Scoreboard
Heat 115, Clippers 110
Spurs 118, Rockets 109
Nuggets 121, Trail Blazers 120
What went down
The game sliders were all the way up for the last two minutes in Portland. In the end, the Denver Nuggets escaped with the win in what should be one of the top games of the year.
Damian Lillard and Jamal Murray traded buckets the entire fourth quarter, each scoring 14 in the period. Anfernee Simons and Aaron Gordon made some big shots in the final minute but it came down to Murray and Lillard in the last seconds. Lillard thought he had the game won, drilling a step-back 3 over Murray to give Portland a 120-118 lead with nine seconds to go. It turned out, he left too much time on the clock.
Relive all the final buckets from a WILD finish in Portland 🎬 pic.twitter.com/migdarizfh
— NBA (@NBA) December 9, 2022
Murray’s game-winner comes as a refreshing note to what has been an up-and-down season as he tries to get his pre-ACL tear form back. He finished with 21 points and eight assists today, just enough to counter Lillard’s massive 40 points and 12 assists.
More than a quarter of the way through the season, the Nuggets are fourth in the West with a 15-12 record but are only a few games ahead of the 12-13 Blazers. This should be quite a postseason race.
Big-time baller
It’s been a rough season for the San Antonio Spurs as they go through their rebuild. Their core players have figured out the hard way how tough it is to be the lead options on a young squad.
Fan-favorite Keldon Johnson has long been tabbed as a foundational piece for the Spurs but he’s struggled to be efficient in his expanded role. Today, the former Team USA member had his shot going.
Keldon Johnson balled out in the Spurs win:
— NBA (@NBA) December 9, 2022
32 PTS
7 REB
3 3PM pic.twitter.com/GacyCtt9xX
In the fiesta-colored jerseys, Johnson feasted with 32 points on 14-for-21 shooting with seven rebounds. If the Spurs get a good pick in next year’s draft, they could have a great team in no time.
What he said
After months of turmoil and uncertainty, Britney Griner is free.
Moments ago I spoke to Brittney Griner.
— President Biden (@POTUS) December 8, 2022
She is safe.
She is on a plane.
She is on her way home. pic.twitter.com/FmHgfzrcDT
The U.S. came to an agreement with Russia, swapping prisoners. Griner was detained in Russia in February, right as the Russian invasion of Ukraine began, for carrying cannabis oil in her luggage.
Did you see that?
The World Cup is the biggest sporting event going on right now and it has a lot of NBA players invested. Toronto Raptor Precious Achiuwa did a bit of trolling, gifting his Spanish teammate Juancho Hernangomez a Morocco jersey. The Moroccans upset Spain in the Round of 16 in the World Cup.
A gift from Precious
— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) December 7, 2022
Open Gym: Moment presented by @Bell pic.twitter.com/n00scJBb6N
