The Indiana Pacers found themselves down 19 to a 12-19 Brooklyn Nets team. They were getting out-hustled, out-gunned and flat-out outplayed.
NBA scores 2017: Victor Oladipo can’t stop, won’t stop
Oladipo’s 38-point outburst is becoming commonplace for the East’s breakout star of the season
Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports
Then Victor Oladipo reminded the basketball world and Pacers fans alike why he’s the new face of a franchise that dealt its old star for him, and why he’s a sure lock for the 2018 All-Star Game, possibly even an all-star starter.
Oladipo finished with 38 points on 13-of-23 shooting to lead the Pacers to a 123-119 overtime win over the Nets. Twelve of those 38 points came in the fourth quarter with another six in overtime.
Saturday night was Oladipo’s 24th game with 20 or more points this season. Before this year, he never had more than 26 such games. Barring a catastrophic setback, it’s safe to say he’ll reach a new milestone.
After a seemingly joyless year last season, the Pacers have become fun to watch again, and Oladipo is at the center of their resurgence. Vic is averaging 25 points, 5.4 rebounds, four assists, 1.8 steals and a block per game. If those aren’t All-Star numbers in the Eastern Conference, I don’t know what is.
What’s more is that a Pacers team few tabbed to be successful this season is now 19-14, a half-game above the Detroit Pistons for the fourth seed in the East. And if Oladipo continues this tear of a season, there’s no telling where Indiana could end up come playoff time.
Even the Warriors go cold sometimes
Despite a 11-game winning streak, Golden State lost on Saturday and hot potato’d the best record in the league back to Houston. Sure, they miss Stephen Curry, and sure, a matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas looms large. In this matchup, it was really just a matter of the Warriors missing every shot imaginable, though — it’s not like their opponent, the Denver Nuggets, is typically a defensive juggernaut.
Specifically, Klay Thompson exploded for ..... 15 points on 6-of-21 shooting, while going 1-of-10 behind the arc. Kevin Durant lit it up with just 18 points, and he missed all five three-pointers attempted. (He was 6-of-17 shooting for the game.) It was a miserable all around showing for the Warriors stars, who never found their footing as the team shot just 39 percent overall and 3-of-27 behind the arc.
But hey, every winning streak ends eventually. See you on Christmas Day.
The Celtics made the Bulls look foolish
Forget the scoreboard, just look at ankles.
Here’s Kyrie picking making Lauri Markkanen vanish:
Then he put Kris Dunn on skates
Terry Rozier took his turn
So did Jaylen Brown
Then Marcus Smart did his best Kyrie impersonation
Merry Christmas, Chicago
C.J. McCollum put not one, not two, but THREE whole Lakers on a poster
Happy holidays!
Friday’s final scores
Hawks 112, Mavericks 107 (Peachtree Hoops recap | Mavs Moneyball recap)
Raptors 102, 76ers 86 (Raptors HQ recap | Liberty Ballers recap)
Hornets 111, Bucks 106 (At the Hive recap | Brew Hoop recap)
Wizards 130, Magic 103 (Bullets Forever recap | Orlando Pinstriped Post recap)
Pacers 123, Nets 119 (OT) (Indy Cornrows recap | Nets Daily recap)
Celtics 117, Bulls 92 (Celtics Blog recap | Blog a Bull recap)
Grizzlies 115, Clippers 112 (Grizzly Bear Blues recap | Clips Nation recap)
Pelicans 109, Heat 94 (The Bird Writes recap | Hot Hot Hoops recap)
Thunder 103, Jazz 89 (Welcome to Loud City recap | SLC Dunk recap)
Timberwolves 115, Suns 106 (Canis Hoopus recap | Bright Side of the Sun recap)
Blazers 95, Lakers 92 (Blazers Edge recap | Silver Screen & Roll recap)
Spurs 108, Kings 99 (Pounding the Rock recap | Sactown Royalty recap)
Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis are fueling Indiana’s rise
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