• Hoopsciety
  • Posts
  • ⚡ Shai’s Thunder, Lillard’s Fire: This Week on the NBA

⚡ Shai’s Thunder, Lillard’s Fire: This Week on the NBA

➕ Knicks’ 145-point explosion, Ja Morant’s return, Jaden Ivey’s buzzer-beater & more.

Author

Hoop Society
November 29, 2024

Today’s Playbook

  • Weekly Standings Recap 🥇: Which teams dominated the hardwood and climbed the standings this week? Find out!

  • Top of the Key 🔑: From OG Anunoby’s career night to Damian Lillard’s clutch performance, we’re spotlighting the week’s biggest games and moments.

  • Fast Break Facts ⚡: Quick hits on Tyrese Haliburton’s unreal week, Jaden Ivey’s buzzer-beater, and more standout individual performances.

  • Beyond the Arc 🎥: Off-court vibes, including Kyrie Irving’s Thanksgiving stream and Jalen Suggs’ turkey moment.

  • League Leaders Update 📊: Who’s topping the charts in points, assists, and more?

  • Trivia Time 🧠: Test your NBA knowledge with a fun question inspired by this week’s highlights.

  • Closing Time ✌️: Wrapping up with a little locker-room energy to send you into the weekend.

Weekly Standings Recap

Eastern Conference

  1. Cavaliers (0-1)

    • Result: Lost to the Hawks 135-124.

    • Highlight: Trae Young dominated with 20 points and a season-high 22 assists.

  2. Celtics (1-0)

    • Result: Crushed the Clippers 126-94.

    • Highlight: The Celtics showed why they’re title favorites with a dominant all-around performance.

  3. Magic (2-0)

    • Results: Beat the Hornets 95-84 and the Bulls 133-119.

    • Highlight: Lamelo Ball scored an electrifying 44 points in the loss to the Magic, while Joe Suggs dropped 31 in their win over the Bulls.

  4. Knicks (1-1)

    • Results: Beat the Nuggets 145-118, lost to the Mavericks 129-114.

    • Highlight: OG Anunoby poured in 40 points against Denver, with Jalen Brunson adding a dazzling 23 points and 17 assists.

  5. Bucks (1-0)

    • Result: Edged the Heat 106-103.

    • Highlight: Damian Lillard carried Milwaukee with 37 points and 12 assists in a clutch performance.

  6. Heat (0-1)

    • Result: Lost to the Bucks 106-103.

    • Highlight: A competitive game, but the Heat couldn’t close it out against Dame’s brilliance.

Western Conference

  1. Thunder (2-0)

    • Results: Beat the Kings 130-109 and the Warriors 105-101.

    • Highlight: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander delivered back-to-back elite performances, dropping 34 points and 11 assists against the Kings and 35 points versus the Warriors.

  2. Rockets (2-0)

    • Results: Defeated the Wolves 117-111 in OT and the 76ers 122-115 in OT.

    • Highlight: Rockets advance to NBA Cup knockouts after OT win over Wolves with Sengun notching a triple-double, while Jalen Green exploded for 41 points against the Sixers.

  3. Warriors (0-2)

    • Results: Lost to the Thunder 105-101 and to the Nets 128-120.

    • Highlight: Dennis Schroder was a bright spot for the Nets, scoring 31 points in the win over the Warriors.

  4. Grizzlies (2-0)

    • Results: Beat the Blazers 123-98 and the Pistons 131-111.

    • Highlight: A solid week for Memphis, building momentum after a slow start to the season.

  5. Lakers (1-1)

    • Results: Lost to the Suns 127-100 and beat the Spurs 119-101.

    • Highlight: LeBron James secured a triple-double (16-10-11) against the Spurs, supported by Anthony Davis’ 19-point, 14-rebound effort.

  6. Clippers (1-1)

    • Results: Lost to the Celtics 126-94 but defeated the Wizards 121-96.

    • Highlight: James Harden stole the show with a 43-point performance against Washington.

Top of the Key: Main Stories of the Week

Anunoby's Big Apple Feast: Knicks Set Records in Mile-High Beatdown

  • Key Moment: OG Anunoby's career-high 40 points led the Knicks to a season-high 145 points. Supporting acts included Karl-Anthony Towns (30 pts, 15 ast) and Jalen Brunson’s career-best 17 assists.

  • Historic Offense: The Knicks shot 60.9% from the field, their highest since 2005, and tied their franchise assist record with 45.

  • Streak Snapped: Nikola Jokić’s streak of four consecutive 30-point games ended with a 22-point outing.

Dame's Hot Hand Burns Miami: Bucks Survive Late Heat Push

  • Lillard Leads the Way: Without Giannis, Damian Lillard delivered 37 points and 12 assists, including a game-clinching performance to secure Milwaukee’s fifth straight win.

  • Miami’s Push Falls Short: The Heat erased a 22-point deficit, with Jimmy Butler and Tyler Herro combining for 41 points, but fell just shy.

