Good morning. Let’s basketball.
Too bad Kevin Durant is the Clippers’ Secret Santa
... because he’s giving out Brutal Losses this year. That and more in Tuesday’s NBA newsletter.
KEVIN DURANT IS A GOD: He hit both the go-ahead shot and had the game-winning block in the final seconds against the Clippers. Helluva game!
SCORES SCORES SCORES ...
SAC 99, WAS 113
MIN 99, BOS 113
ORL 107, NYK 99
POR 97, ATL 106
BKN 105, CHI 102
CHA 95, HOU 102
IND 92, SAS 106
PHX 89, UTA 110
OKC 100, LAC 99
ALRIGHT, HOLD ON: Okay. So, the Spurs bestowed a gift upon ref Monty McCutchen. McCutchen opened it at midcourt. The gift was an angry little girl dressed like an elf who kicked McCutchen in the knee and then cheered. Spurs. [looks at the Spurs expectantly] Guys ...
NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS: I looked at the likely head coach openings we’ll see this summer. I’m estimating about eight or nine vacancies.
THE WHITESIDE PROBLEM: Yaron Weitzman looks at why Hassan Whiteside sits in the fourth quarter and realizes that the Heat’s defense is probably better with Whiteside on the bench ... even though he leads the NBA in blocks. There is, however, reason to believe that a small tweak by Erik Spoelstra is solving this issue.
#GOTEM: Kelly Olynyk’s jab step put Karl-Anthony Towns on a train to Providence. Wrong train, Karl!
THIS IS HOW YOU CELEBRATE: Alec Burks yankeedoodled on Jon Leuer, and it was a good, good dunk. But better was the incredible Jazz bench celebration.
YEAH BUDDY: DraftExpress mock draft!
EASY INVESTMENT: Jack Moore in Vocativ on how the least entertaining teams in the NBA are still making their billionaire owners lots of money. Via REDEF.
PLEASE DON’T BE SERIOUS PLEASE DON’T BE SERIOUS: Joakim Noah leaves the Bulls’ loss with an apparent shoulder injury.
BEAST CONFERENCE: Jeff Zillgitt on why the East is suddenly good.
TONIGHT TONIGHT: A limited four-game slate on Tuesday, with NBA TV giving us Mavericks-Raptors. Pistons-Heat is out there, too.
THANK YOU! I haven’t been pushing it over the past week, but we did surpass $5,000 for our Sleep Train Foster Kids fundraiser. Thank you to all who donated! The donation page is open until Friday in case you’re still interested in kicking over a few bucks so that some foster kids can get the items they need -- pajamas, school supplies, clothes, bedding, extracurricular activities. Again, thank you to everyone who donated and/or spread the word!
Happy Tuesday. Mr. Mike Prada will be taking you through the rest of the week. Happy Christmas, everyone.
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