With Philadelphia’s most frequent 40-point scorer sidelined for the season, it was only right that another Sixer took his place.

But who it was might surprise you…

Today’s Lineup

🎉 Happy birthday to Jayson Tatum, Cam Johnson, Corey Kispert, and Enjoyers Collin and Kevin! 🎉

Weekend Wrap-Up

Grimes goes for 44, Sixers snap nine-game losing streak with 126-119 win over Warriors

Check the clock—it’s Quentin time.

On Saturday, the Sixers earned an upset win over the Warriors and snapped a nine-game losing streak thanks in large part to a career-high 44 PTS from new addition Quentin Grimes. After arriving in Philly at the trade deadline, Grimes had his fingerprints all over this W, shooting 18/24 from the field and dropping 18 PTS in the third quarter.

For Golden State, Steph Curry continued his stellar play with 29 PTS and 13 AST, while Quentin Post and Gary Payton II each added 15+ with Jimmy Butler sitting out with a back injury. Steph also made headlines with a rarity for the two-time MVP—on a wide-open fast break in the fourth, Curry threw down a calm one-handed slam for his first in-game dunk in over six years. He also said it would likely be “the last one” of his storied career. 🥲

Bam and Brunson battle as Knicks down Heat 116-112 in OT

There’s something awesome about seeing two iconic Eastern Conference teams go at it, and that’s exactly what we got last night. In an OT battle between New York and Miami, it was the boys from the Mecca emerging with the W, with Jalen Brunson’s 31 PTS along with 23 from OG Anunoby pacing the Knicks to a W.

After trailing by as many as 19, the Knicks got hot in the fourth to force overtime, where a clutch 7-0 run gave them a lead they wouldn’t let go of. For Miami, Bam Adebayo poured in 30 PTS on 75% shooting while Tyler Herro notched 22 and rookie Kel’el Ware added 12 PTS, 6 BLK, and one nasty windmill slam. Miami’s frontcourt of the future is no joke, especially on the defensive end.

With their comeback win, the Knicks reached 40 wins and strengthened their hold on the third seed in the East, while Miami remained in the thick of the play-in picture. However the table shakes out, we can’t wait to keep watching these guys hoop!

Elsewhere around the NBA…

• It was an “up, then down, then up again” weekend for the defending champion Celtics, who at first seemed to assert their dominance over the league-leading Cavaliers with a 25-3 run to start their Friday game. But the Cavs battled back, ultimately winning 123-116 as Donovan Mitchell and Jayson Tatum each went for 40+. On Sunday, it was the other Jay in the driver’s seat, with Jaylen Brown’s 22 PTS and 8 AST leading Boston past Denver 110-103.

• In a Friday night battle for L.A., Luka Doncic rang in his 27th birthday right with 31 PTS to lead the Lakers past the cross-town rival Clippers 106-102. Then, on Sunday, the LakeShow earned another city series win, this time by a final score of 108-102. Just like that, the Lakers occupy the second seed in the Western Conference (and LeBron James is one point away from becoming the first player ever to surpass 50,000 career points.)

• No matter how consistent his greatness is, you will never catch us taking Giannis Antetokounmpo for granted. The Greek Freak’s 29 PTS, 9 REB, and 9 AST on Saturday weren’t enough for a triple-double, but they were enough to help Milwaukee to a sound 132-117 win over the Mavs. Damian Lillard and Gary Trent Jr. also combined for 48 PTS, providing a potential recipe for Milwaukee’s future success.

Stock Market

Whose hype are we buying? Let’s find out in this week’s edition of the Enjoy Stock Market.

Spurs Guards 📈

We need to start brainstorming nicknames ASAP for the duo of Stephon Castle and De’Aaron Fox. In a 1-1 weekend for San Antonio, the Spurs’ young backcourt pair made their presence felt.

First, on Saturday, the pair combined for 44 PTS to out-duel Jaren Jackson’s 42 in a tight win over the Grizzlies, with Fox sinking the game-winning mid-range jumper. Then, despite a Sunday loss to OKC after a career-high 41 PTS from Jalen Williams, Castle dropped 32 PTS in 32 minutes including a number of memorable buckets like this nifty move on Isaiah Hartenstein. We can’t wait to see these two alongside a healthy Victor Wembanyama for years to come!

Big Z is Back 📈

Zion Williamson has heard enough of the disrespect. After years of critique regarding his (in)ability to stay on the court, Zion has quietly become one of the league’s most consistent scorers since getting healthy this season, reminding everyone why he was so hyped-up in the first place. On Sunday night, Zion recorded his sixth 22+ point game in his last seven outings by dropping 24 PTS on 11/18 shooting. Fly as a Pelican! 😎

The Wins Watch 📈

It’s been a long time since the league has had two teams on pace for as many wins as the Cavs and Thunder this season.

At 50-10 and 49-11 respectively, Cleveland and OKC are on track to end the year between 67-68 wins, a total that would place both of them in the pantheon of regular season excellence. 13 squads in NBA history have won 67+ games (with six having won 68+) but only once before have two teams won 67+ in the same season. That was 2016, when the Warriors broke the wins record at 73-9 and the Spurs racked up a 67-15 mark of their own. While these squads appear to have their respective #1 seeds locked up, keep an eye on the history books!

Three in the Key

Signing Off

And we out! Thanks for spending a portion of your day with us. This week, try your best to be patient and understanding with everyone you meet. We never know what one another is going through, and going the extra mile to be kind could make all the difference. See you soon!

Walker Carnathan