Damian Lillard, Take A Bow

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Good morning, everyone! Let’s get one thing straight: that was the most exhilarating 72 hours of basketball in recent memory, right? Everywhere you looked, a buzzer-beater was being hit, (the two craziest ones didn’t even count) some team was breaking a record, and someone else was posting an insane statline. It was madness in the absolute best way possible. Why waste any more time? Let’s break it all down.

Today’s Lineup

Dame $ Is Delirious: Lillard put up absolute video game numbers last night.

You Can’t Handle The Jrue-th: Milwaukee hasn’t lost a game in 37 days.

EB Roundtable: Your assessments of your own hoop skills were fascinating.

PrizePicks

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Friday Scoring Frenzy

Hey, congrats. We heard you scored 25 points on Friday night in Los Angeles. Wait, you didn’t? Well, we would have believed you if you said you did, considering the Clippers and Kings combined for THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-ONE points! The final score was 176-175. No, it ACTUALLY was. The entire newsletter could be dedicated to how nutty this game was, but other games were played this weekend too, so we’ll simply let you watch the highlights. You will not regret it, that’s a promise.

Saturday’s Selection

The Saturday slate really got an unfair draw, considering what they had to follow. Regardless, we got some bangers. Mark Williams was sensational for the Hornets, posting 18 & 20 while joining some great company in the process. In Memphis, a balanced Grizzlies attack overwhelmed Denver in a lopsided showdown of the two best teams in the West. You never want to be attacked by Grizzlies, to be honest.

And to finish the night, a Philly/Boston thriller provided one of the more obscure endings you’ll ever see. Again, you just have to watch…

Sunday’s Best

No Giannis, no problem as Bucks top Suns 104-101

The last time Milwaukee (43-17) lost, we were all young, sprightly, and hopeful. Now—seemingly years later—we’re all grizzled and coarsened by the woes of everyday life…anyway, Jrue Holiday was sensational in this Sunday matinee, posting 33/4/5 and a huge strip on Suns star (33-29) Devin Booker in the game’s waning moments. Fourteen straight wins for Milwaukee. With all the talk of who people think the title favorites are, the Bucks are just going about their business like:

Box Score 

🧊 Trae freezes the Nets at the buzzer as Hawks win 129-127

After a Cam Johnson (27 points) corner three tied this game for the Nets (34-26) with under ten seconds left, Trae Young (34 points, eight assists) got to his spot and sent Hawks (31-30) fans home happy. Joe Prunty is undefeated as interim coach of the Atlanta Hawks. Box Score

Lakers erase massive deficit to beat Mavericks 111-108

Los Angeles (29-32) ran the oldest trick in the book on Sunday—the “get down 27 and lull your opponent to sleep, only to strike in the second half” strategy. How did Dallas (32-30) not see it coming? Jarred Vanderbilt (15/17/4 STL) was spectacular in the second half. Great trade. Box Score

Bulls pull away late, down Wizards 102-82

The Patrick Beverly effect is real! In their two games with the Chicago native on the roster, the Bulls (28-33) have given up 169 total points, which is less than two teams each scored in a game this weekend. Zach LaVine & DeMar DeRozan combined to shoot 22 for 33. Washington (28-32) meanwhile, went 6/28 from deep. Box Score

Fox stays hot, Kings beat Thunder 124-115

Though we didn’t get the great point guard matchup this game could have provided (SGA remains out with an abdomen injury), De’Aaron Fox still brought the energy and posted his seventh straight 30-piece. Sacramento (35-25) is right on Memphis’ heels for that two seed in the West. Isaiah Joe scored 24 for Oklahoma City (28-32). Box Score

Mitchell, Cavs roll past Raptors 118-93

Coming off three straight losses, this is the type of game that Cleveland (39-25) needed to have against a hot Toronto (30-32) team. Well, they got it, and in a big way. Donovan Mitchell hit eight threes, and Darius Garland dunked for the third time in his career. Great vibes all around. Box Score

Warriors reluctantly beat Timberwolves 109-104

“You take the win 😁…no, YOU take the win 😁“ was probably the conversation between these teams in the fourth quarter. Minnesota (31-32) scored three points in a six-minute stretch and let Golden State (31-30) take the lead, then Golden State turned it over twice in the final minute in an attempt to give the lead right back. Also, Naz Reid (30 points) turned into Willis Reed in the first half. A strange game all around. Box Score

Damian Lillard scores 71, Blazers beat Rockets 131-114

There are truly no words to describe Damian Lillard’s performance Sunday, so we’ll just give you the stats.

Seventy-one points. 13/22 three-pointers. 22/38 field goals. 14/14 free throws.

Fewest minutes ever in a 70-point game (39). Highest TS% in a 70-point game (80.4). Most points in a game in franchise history.

Lillard joins Kobe Bryant and Wilt Chamberlain as the only players in league history with at least five 60-point games. One of the best scorers of all time. Box Score

Jokic and Nuggets top Kawhi and Clippers 134-124 in nightcap

Just when you thought you could breathe after one of the most bonkers basketball weekends ever, Kawhi Leonard (33 points) and Nikola Jokic (40/17/10) started going back and forth, and you realized that, yes, the NBA got one more in them. Denver (43-19) eventually prevailed in OT, even though Paul George and LAC (33-30) pulled a Joel Embiid, which means they almost…you know what, just roll the tape again. Box Score

Okay. Now exhale.

EB Roundtable

Usually, the EB Roundtable consists of you wonderful Enjoyers talking about the NBA. But we took a little different route this week and asked you to look inward.

Picking just three answers was nearly impossible because you had us 💀 with all of your responses.

In all honesty, that might still be pretty good. Klay Thompson has probably shot about twelve million threes in his life, and the hoop doesn’t move! Just don’t go tumbling into the scorer's table, and you might still be able to get some buckets.

That seems like a good first step, anyway! Victor Wembanyama is about ready to take the NBA by storm, but he may have to go through Gabagool Burner first. It’s a scary proposition for anyone.

Confidence is key! We’re always saying that. We’re just going to take your word for it this time, Hayden.

Frozen Moments

• Former Kentucky teammates Malik Monk and De’Aaron Fox were lights out on Friday night.

• Hornets guard Dennis Smith Jr. gets way up for this nasty poster.

• KJ Martin, that should be illegal…

Good Reads

From Prague to Denver, Aaron Gordon and Nikola Jokic's friendship has led to success on the court - Kendra Andrews (ESPN)

How the NBA G League is at the Forefront of Basketball Innovation, from Player Development to Testing New Rules - Alex Squadron (SLAM Magazine)

What We’re Enjoying

Woody Banx: Support your local creative. Woody Banx is a Portland-based multi-talented artist who has created a colorful, warm universe within his works, brimming with wholly unique characters who all have stories of their own. He recently opened up his website @ woodybanx.com. Go enter the cottage, it’s very cozy in there.

How many rappers can you name in the collage below?

Signing Off

And that wraps things up over here! Remember last week when we had basically no NBA basketball? Let’s never do that again (until next year’s All-Star break.) Anyway, remember to get adequate rest this week. Your body deserves it! Talk soon.

-Quinn Everts

Trivia Answer: The Dubs’ leading scorer on that night over thirty years ago? Chris Mullin, who scored 38!

Before you go…