⌚ Dame Time and SGA’s Dominance

Today’s Playbook

• Top of the Key 🔑:  Bucks and Thunder punch their tickets to Vegas, while the Knicks battle through a thriller in Toronto.

• Beyond the Arc 🎥: Shaq breaks the board, AD gives Bronny the rookie treatment, and Barkley’s Jay-Z joke has the crew in stitches. Catch these moments and more in this week’s highlights!

• Trivia Time 🧠: Test your NBA knowledge with a fun question!

• Closing Time ✌️: Wrapping things up with some fun stats and behind-the-scenes moments to leave you smiling

Top of the Key 🔑

Bucks Overcome Magic to Secure Semifinal Spot

The Milwaukee Bucks are headed back to Las Vegas after taking down the Orlando Magic 114-109 on Tuesday, earning a spot in the NBA Cup semifinals for the second consecutive year. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Damian Lillard combined for a dominant 65 points, with Giannis putting on a show early, finishing with 37 points, including 32 in the first three quarters. His performance also included seven rebounds, four blocks, and two steals. Bobby Portis was a key contributor off the bench, adding 22 points and 10 boards.

Dame took over in the clutch, scoring 15 of his 28 points in the final quarter, including a game-tying stepback 3 with 40.6 seconds left and a go-ahead dunk shortly after. Despite being without key players like Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner, Orlando fought hard, with Jalen Suggs scoring a career-high 32 points, including 18 in the fourth quarter. The Magic even held a three-point lead with just over a minute remaining before Lillard’s late-game heroics secured the win for the Bucks.

Milwaukee’s victory is the latest chapter in their remarkable turnaround after a rough 2-8 start to the season. Since then, they’ve gone 11-3 in their last 14 games, with a perfect 5-0 record in NBA Cup play, and now sit 6th in the Eastern Conference.

OKC’s Dominant Performance Ends Mavs’ Run

The Oklahoma City Thunder ended the Dallas Mavericks’ NBA Cup run with a decisive 118-104 victory, securing their spot in the semifinals. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the star of the show, dropping 39 points, outscoring Dallas’ star duo of Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving, who combined for just 33 points. SGA also contributed eight rebounds, five assists, and three steals, leading a well-rounded team effort. All five OKC starters scored in double figures, with Jalen Williams contributing 18 points and Isaiah Hartenstein posting a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds.

The Thunder made their mark with strong defense, holding the Mavericks to just 104 points, their second-lowest total of the season. OKC’s defense kept Luka and Kyrie in check, forcing them into one of their least efficient performances when playing together. Meanwhile, OKC’s offense was lethal from beyond the arc, hitting a season-high 20 three-pointers on 50 attempts, improving to 13-1 when shooting 36% or better from deep.

OKC now waits to see who they’ll face next in the semifinals, with tonight’s Warriors-Rockets quarterfinal game deciding their opponent. The Thunder are 1-1 against both teams this season.

Knicks Take Down Raptors in Thrilling Finish

In a dramatic back-and-forth game with 10 lead changes in the fourth quarter, the New York Knicks held their ground to secure a 113-108 win over the Toronto Raptors on Tuesday night. The game’s final moments were tense, but Jalen Brunson’s clutch four-point play with 3:03 remaining sparked a decisive 12-4 run for the Knicks, propelling them to victory.

OG Anunoby had a crucial block in the closing seconds, but it was Karl-Anthony Towns’ dagger three-pointer with just 6.3 seconds left that sealed the deal for New York. Towns, who finished with 24 points and 15 rebounds, was a key part of the Knicks' victory alongside Mikal Bridges (23 points, including 5 three-pointers) and Brunson (20 points, 11 assists). The trio combined for an impressive 67 points.

Despite a valiant 30-point effort from former Knick RJ Barrett, Toronto's push fell short, especially after losing Scottie Barnes to a foot injury in the third quarter. For Towns, the performance marked his 20th double-double in just 22 games as a Knick, two shy of matching his total from last season in Minnesota (22 double-doubles in 62 games).

Trivia Time 🧠

Beyond the Arc 🎥 

1. Jingle Hoops is Back 🎄
   The NBA dropped a new Christmas ad with "Jingle Hoops" vibes, featuring today’s stars and some amazing action-figure animation.

2. AD Gives Bronny the Rookie Treatment 😂
   AD jokingly made Bronny get up so he could sit, leaving LeBron cracking up courtside.

3. Shaq Smashes the Board 💥
   Shaq broke the big board on Inside the NBA, and the crew couldn’t stop laughing.

4. Chuck’s Jay-Z Joke 🤣
   Barkley’s “Not a good time” Jay-Z comment had the Inside the NBA set in stitches.

5. State Favorites 📊
   Basketball Reference revealed the most-viewed NBA team pages in each state this year.

Closing Time ✌️

That’s all for today’s edition! We’ve covered some serious action, but the game never stops. Take this time to reflect on the big plays and get ready for Friday’s edition, where we’ll dive even deeper into the NBA’s biggest moments. Until then, keep your mind in the game, and we’ll catch you on the court Friday.