Good morning. The Sixers are a couple vets away from losing by single digits

Good morning. I’m your substitute teacher for the next three days. Let’s basketball.

YOUR GRANDPA BEAT THE NUGGETS: Kobe Bryant turned back the clock again, dropping 31 points to lead the Lakers to a win in Denver. He did this despite “jogging” up the court like an exhausted pick-up player at the YMCA. Roy Hibbert’s confusion speaks for everyone. Don’t look now, but Kobe is averaging 25 points on 51 percent shooting in his last four games.

GET YOUR SCORES HERE ...

MEM 104, PHI 90
DET 93, MIA 92
DAL 99, TOR 103
LAL 111, DEN 107

TRUST THE NEW PROCESS?: The 76ers lost again and are now 1-29. The 14-point margin seems close, but this game was really never competitive. Even the players know they need some old heads around the locker room.

YOU’RE ALL FIRED. JUST KIDDING: The Mavericks’ bench nearly bailed out a flat performance from their starters, but they couldn’t come all the way back in Toronto. Rick Carlisle said that if the Mavericks’ lethargic play continued, “these guys aren’t going to be Mavericks very long.“ Spoiler alert: They’re still Mavericks.

INTERESTING: Golden State of Mind on the gentrification of Warriors home games. This is a problem league-wide, but especially in the Bay Area given the success of the team and the local demographics.

THOSE 700 FANS AT BARCLAYS CENTER MUST BE DEVASTATED: Deron Williams picked up a hamstring injury, so he’ll sit out his return to Brooklyn. He wished badly that he could play so he could shut up the “non-fans” and provocative New York headline writers. He also said his time in Brooklyn “made me question if I even wanted to play basketball,” in case you’re wondering if this would have been a happy return.

HOUSTON, WE SORTA DON’T HAVE A PROBLEM ANYMORE: Jason Patt says the Rockets are playing better, but still haven’t really solved their biggest issues.

’SO THIS IS WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE ON SHAQTIN’: JaVale McGee was stupefied by this hilarious Bismack Biyombo blooper.

SANTA DRAY: Draymond Green dressed up as Santa Claus and gave gifts to needy families. No word if he handed them out with sharp one-liners.

MMM... MERRY CHRISTMAS: Chris Bosh can still cram it on shot-blockers.

EVERYTHING IS FINE: Tom preaches patience with the Bulls. I am far less optimistic, but he makes good points about Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. (Noah will miss a few weeks with a shoulder injury, though).

EVERYTHING MIGHT NOT BE FINE: Zach Lowe’s detailed look at the Bulls paints a less rosy (pun intended) picture.

YUP, THEY’RE ANNOYING: Bleacher Report’s Howard Beck did some great reporting to find out why everyone in the league hates the Clippers.

’YOU COULD BE A F*****G CRACKHEAD AND THEY’LL LOVE YOU’: A revealing DeMarcus Cousins interview with SLAM where he admits that winning is the only thing that matters.

YOU DON’T SAY: The Rockets are trying to trade Ty Lawson, but nobody is interested.

STEPH’S YEAR TO REMEMBER: An argument that Stephen Curry is having the best year ever, and not just because of what happened on the court. BONUS: Chris Ballard on Steph’s evolution.

WHAT A WORLD: Stephon Marbury has his own museum in China.

TONIGHT: A 13-game pre-Christmas feast. Knicks-Cavs and Jazz-Warriors are your best bets.

Until next time.