jokić, who’s assisted on 50.7% of their baskets when on the floor.
Warriors at Spurs (8 ET): Golden State keeps the ball spinning, ranking 4th in passes made with a 69.3% assist rate. But tonight, it faces a defensive puzzle few have solved: Victor Wembanyama.
- The Wall: Leading the league in blocks, Wemby has held opponents to just 56.2% shooting inside the restricted area and 34.6% on paint attempts outside the RA
- The Effect: But it’s not just the swats – it’s the shots he scares off entirely. Teams only average 24.8 FGA inside the RA against San Antonio, converting at just 60.5% – the 4th-lowest mark in the NBA
- The Result: The Spurs own the league’s 5th-best DefRtg – one that improves by 16.7 points with Wemby on the floor
(Above:) A dribble handoff springs Patrick Williams, but he hesitates with Wemby switched onto him. He then dumps it to Vucević — only for Wemby to recover in a single stride for the block.
Bucks at Hornets (7 ET): Averaging a career-high 33.4 ppg on 62.9% shooting, Giannis’ early-season tear stems from his downhill strength, leading the league in fast-break points (6.6) and points in the paint (23.1).
But it’s not just brute force – Giannis has refined his touch, unlocking a new dimension in the post.
- The Counter: Giannis’ post-up frequency has climbed to a career-high 16.4%, where he’s poured in 57 points – trailing only Jokić for the most of any player
- The Craft: On those post-ups, he’s shooting 68.6% — up 12.4% from last season – while showing off an expanded bag
(Above:) OG Anunoby meets Giannis shoulder-to-shoulder to match his power. The moment he leans in, Giannis spins by him – then has the footwork and body control to finish a tough reverse.
Six more games tip off on League Pass, including a Cavs-Heat encore (7:30 ET) after Monday’s instant classic, while the Rockets eye their seventh win in eight games as they host the Wizards (8 ET).
