Basketball Intelligence For 1/6/25
The Thunder continue to roll, the Hornets have lost their sting, the league's least improved, and more...
*FEATURE OF THE DAY*
Reach out, not in
Katie Heindl, Basketball Feelings
TEAM NEWS
BOS: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander goes off against ice-cold Celtics, leads Thunder to 15th straight win: 8 takeaways
Tom Westerholm, Boston.com
On the other end, meanwhile, Gilgeous-Alexander looked every bit the MVP candidate he is billed as. The Celtics threw every defender they had at him, and Gilgeous-Alexander simply maneuvered his way around each one. At one point, Gilgeous-Alexander even appeared to pick on Jrue Holiday, which — for obvious reasons — isn’t a sentence we write often in this space. Defensively, Gilgeous-Alexander was very solid, and he even recorded an incredible chase-down block on Tatum late in the fourth. He finished with a game-high 33 points (11-for-23 shooting) and finished with 11 rebounds and six assists.
BOS: In what could have been an NBA Finals preview, it was the Thunder who taught the Celtics a hard lesson
Gary Washburn, The Boston Globe
BOS: Celtics unable to weather second-half Thunder storm; OKC wins 15th straight
Sherrod Blakely, Full Court Press Newsletter
BOS: A Stinker: 5 Takeaways From Celtics Loss to Thunder
Adam Taylor, Celtics Chronicle
BOS: Celtics growing a developmental pipeline in Maine
Adam Taylor, Yardbarker
CHA: Double trouble: How Charles Lee reacted to Hornets’ losing streak reaching double digits
Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer
CHA: Charlotte’s beloved adopted son is back. Why Kemba Walker wanted to return to Hornets
Roderick Boone, The News & Observer
DAL: Luka Dončić Injury Insight: Top Performance Coach Mike Robertson Details Calf Strain Recovery and Risks
Grant Afseth, Dallas Hoops Journal
DAL: On forgettable night, Quentin Grimes provided hope he can be third blade to Mavs’ blender
Brad Townsend, The Dallas Morning News
DET: J.B. Bickerstaff's willingness to challenge calls, refs has galvanized Detroit Pistons
Omari Sankofa II, Detroit Free Press
GSW: Curry looks fresh but lacks support in Warriors’ 30-point loss to Kings
Evan Webeck, The Mercury News
Defensively, the Warriors didn’t provide much resistance to a Kings team missing its leading scorer. In place of Fox (26.7 PPG), who was resting a sore hip, eight Kings players scored in double figures, including double-doubles from Damantas Sabonis (22 points, 13 rebounds) and Malik Monk (26 points, 12 assists).
“Point of attack, they were getting downhill on us and we’re having to help and then they’re spreading the floor,” Kerr said. “They’ve got shooting everywhere. They’ve built a team in the last couple years that can shoot from 1 through 4, so they spread us out and did a great job.”
HOU: Who are the Houston Rockets' 'Stay Ready Crew' and why they are more important than ever
Danielle Lerner, Houston Chronicle
HOU: The Rockets missed 'everything' from Amen Thompson. His return lifted Houston past the L.A. Lakers
Danielle Lerner, Houston Chronicle
IND: Pacers' starting five becoming one of NBA’s best, igniting Indiana's resurgence
Dustin Dopirak, Indianapolis Star
LAC: Kawhi not the only Clipper back on the court
Janis Carr, Orange County Register
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