Donovan Mitchell's return to Utah

Plus, the Miami Heat break an unorthodox record

Author

Conor Geelan
January 11, 2023

Hey Enjoyers! It's hump day, so get pumped 💪, eh? We won't speak for you, but we are excited to talk hoops this morning because there is a BUNCH to cover.

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Newsletter Preview

A familiar tune 🎷 Donovan Mitchell gave another memorable performance in his return to Utah, but the Jazz had other plans...

Heating up at the FT line 🔥 The Miami Heat broke an unusual record...

Market Watch 📈 We give you a high-risk, high-reward team to "invest" in...

If you're a top high school prospect, which route are you taking?

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Yesterday's Games

Jazz spoil Mitchell's return to Utah 116-114

Last night's signature game was Enjoyable before it even started, with a beautiful tribute video highlighting Donovan Mitchell's greatest moments in a Jazz uniform. On the court, it was everything NBA fans could've wanted. In his first return to Utah since being traded this September, Spida rained in 46 points from all over the court in a valiant effort. Still, the Jazz (21-23) prevailed over the Cavaliers (26-16) behind Jordan Clarkson's 32 points and crucial shot-making down the stretch. Lauri Markkanen added 25 points, which makes retrospect of the Jazz offseason shenanigans even more complex.

Magic skim past Trail Blazers 109-106

We had a nail-biter in Portland! Franz Wagner made Deutschland 🇩🇪 proud with 29 points on 60% FG in a statement Magic (16-26) win over a respectable Trail Blazers (19-21) squad. Damian Lillard dropped 30 points, including a monster poster, but Portland missed three straight threes on the final possession to lose their fourth straight contest. This Orlando team is exciting!

Heat beat Thunder behind Jimmy Butler, free throws

Have you ever heard of a free-throw-fest being entertaining? We watched exactly that last night. The Heat (22-20) edged out the Thunder (18-23) 112-111 after a chaotic final few minutes, capped off with Jimmy Butler finishing an and-one bucket with just 13 seconds left. Of those 112 Miami points, 40 came at the charity stripe on exactly 40 attempts—the most without a miss in NBA history! When it comes to pump fakes, pivots, and drawing contact, Jimmy Buckets is one of the best of our generation.

Clippers cruise past Mavericks 

The Clippers (22-21) conquered the Mavericks (23-19) 113-101. It was a good night for LA: the Clips led the entire game, Kawhi Leonard looked in old form with 33 points, and Norman Powell dropped the hammer on Tim Hardaway Jr. Shoutout to Luka Doncic with a 43-point performance—reminder that this isn’t normal!

Suns scorn Steph's return with 125-113 win

Last night Mikal Bridges led an undermanned Suns (21-21) roster over the Warriors (20-21) with 26 points. The biggest winner? Damion Lee, who received his ring before the game from his brother-in-law, Steph Curry. Speaking of Curry, Chef returned from injury after missing 11 games and finished with 24 points despite the L. Regardless, Magic Johnson is radiating Enjoy Basketball energy about this game:

Philly pummels Pistons 147-116

The 76ers obliterated the Pistons in an offensive explosion. The Joel Embiid / James Harden pairing clicked better tonight than Daryl Morey's most fantastical dreams. The Process dominated with 36 points, 11 boards, and a new hairstyle, while The Beard posted a 15-assist triple-double.

Raptors handle Hornets 132-120

Pascal Siakam scored 28 points for the victorious Raptors (18-23) despite an iconic Hornets fan sitting courtside. For the Hornets (11-31), LaMelo Ball led with 24 points and a season-high 14 assists, while Scary Terry Rozier poured on 33 points of his own. Attention contending teams: that's a great addition to keep your eyes on!

Monday Night Notes

Jamal Murray notched a season-high 34 points for the victorious Nuggets (27-13) and snapped a five-game Laker (19-22) win streak. We love to see the Blue Arrow in prime form because he’s got one of the deepest bags in basketball and makes 1st-seeded Denver a legitimate title threat!

Meanwhile, the Bucks (26-14) erased a 17-point third-quarter deficit to break the Knicks' four-game win streak. In just his tenth game of the season, 35-year-old Jinglin’ Joe Ingles scored 17 points. The Knicks (22-19) can’t seem to hold on to a lead lately, but on the bright side, Jalen Brunson dropped a career-high 44 points for New York! In other news, brothers Tyus and Tre Jones shared a meaningful moment in a Grizzlies (27-13) win over the Spurs (13-28):

Latest Basketball News

Jonathan Isaac's approaches NBA return

The Orlando Magic's Jonathan Issac hasn't played a game since suffering a brutal ACL injury on August 2, 2020, in the NBA Bubble. That's two and a half years! But that will soon change. On Wednesday night, the 25-year-old will play for Orlando's G-League affiliate, the Lakeland Magic — a massive step toward an NBA return. We admire Isaac's resilience, and we hope the promising defensive stud and sixth overall pick of the 2017 NBA Draft can return to full health!

Market Watch

Buy Low: Phoenix Suns

The Suns stock is at an all-time low, plain and simple. Even with the win tonight over the Warriors, Phoenix has lost nine of their last 11. Why? One reason: Devin Booker has played just four minutes in their last 12 games. Without Book, the blazing inferno in Phoenix is sputtering out. But looking forward, when Booker returns, this team could still easily be a top-four team in the West. Remember the days when people speculated that Booker put up empty stats? It's quite the opposite. 

High risk, high reward stock: New York Knicks

After hovering at .500 for the first two months of the season, the Knicks might now be the streakiest team in the NBA. Starting in December, they rattled off eight consecutive wins, followed by five consecutive losses, and then another eight-game win streak. Julius Randle arguably had a case for the Eastern Conference's December Player of the Month. He scored as many points as Luka Doncic and averaged a more efficient statline on the same volume as his All-NBA year. If you want a high-risk, high-reward pick, the Mecca has you covered.

Good Reads

Luka Doncic Isn’t Just the MVP Favorite, He’s the Most Improved Player - Michael Pina (The Ringer)

Grading Every NBA Team's Biggest Offseason Trades and Signings So Far - Greg Swartz (Bleacher Report)

NBA Trade Rumors: What should the Pistons want in return for Bojan Bogdanovic - Sean Corp (Detroit Bad Boys)

What We're Enjoying

Turning back the dial 🎵 Some classics like Don't Think Twice, It's Alright by Bob Dylan (1963) and American Girl by Tom Petty (1976) and the Heartbreakers are stuck in our heads, so give 'em a listen!

Travel Bug: For our American friends, or especially for our EB family around the globe, check out this video on the Top 25 places to visit in the USA!

Signing Off

That's a wrap for us at Enjoy Basketball! Remember to use the referral program and spread positive coverage of the sport we all adore! Peace!

Trivia Answer: Knicks icon Pablo Prigioni was the oldest rookie in NBA history, joining New York at age 35 after a long and decorated career in Europe.

Trivia Question: Which of the following team does NOT have a lefty as one of their two leaders in points per game?

Trivia Options

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