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Trying to watch tonight’s games in style? Kenny, Pierre, Mike, and Darrick are live-streaming Wednesday’s NBA slate on Playback! Tune in starting at 7p ET for their takes on every big play—plus, you have a chance to win NBA League Pass on us!

Today’s Lineup

🎉 Happy birthday to Devin Booker and Enjoyers Jack and Nathan! 🎉

What You Missed

Luka’s logo laser helps Mavs over Wolves 120-114 in WCF rematch

Powered by a white-hot need for revenge, Anthony Edwards (37 PTS) came out swinging early in this one and dropped 24 points in the first quarter alone (including six threes). But unfortunately for the Wolves, it was all downhill from there. Turnover troubles and missed free throws scuttled their chances at what was honestly a pretty winnable game.

Instead, the Mavericks slowly started to take control. Kyrie Irving (35 PTS) diced up Minnesota's defense before Luka Doncic (24 PTS, 9 AST) buried a filthy sidestep three from the logo to put the game away with a little over a minute to go. Remind you of anything?

Paolo explodes for 50 to help Orlando over Indy 119-115

Some scorers simply take what’s given. Some know when and where to exploit matchups. And a rare few have what it takes to bully their opponents into giving them exactly what they want. On Monday, Paolo Banchero definitively showed us he’s in that third group.

The Pacers had no answer for Paolo's insane array of tough shots, as he shoved his way into the paint and to the line for bucket after bucket on his way to the first 50-bomb of his career. Pascal Siakam (26 PTS) and the Pacers tried to stage a comeback in the second half, but the Magic held down the fort and secured the W.

Elsewhere around the NBA…

• Excuse us! Another monster stat line from Nikola Jokic (29 PTS, 18 REB, 16 AST) coming through! The Nuggets escaped with a tight OT win over the Nets: props to Russell Westbrook (22 PTS) for his first breakout game in Denver!

• Last night wasn’t Denver’s only big game from the last couple days! After all, while his efficiency may be down this year, Jamal Murray can still recognize the perfect time to create a little magic. After grabbing a handoff from Nikola Jokic (40 PTS) in the closing seconds of Monday night’s game against Toronto, he sliced his way into the lane and finished with a beautiful reverse lay to send the game to OT, where they’d eventually win 127-125.

• It’s time we have a discussion about Jalen Green. The former second-overall pick seems to have finally put it all together, averaging nearly 29 per game so far this season including an explosive 35 in Houston’s 106-101 Monday night W against San Antonio.

• LeBron James’ 1200+ game double-digit scoring streak was one last-minute three away from being broken, but the bigger problem for the Lakers was their inability to guard Devin Booker (33 PTS) and Kevin Durant (30 PTS), who combined for 63 in an impressive 109-105 win over LA.

• Not only did the Cavs stay undefeated, but they did it in style against one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. Cleveland marched into MSG and overcame a 13-point second-half deficit to beat New York by six behind 15 points in the 4th from Darius Garland (34 PTS).

• Another day, another monster game for a Celtics role player. This time, it was Payton Pritchard (28 PTS, 8 3PM) singeing the nets with a dazzling array of long-range bombs in Boston’s 119-108 win over Milwaukee.

Numbers to Remember 🔢

Welcome to Numbers to Remember! Twice a month, we’ll be diving into three interesting nuggets of data that show off trends from around the league you might have missed.👇

25.1%: Ivica Zubac's usage percentage

Ivica Zubac has been a mainstay in the Clippers’ lineup for the better part of the last seven years, but always in a very restricted role. Aside from setting picks for Kawhi Leonard and Paul George, gobbling up offensive boards, and scoring the occasional putback, his role was fairly limited.

Now, with PG in Philly and Kawhi sidelined, Big Zu is showing that there’s a lot more to his game than meets the eye. Forming an elite PnR combo with James Harden, the Bosnian big man has taken on a huge role in LA’s offense, averaging a dominating 23 and 14 while showing off some untapped playmaking skills in the dribble handoff game. If he keeps this up, Zubac could be a surprise Most Improved Player candidate and… dare we say… an All-Star.

22.3: OKC's combined steals + blocks per game

Often in basketball, we associate length with having to make tradeoffs. Do you want the luxury of a team full of long lanky defenders? Then you’ll have to sacrifice some of your shooting and playmaking to make it happen.

Only, it doesn’t seem like the guys over in OKC got the memo. From SGA at the point all the way to Chet Holmgren down low, the Thunders roster is filled with long-armed menaces who can ambush passing lanes and swat shots with the best of them. Could they become the first team since Gary Payton and the 94 Sonics to force 20+ turnovers a game?

18.2: Buddy Hield’s three-point attempts per 100 possessions

Since his NBA debut in 2016, Buddy Hield has quietly become one of the all-time great catch-and-shoot three-ballers. In fact, only three players have hit more shots from long range than him over that stretch—just some guys named Steph, Harden, and Dame. He’s now found a new home in Golden State, which is possibly the perfect place for a shooter like him.

In the Warriors’ free-flowing, motion-heavy system, Hield is shooting like never before, launching a wild 18.2 threes per 100 possessions (which would break the all-time record) and hitting over 50% of them. If he keeps this rate up, don’t be surprised to see him leading the league in threes made by the end of the season… 👀

Three in the Key

Signing Off

That’s all for today’s lineup! As the season picks up, remember to stay grounded and enjoy each moment, whether it’s a huge win or just a solid day of progress. In a long season (or life), it’s all about celebrating the little steps that get us closer to our goals. Stay positive, stay present, and we’ll catch you next time!

Talk soon,

-Spencer Poole