NBA scores 2016: Nick Young personifies the Lakers, who are finally getting things right

The Lakers were trying to lose. Well, no, but it seemed that way. Los Angeles led, 108-99, with 3:20 left in a game against the Thunder, and then they must have rattled off five empty offensive possessions as Oklahoma City crept back into the game.

Steven Adams put the Thunder up, 109-108, with 13 seconds left, grabbing a Russell Westbrook miss, maneuvering around the basket, and then popping it back into the hoop. The Lakers were down, looking poised to blow the game in a hideous fashion. And then Swaggy P arrived to do this.

That pass was intended or Lou Williams at the top of the key. Instead, Nick Young — streaking from the other side of the court to the ball — snatched it out from that passing lane, set his feet, and fired off one of the toughest shots of the night. It went in. Viva las Lakers!

This is Young’s moment. By morning, it’ll be growing. There will be jokes, there will be memes, and there will be plenty of people saying, “That’s just who Swaggy P is.” Thanks to his wonderful nickname and a former celebrity girlfriend, plus some uncensored tweets and comments to the media, Young has personified a player who desires the attention more than the success. If you play in Los Angeles, that perception comes easy, after all.

That’s not at all true this season. New Lakers coach Luke Walton has taken Young and turned him into an efficient scorer who is trying just as hard on the other end. Young is averaging 14 points on 46 percent shooting and 38 percent from behind the arc, while hitting 30 of his 31 free throws so far. He’s only turned it over nine times with 18 assists. He’s an above-average defender now, taking on some of the toughest challenges the team has faced. (A few players have roasted Young, but you’d say that’s in spite of great defense, not because it’s bad.)

Young personifies the new, fun Lakers who just won’t stop winning games — they’re 8-7 now, and still currently slotted as a playoff team. Beating Oklahoma City when it looked like they would let that lead slip away in the fourth quarter is a big thing for a young team and a new coach. Young stealing a pass from a teammate makes the best headline, and who can blame anyone who finds it funny. But in years past, that shot would pop out. This year, it’s all finally working.

This is Jrue Holiday. Say hi to Jrue!

This is the Pelicans since Jrue came back.

The Pelicans were 2-10 when Jrue Holiday came back. Since then, they have beat three straight playoff teams by five, 12 and 18 points. One came on the second night of a back-to-back, with New Orleans roaring back from a double digit second half deficit.

First off, let’s point out that Holiday returning is a feel-good story for everyone. His wife, former U.S. Soccer star Lauren Holiday, is recovering from induced labor and an operation to remove a benign tumor, and Holiday missed 12 games before his family situation finally became stable enough for him to return to the team. To that extent, the actual basketball doesn’t matter.

The good news for the Pelicans is that the actual basketball is great, though. After 21 and 22 points in his first two games, Holiday went for 15 with four assists and four rebounds in the 112-94 win against the Hawks on Tuesday.

Holiday’s dribble penetration and shot creation is massively important for the Pelicans offense, which was in the bottom-five in the NBA before Holiday returned three days ago. Not only is Holiday scoring, but his presence has immediately boosted the team’s shooting percentages, especially behind the line.

It’s mostly a joke to say the Pelicans are “saved” — at 5-10, they still have a pretty big hole they need to dig out of. But Holiday’s return gives reasons to be more optimistic than any Pelicans fan could have hoped.

Kristaps Porzingis went for 31 points on Tuesday, his fourth game scoring 25 points or more after just five times doing so all last year.

His efficiency and scoring is up in every category, with Porzingis shooting nearly 50 percent from the field and 39 percent on three-pointers. It’s a mix of skill, shooting, and ridiculous athletic plays for someone listed at 7’3 — remember that when you watch him blow by a defense for a huge dunk here.

Porzingis is one of the incoming class of centers who are as comfortable on the perimeter as they are inside. The way he has started the season, though, it would seem like there is no limit on what he can do.

Gucci Mane proposed to his girlfriend, rapped at halftime, and gave away a Rolex at the Hawks game

Knicks 107, Trail Blazers 103 (Posting & Toasting recap | Blazer’s Edge recap)

Pelicans 112, Hawks 94 (The Bird Writes recap | Peachtree Hoops recap)

Nuggets 110, Bulls 107 (Denver Stiffs recap | Blog a Bull recap)

Lakers 111, Thunder 109 (Silver Screen & Roll recap | Welcome to Loud City)