POV: you’re looking at the Rockets’ future:

Today’s Lineup

🎉 Happy birthday to Marc Gasol, Maxi Kleber, and Enjoyers Aaban, Antonio, Kevin, Noah, Aliyan, Kirtan, Will, and Ian! 🎉

Game Recaps

Thompson’s big bucket lifts Rockets past Celtics 114-112

Houston’s season has been full of breakout moments, but none have felt quite like this. Amen Thompson (33 PTS, 11 REB) has announced himself in a massive way over the last few weeks, but being the best player on the court by far on the road against the defending champs is a new level altogether.

Thompson used his insane athleticism to mercilessly attack the rack, grab offensive rebounds at will, and generally wreck just about any plans the Celtics had on either side of the ball. And he wasn’t alone: Dillon Brooks (36 PTS, 10 3PM) turned into peak Klay, knocking down a career-high ten threes in a performance nobody saw coming.

The final few seconds? Pure chaos. With the game tied, Alperen Sengun (11 PTS) broke loose for a wide-open dunk to give Houston the lead, only for Jayson Tatum (19 PTS) to muscle in a clutch layup with five seconds left. But in the end, it was Amen who had the last word, shaking Jaylen Brown (28 PTS) with some insane change of pace to bury the one-legged floater with under a second to go.

Blazers stun Bucks 125-112 in Dame’s return… again

Damian Lillard (20 PTS) made his second trip back to Portland since the blockbuster trade that sent him to Milwaukee, but just like the first time, the Blazers weren’t exactly in a welcoming mood.

Now winners of five of their last six, Portland is playing its best ball of the season, and this game was a perfect snapshot of what makes them so dangerous. Anfernee Simons (25 PTS) and Shaedon Sharpe (17 PTS) were hitting tough shots, Deni Avdija (30 PTS) was relentlessly attacking the rim, and Deandre Ayton (21 PTS, 14 REB) continued his strong play in the paint.

Even against a monster night from Giannis Antetokounmpo (39 PTS), the Blazers had an answer for everything in the second half. And a special shoutout to Toumani Camara, who made Dame’s homecoming a miserable one with some relentless on-ball defense.

Portland may not be a playoff team just yet, but one thing’s for sure—this group is figuring things out. And wins like this show they’re trending in the right direction. 📈

Elsewhere around the NBA…

• We doubt the Hornets want to see Anthony Davis (42 PTS, 23 REB) any time soon, or ever again for that matter. He became the first Laker with multiple 40-20 games since Shaq as LA eased to a 112-107 win over Charlotte on Monday.

• The Knicks’ offense was so deep in their bag during a 143-106 demolition of the Grizzlies that they had time to put together a little and-one mixtape. Mikal Bridges led the way in this one with a smooth 28.

• If there’s one thing every NBA fan loves to see, it’s Lonzo Ball (18 PTS) hooping. Well, maybe not Nuggets fans last night. Ball recorded a season high as the Bulls pulled out a surprising 129-121 win against the Nuggets.

• When Devin Booker (26 PTS, 8 AST) is hitting shots like this, you know you’re in trouble. The surging Suns held off the Clippers 111-109 to pick up their eighth win in 10 games.

• Sadly for the Lakers, they ran into a red-hot Tyrese Maxey (41 PTS) last night. Maxey kept the Sixers comfortably in the lead despite a big game from LeBron James (31 PTS, 9 AST), eventually pulling out a 118-104 win for Philly.

• The post-Jimmy Butler era may have already begun for all we know, but that’s not stopping the Heat from getting Ws! Tyler Herro (30 PTS, 12 AST) and Bam Adebayo (26 PTS, 10 REB, 9 AST) dominated as Miami eked out a 125-119 2OT win over the Magic.

• Is it 2016 again? Klay Thompson (23 PTS) started the Mavericks’ 130-108 win over the Wizards with seven threes in the first quarter. Steph is definitely missing him right about now…

Around the League

De’Aaron Fox on the move?

Just when things were finally looking stable in Sacramento, the NBA trade deadline rumor mill threw us a curveball. According to Shams, De’Aaron Fox might be eyeing an exit from the Kings, and preliminary reports about Fox’s “target destination” point to San Antonio being the favorites to land him.

This is a shocker for a Kings team that’s been thriving under interim head coach Doug Christie and who fought their way back into the Western Conference playoff race. But now, with the deadline looming, it seems like one of the league’s most electrifying guards could be on the block regardless.

So, who might make a move for Fox? Aging squads like the Lakers or Warriors could see him as the perfect piece for one last championship push. Up-and-comers like the Rockets, Spurs, or Magic might view him as the key to vaulting into contender status. Or could a wildcard team we’re not even thinking about swoop in and steal the show?

All we know for sure is this: the trade deadline just got a whole lot spicier. Buckle up! 🍿

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Hoops History Spotlight

The Reinvention of Blake Griffin

Seven years ago today, the Blake Griffin era in LA ended with a plot twist no one saw coming. After being promised he’d be a "Clipper for life," Griffin was traded to Detroit midseason—just months after his Lob City partner Chris Paul packed his bags for Houston, officially breaking up one of the most electrifying duos of the 2010s.

Landing on a Pistons team that hadn’t sniffed consistent success in a decade, Griffin could have easily mailed it in or asked for a ticket out of town. Instead, he stayed, adapted, and delivered one of the most surprising single-season performances of his career.

Once considered one of the most explosive players in NBA history, injuries had zapped Griffin’s superhuman athleticism. But rather than fade into obscurity, he reinvented himself—developing a lethal perimeter game and becoming a more refined playmaker. The result? A career-high in scoring and his first All-NBA nod in years—he even led the Pistons to just their second playoff appearance of the decade.

While Detroit ended up bowing out in the first round, Griffin’s time in Detroit taught us to make the most out of any situation, because you might just be surprised by what type of magic you can make. 🪄

Three in the Key

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Signing Off

Thanks for reading today, y’all! Remember—when life takes an unexpected turn, there’s always an opportunity to make the most of it. Just like Blake Griffin reinvented his game, you will always be able to find ways to thrive no matter the circumstances. 💪✨

Talk soon,

-Spencer Poole