Scoreboard
Celtics 93, Cavaliers 90
Pacers 122, Clippers 116
76ers 122, Grizzlies 119
Celtics 122, Heat 92
Knicks 116, Kings 96
Raptors 106, Hawks 100
Warriors 122, Rockets 108
Thunder 98, Trail Blazers 81
What went down
Despite not having MVP candidate Joel Embiid in the lineup, the Philadelphia 76ers still found a way to take down one of the hottest teams in the NBA.
And in doing so, a sophomore continues to ascend to new heights.
Second-year guard Tyrese Maxey was brilliant in the Sixers’ 122-119 overtime win over the Memphis Grizzlies. His layup with 26.4 seconds remaining was the difference-maker in one of the Sixers’ biggest wins this season.
Forgetting for a moment that the Sixers pushed their winning streak to five, what made the victory even more impressive was that it came against the Grizzlies and the brilliant play of All-Star Starter Ja Morant, who scored 37 points, and promising sophomore Desmond Bane, who had a career-high 34.
But it wasn’t enough to overcome the Sixers and Maxey’s 33 points and eight assists. Veteran big man Andre Drummond also filled in ably in Embiid’s absence with 16 points and 23 rebounds, while Tobias Harris notched 31 points along with five rebounds and five assists.
The win pushed the Sixers to third in the Eastern Conference, which is doubly impressive considering all the obstacles that they have had to overcome in the offseason and throughout the first half of this season. And for young players like Maxey, this only bodes well for the franchise and is a sign of exciting things to come.
Big-time baller
The Golden State Warriors had their hands full with the feisty Houston Rockets, and they needed a brilliant game from Steph Curry to come away with the hard-fought 122-108 win. Curry tallied 40 points, 21 of which came in the third quarter. He was also cooking from beyond the arc, making seven triples in the game.
What he said
“I feel bad for him. Hopefully, it’s better than we all think.”
Those were the fateful words of Utah Jazz assistant coach Alex Jansen said post-game about veteran forward Joe Ingles who suffered a season-ending ACL injury.
Did you see that?
Though they didn’t get the win, Jalen Green continues to put on a show for the lowly Houston Rockets and their faithful. His jam showed off his bunnies in the loss against the Golden State Warriors
😮 Jalen Green DROPS THE HAMMER
— NBA (@NBA) February 1, 2022
The @HoustonRockets are live on NBA League Pass: https://t.co/oz9UCQxdQa pic.twitter.com/RSfb717ZdL
