Scoreboard
Cavaliers 122, Jazz 99
Sixers 104, Raptors 101
Hawks 126, Magic 125
Spurs 124, Rockets 105
Timberwolves 116, Mavericks 106
Bucks 128, Pelicans 119
Thunder 123, Trail Blazers 121
Suns 130, Lakers 104
Hornets 125, Kings 119
What went down
When the clock is winding down and a big shot is needed, that’s when the phenomenon we know as Dame Time starts. But lately, a new time zone has emerged.
It has the same elements: the “bad shot” tendencies, the fearlessness, the killer instinct. It goes by SGA Time.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander capped off his 35-point night with a #TissotBuzzerBeater to lift the @okcthunder!#TimingEmotions pic.twitter.com/WguVZL2HMb
— NBA (@NBA) December 20, 2022
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has been that guy for the Oklahoma City Thunder, a team that has lost more games than won so far this season. Some of their losses have been bad blowouts, but most of their wins are courtesy of SGA’s heroics in the clutch.
Shai is no stranger to clutch shots.
— NBA (@NBA) December 20, 2022
Check out some of the best from his young career following tonight's #TissotBuzzerBeater! pic.twitter.com/RH4E9OQ3u5
The game-winner came at a night where it should’ve been all Dame, a night where Clyde Drexler’s scoring record as a Trail Blazer was eclipsed.
Damian Lillard is the @trailblazers all-time leading scorer!
— NBA (@NBA) December 20, 2022
Congrats, @Dame_Lillard! pic.twitter.com/s5B47X3JTQ
Lillard scored 28 points to lead Portland. SGA, on the other hand, led all scorers with 35. The OKC win was their second straight after beating the Memphis Grizzlies.
For Portland, they’ll have an immediate chance to get this one back after one day of rest. The Portland-OKC rematch is set on Thursday (Manila time). Whether you’re on Dame or SGA Time, set your clocks to that one.
Big-time ballers
The returning Dejounte Murray sealed the deal to get Atlanta the win, but it was Trae Young who carried the Hawks’ scoring load with 37 points versus the Orlando Magic.
Young also added 13 assists for the Hawks, which is a team slowly getting their injured pieces back.
Speaking of pieces, that’s happened to the defense of the New Orleans Pelicans after Giannis Antetokounmpo tore it down.
The Greek Freak scored 42 points on 17 shot attempts. He went to the line 22 times, missing only five times.
4th 40-point game for Giannis so far this season.
— Milwaukee Bucks (@Bucks) December 20, 2022
42 PTS | 10 REB | 71% FG% pic.twitter.com/9RpivwvxdI
It came off a loss, but Domantas Sabonis dropped a crazy statline for the Sacramento Kings: 28 points, 23 rebounds (season-high), and seven assists.
What he said
On Dame’s historic night, former teammate CJ McCollum just had to pay respects:
"I am extremely happy for him, and I am not surprised. That is something we expected him to accomplish because of his greatness,"
— New Orleans Pelicans (@PelicansNBA) December 20, 2022
- @CJMcCollum on @Dame_Lillard becoming the @TrailBlazers' all-time leading scorer pic.twitter.com/fSAQDy3rZU
Did you see that?
The ending of the Hawks-Magic game went off the rails, starting with a Markelle Fultz walk-in-the-park layup:
MARKELLE FULTZZZZ 😈 https://t.co/UO6FkUmLKq pic.twitter.com/uPo9FLiYZr
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) December 20, 2022
It ended with clutch free throws from Dejounte Murray:
Dejounte Murray buries a pair of clutch free throws... @ATLHawks hold on! https://t.co/WjlleQtEc5 pic.twitter.com/6bbQaD4IPO
— NBA (@NBA) December 20, 2022
