Luka Doncic erupted for 32 points, while Tim Hardaway Jr. dazzled with a sizzling 26-point performance, including a career-high 16 in the third quarter, as the Dallas Mavericks cruised to a 124-115 triumph over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday.
Christian Wood added 30 points and tied a career high with seven assists as the Mavericks finished off a celebration of Dirk Nowitzki’s statue unveiling by winning just the second Christmas Day home game in franchise history.
Dallas took its first lead during a 51-point third quarter, the highest-scoring quarter on Christmas in NBA history and a league-best this season. Golden State and Orlando have each had a 50-point quarter.
LeBron James scored 38 points, one shy of his season high, and the Lakers led by 12 early in the third before the Mavericks took over.
Donci also had nine assists.
Jayson Tatum sizzled in the third quarter, scoring 20 of his game-high 41 points to keep Boston ahead, while Jaylen Brown knocked down his shots and Giannis Antetokounmpo in the fourth quarter to seal the victory in a thrilling matchup between the NBA's top two teams.
Brown scored 13 of his 29 points in the fourth, and Antetokounmpo lost his temper after a hard pick sent him to the floor and retaliated by shoving the Boston All-Star. Antetokounmpo, who fell hard on his hand Friday night but was cleared to start, was given a technical foul and went to the bench; the teams played the last 3:41 without further incident.
Antetokounmpo had 27 points and had nine rebounds for Milwaukee, and Jrue Holiday had 23 points.
Joel Embiid scored 35 points, James Harden had 29 points and 13 assists and Philadelphia blew by New York in the final quarter, extending its winning streak to eight games,
Georges Niang hit four 3-pointers in Philadelphia’s fourth quarter surge and finished with 16 points. De’Anthony Melton added 15 as the 76ers got off to a good start on a four-game trip after sweeping a seven-game homestand.
The Sixers never led through three quarters, then outscored the Knicks 24-9 to open the fourth, turning a one-point deficit into a 116-102 lead.
Julius Randle scored 35 points for New York, and Jalen Brunson had 23 points and 11 assists. The Knicks have lost three straight following an eight-game winning streak.
Jordan Poole scored 32 points – highlighted by an emphatic one-handed slam off a pass from Draymond Green in the third – to outduel Ja Morant before being ejected, and the Warriors beat Memphis in a rematch of the Western Conference semifinals won in five games by Golden State.
Morant scored 36 points while debuting his first Nike signature "Ja 1" shoe for the Grizzlies’ first Christmas Day game.
Klay Thompson had 24 points and nine rebounds for Golden State. The Warriors were without Stephen Curry for the fifth straight game because of a shoulder injury.
Facing a Grizzlies team that is healthy at last and using its regular lineup, tensions were high just like that playoff round seven months ago. Poole was tossed for the first time in his career with 9:20 left and Golden State had six technicals.
