The NBA could not have started off the slate of Christmas Day games better, with the clash between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks turning into an epic bout of individualism and suspence.
Victor Wembanyama, the 20-year-old superstar who won Rookie Of the Year last season, scored 42 points, grabbed 18 rebounds, dished four assists, and swatted four shots in his Christmas Day debut.
The performance underscored just how good an idea it was to place the Spurs as part of the first game on the schedule, giving European viewers a chance to catch the 7-foot-4 center utterly dominate the opposition.
That said, the Knicks had an ace up their sleeve in the form of Mikal Bridges, who exploded for 41 points, including 6-of-9 from 3-point territory. In a game that never saw a 10-point lead and swung back and forth, the Knicks took the 117-114 win in what was absolutely one of the most entertaining games of the season.
Let’s get into some thoughts and observations:
New York Knicks 117, San Antonio Spurs 114
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Are we sure Wembanyama isn’t a top-five player? This isn’t to say he assuredly is, but we have to be getting there. Nikola Jokić, Luka Dončić, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander are all ahead, and by a reasonable distance. From there, there are at least debates. Many will argue Jayson Tatum should be ahead of Wembanyama, and he’s certainly a fair name to bring up, but that also warrants some discussion.
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Jalen Brunson’s post game remains underrated, especially as a playmaker. Despite his 6-1 stature, Brunson is sturdy enough to keep his positioning, maintain his overview and leverage his scoring to optimize his options. Having Karl-Anthony Towns, Mikal Bridges and OG Anunoby flanking the outside to help the spacing only adds more optionality for the All-Star point guard.
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Bridges might have changed his shot, much to the initial concern of NBA fans and pundits everywhere, but the ironman spent all game throwing that skepticism back in everyone’s face. His motion, which has a higher release point than before, has grown far more fluid in recent weeks, and he’s catching and shooting with ease. This has allowed Bridges to return to the status of being one of the best plug-and-play guys in the league.
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Jeremy Sochan’s future as the full-time power forward in San Antonio isn’t necessarily set in stone, due to his shooting concerns. However, if the Spurs eventually decide to find someone else to play the position, they shouldn’t be too quick to give him away. Sochan’s defense, rebounding, playmaking and relentless probing of opposing defenses is immensely valuable, as is his positional flexibility, which could turn him into the league’s best super sub, if they ever go in that direction.
Minnesota Timberwolves 105, Dallas Mavericks 99
Luka Dončić exited the game after 16 minutes due to a calf strain, ending his Christmas Day game prematurely, and the Mavs expect him to miss significant time, according to ESPN.
However, the second-biggest story is how the Mavericks, after being down by 28, gutted it back in the fourth quarter and cut the lead down to two late in the fourth quarter, showing some much-needed life after dismal second and third quarters. This was in large part due to Kyrie Irving, who popped for 39 points
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Minnesota’s upside is as high as it’s ever been when the ball is popping and guys are hitting shots. Unfortunately, a three-quarter sample size isn’t super useful, but if the Wolves can find a way to make that a jumping-off point that would only help them regain some of their dominance from last season.
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Dallas came into this game with the fourth-best offense in the league, but the loss of Dončić obviously affected its offensive flow. Irving is indeed a worthy second option, but the gravity changes dramatically when Dončić isn’t on the floor because of his elite playmaking. Irving, one of the best shot-makers in the league, isn’t necessarily an elite passer, and his lack of size doesn’t attract the same defensive attention. If Dončić is out for a while, Dallas will need to probably lean into some Irving hero ball.
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Julius Randle’s influence alters dramatically when he’s playing within the flow of the offense, compared to when he’s not. Which is often. Against Dallas, Randle was more selective with his shots, looked to attack the rim and frequently found Rudy Gobert in traffic, including a strong lob in the middle of the third quarter. Minnesota’s offense looks worlds better when it gets that version of Randle, which begs the question: Can the Wolves rely on the former All-Star to mimic this performance for the rest of the season? If not, the Wolves may wish to lower their expectations.
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The defensive play of Dereck Lively II, who is just 20 years old, is going to unlock a ton of fun stuff for the Mavericks in the coming years. At 7-1, Lively moves like a wing. He can hedge and recover, play passing lanes, protect the rim and should eventually become an All-Defensive plyer. That Swiss army knife, with a little more seasoning, could be an enormous asset for the Mavericks down the line, especially if he begins to balance his defense with a smidge more offensive creation.
Philadelphia 76ers 118, Boston Celtics 114
The Sixers, playing with all of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George, played their best half of the season, and took a 66-58 lead on the Celtics. Philly sported timely shooting, effective defense and diversified its shot-profile to the point where you could easily see Daryl Morey’s vision.
The Sixers offense got bogged down in the third quarter as Jaylen Brown — playing through a horrendous first half — found his legs and gave the Celtics a push by forcing his way to the rim.
Ultimately, the Sixers did the unexpected and took home the dub, with Caleb Martin playing a key role down the stretch, canning seven triples and scoring 23 points. Maxey added 33 points and 12 assists.
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During pregame shootaround, Embiid stumbled and seemed to twist his ankle. Fortunately, he was all right and played. But this marks yet another odd situation, where Embiid’s body, in one way or another, is always at risk. He’s already dealt with several rare face-related injuries, as well as Bell’s palsy. Every Sixers season seems overshadowed by the health of the former MVP, and at some point you have to wonder for how much longer the organization can continue down that path.
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The Celtics take a lot of 3-pointers. They do so because it works, and it helped them win a championship earlier this June. At no point should the franchise course correct and limit its attempts from the outside. But the Celtics should realize that teams around them are catching up in terms of attempts, potentially lessening their advantage. They have games where they should seek more paint touches (which, yes, can also lead to open 3s) to diversify their shot-profile, and this was one of them.
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Paul George has yet to find his role in Philadelphia, with the 34-year-old averaging just 16.2 points on 41% shooting and going just 4-of-15 from the field against Boston. The former All-Star has had to get used to a ton of different looks, with Embiid in and out of the lineup, as well as rookie Jared McCain, a big shot-taker, also missing time. As the calendar page is about to turn to 2025, emphasis for the Sixers for the rest of the season must be to get George more involved.
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Brown found himself in an odd spot during the first half. The Celtics let their ball-movement dictate events, meaning the pecking order can change any given night, which seems to be a setting Brown struggles to find his own shots within. The Finals MVP isn’t a natural shooter, nor is he an all-world defender or playmaker, meaning there are times he struggles to fit in. However, with that said, Brown found a way during the second half to get himself going. It took him monopolizing the offense for a short period of time — something most teams seek to avoid. For Boston, this could seem like an investment it may have to lean into more. The three-ball and ball-movement are always a component the Celtics can go back to, but getting Brown going and finding a rhythm are so crucial for their playoff success, it might be the best way to get the best of both worlds.
