🏀 Ty-three-se Haliburton

Gobble gobble, Enjoyers: Turkey Day is tomorrow! There might not be any hoops to watch, but we’re looking forward to a day of family, food, and epic backyard football games.

We won’t be in your inbox this Friday because there aren't NBA games on Thursday, and we don’t want to disturb (y)our day-after food coma 🦃

Today’s Lineup

Last Night’s Action 🏀 ATL and Indy put on a high-scoring show for the ages

Monday Night Notes 📝 LaMelo stuns the Celtics in Charlotte

NBA History Spotlight 🔦 One of the all-time great underdog playoff runs

Last Night’s Action

Tyrese and Trae duel as Pacers take down Hawks 157-152 (!!!)

Was this a track meet or a basketball game? We’re honestly not sure.

Seriously, this was just the sixth game in NBA history where both teams scored at least 150 points in regulation! We should have known something was up when Obi Toppin casually destroyed Onyeka Okongwu in the first quarter…

And things clearly didn’t slow down from there. With 13 players in double figures and six scoring 20+, essentially any player you pick at random balled out in this one.

Of course, it was the usual suspects who shone the brightest. Trae Young (38 PTS, 8 AST) was spectacular in defeat with his best outing of the season, but Tyrese Haliburton (37 PTS, 16 AST) truly took things to another level. You know you’re balling when you hit a skip after your ninth three of the game.

Cavs barely hang on, beat Sixers 122-119 in OT

Move over, Michael, there’s a new Porter Jr. in town.

Craig Porter Jr. (12 PTS, 9 AST) is simply that dude. There’s not being afraid of the moment, and then there’s driving right at Joel Embiid with less than a minute left in OT. Did we mention this was only his ninth NBA game?

The Cavs (8-6) are lucky to have him because they were potentially moments away from blowing a 17-point second-half lead. Embiid (32 PTS, 5 BLK) and Tyrese Maxey (30 PTS, 6 AST) led a valiant late-game push, but it just wasn’t to steal a win for the Sixers (10-4).

Magic makes extra possessions count in 126-107 win over Raptors

Isn’t it a wonderful thing when a former lottery team finally realizes its potential?

The Magic (9-5) have blossomed into a beautiful bouquet of talented two-way players at practically every position, and last night’s W over the Raptors (6-8) showcased everything they do best. Paolo Banchero (25 PTS, 2-3 3PT) imposed his will on the offensive end, Cole Anthony (15 PTS, 10 AST) provided stellar playmaking, and Jalen Suggs (18 PTS, 2 STL) gave us an incredible energizer bunny impression.

But the real secret sauce? Extra possessions. 15 offensive rebounds and 23 forced turnovers helped Orlando easily overcome what was actually an excellent shooting night from Toronto.

Suns cruise by Blazers 120-107

In a game of reunions, it was the former Blazers (3-11) who ended up getting the last laugh. Jusuf Nurkic (18 PTS, 12 REB) and Nassir Little (13 PTS) both played great for Phoenix (8-6), who rode a 38-point third quarter and efficient outings from Kevin Durant (31 PTS, 9 AST) and Devin Booker (28 PTS) to a relatively stress-free W.

Speaking of KD, he’s now up to 11th on the all-time scoring list! Give it up for the Slim Reaper.

Lakers make quick work of the Jazz (insert score)

Quick trivia question for you, who’s the only player in history with 39,000 career points?

The answer— LeBron James after last night! He and Anthony Davis (26 PTS, 16 REB) led the Lakers (9-6) to their most dominant win of the season so far over a struggling Jazz squad (4-10). LA has now won six of seven, look out. 👀

Monday Night Notes

In the game of the night, the Hornets upset the Celtics 121-118 in an overtime thriller, and one thing is clear: LaMelo Ball is moving different this year. LaMelo poured in 36 points, including this ridiculous sequence where he dropped Jrue Holiday and lofted a lefty layup over the help-side defense. Plus, this spectacular behind-the-back dime had us reminiscing about his Chino Hills days. In the final seconds of regulation, LaMelo activated his relentless finisher badge and somehow finished this double-clutch layup. Despite Jayson Tatum's stellar 45-point effort, Miles Bridges sealed the W with a game-winning three.

Best of the Rest

• With Mike Malone and Nikola Jokic ejected in the first half, Reggie Jackson stepped up with 21 points, leading the Nuggets to a narrow 107-103 victory over the Pistons. Despite Cade Cunningham’s strong 27-point performance, Detroit is now on a 12-game losing streak 😬

• In a 121-116 win over the Rockets, Steph Curry stopped the Warriors’ six-game skid with an efficient 32 points that Alperen Sengun couldn’t believe. Still, the Turkish big wowed us with a 30-piece of his own!

• Giannis Antetokounmpo plowed through the Wizards' defense for a dominant 42 points and a 142-129 victory. And he’s still having fun on Twitter (or X…whatever) afterward 😅

NBA History Spotlight

Last year’s Miami Heat was the second-ever 8-seed to make an NBA Finals, but who was the first? Let us tell you the tale of the 1999 New York Knicks—perhaps the most successful underdogs in NBA history. 

The 1999 NBA season was an anomaly, shortened to just 50 games due to a lockout. In this whirlwind of a season, the Knicks emerged with a modest 27-23 record. New York seemed the epitome of middle-of-the-pack, but it turned out the shortened season was too small a sample size. 

New York began their playoff odyssey by stunning the top-seeded Miami Heat in a thrilling first-round series, highlighted by Allan Houston's last-second shot in Game 5, sending the Knicks onwards. Then, they breezed past the Atlanta Hawks and outlasted Reggie Miller’s Indiana Pacers in the Eastern Conference Finals. 

Facing the San Antonio Spurs in the Finals, the Knicks' fairy tale met a formidable challenge. San Antonio, led by the towering twin bigs of Tim Duncan and David Robinson, was a defensive juggernaut. Only the likes of prime LeBron James and an iconic Ray Allen three ever took down Timmy D in the Finals. 

Despite falling in five games, the Knicks' run remains legendary. It wasn't just about winning or losing; it was about a team that embodied the hustle and heart of New York City, captivating fans and etching their story into NBA lore. Maybe NY made a deal with the devil—turn the season around, then be dysfunctional for the next two decades.

Three in the Key

• We didn’t have Landry Shamet posterizing Brook Lopez on our bingo card 😂 

• Tomás Satoransky is back in Europe, and he’s catching BODIES 🤯

• Another casual finish courtesy of Shadeon Sharpe 🌪️

What We’re Enjoying

Napoleon just debuted in theaters yesterday! We saw it and are now ready to conquer Europe with an army of Victor Wembanyama’s. It’s directed by Ridley Scott, the same man who made Gladiator, so if you are not entertained, we can’t help ya. Get historically pumped ⬇️

Signing Off

That’s all for today! We’ll see ya again on Monday, but until then, we are SO thankful for each and every one of you. The community we have built together means the world, and we’re happy to be paying the positivity forward 😊➡️

-Conor Geelan

Trivia Answer: The lowest seed to win an NBA Finals was the 6th-seed 1995 Houston Rockets!

Before you go…