  • Group Play Implications: The Bucks remain undefeated in East Group B (3-0), setting up a pivotal matchup with Detroit. Miami’s chances now hinge on the Wild Card route.

SGA’s Thunderous Finish: Warriors Fall in Clutch Duel

  • Late-Game Heroics: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander capped off a 35-point night with clutch plays, including two late 3-pointers and free throws to edge the Warriors.

  • Defensive Dominance: The Thunder’s defense held Golden State to a season-low 35.7% shooting.

  • Milestone: SGA recorded his 50th game with 35+ points, trailing only Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook in OKC franchise history.

Trae Dishes a Feast: Hawks Overcome Cavs’ Early Surge

  • Trae Young’s Feast: Young dished out a career-high 22 assists to go along with 20 points, leading the Hawks to a comeback win after being down 19 in the first quarter.

  • Historical Impact: Young became the first Hawks player with multiple 20-assist games and notched his second career 20-point, 20-assist outing.

  • Cavs’ First Home Loss: Cleveland suffered its first home defeat of the season, falling to 10-1 at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse.

Green Light in OT: Rockets Outlast Sixers

  • Green’s Explosion: Jalen Green dropped a season-high 41 points, including clutch shots in a head-to-head duel with Tyrese Maxey (39 pts, 10 ast, 5 stl).

  • Overtime Domination: Alperen Sengun scored 11 of Houston’s 14 OT points to seal the win.

  • Rising Rockets: With their ninth win in 11 games, Houston climbed to second in the West, cementing their status as contenders.

  • Maxey’s Historic Night: Maxey joined Allen Iverson and George McGinnis as the only Sixers to post 35+ points, 10+ assists, and 5+ steals in a single game.

Fast Break Facts 🚀

Quick highlights from this week's standout performances and moments:

  • Haliburton’s Dual Threat: Tyrese Haliburton put on a show this week, dropping 28 points, 10 assists, and 5 threes against the Blazers, followed by a near-triple-double of 34 points, 13 rebounds, and 9 threes to lead the Pacers past the Pelicans.

  • Payton’s 21 Dimes: Elfrid Payton marked his return in style, dishing out a career-high 21 assists in his season debut — the most by any player this season.

  • Wemby’s Dominance: Victor Wembanyama exploded for 34 points in the Spurs' 128-115 victory over the Jazz.

  • Ja Morant’s Comeback: Back from suspension, Ja Morant wasted no time making an impact, racking up 22 points and 11 assists as the Grizzlies cruised to a 123-98 win over the Blazers.

  • Nets’ Triple Treat: Despite Booker (31 points) and Durant (30 points) combining for 61, the Nets knocked down 18 threes, including a career-high 30 points from Tyrese Martin, to beat the Suns 127-117 and sweep their West road trip.

  • Jokić’s Jazz Masterpiece: Nikola Jokić continued his historic run with 30 points, 10 rebounds, and 7 assists in the Nuggets' win over the Jazz. Over his past six games, he’s averaged 31 points, 12.7 rebounds, and 10.2 assists on 61.7% shooting, matching a feat he first accomplished in 2022.

  • Ivey’s Buzzer Beater: Jaden Ivey led the Pistons to a thrilling 102-100 win over the Raptors, capping off his best game of the season (25 points, 8 assists) with a clutch game-winner at the buzzer.

League Leaders 🏆

Points Per Game

  1. Giannis Antetokounmpo - 32.4 PPG

  2. LaMelo Ball - 31.1 PPG

  3. Nikola Jokić - 29.7 PPG

Assists Per Game

  1. Trae Young - 12.5 APG

  2. Nikola Jokić - 10.6 APG

  3. LeBron James - 9.3 APG

Rebounds Per Game

  1. Nikola Jokić - 13.1 RPG

  2. Domantas Sabonis - 12.8 RPG

  3. Karl-Anthony Towns - 12.7 RPG

Steals Per Game

  1. Dyson Daniels - 3.1 SPG

  2. Jalen Williams - 2.2 SPG

  3. Tari Eason - 2.1 SPG

Blocks Per Game

  1. Victor Wembanyama - 3.6 BPG

  2. Brook Lopez - 2.3 BPG

  3. Donovan Clingan - 2.2 BPG

🧠 Trivia Time 🧠

Which legendary player is the only one to have recorded a triple-double with 10+ made three-pointers in a single game?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.

Beyond the Arc 🎥

  • Kyrie on Kai Cenat’s Thanksgiving Stream
    Kyrie Irving brought his usual charisma to Kai Cenat’s Thanksgiving live stream, chatting hoops, life, and everything in between. Catch their hilarious interactions and holiday vibes.

  • D’Lo vs CP3 Gets Heated 🔥
    Things boiled over between D’Angelo Russell and Chris Paul during the Lakers-Spurs matchup.

  • Magic’s Post-Game Turkey Feast
    Jalen Suggs had his post-game moment with a twist—chowing down on turkey during his interview after the Magic’s big win. Nothing says victory like a Thanksgiving feast!

Closing Time

That’s it for this week, hoop fans! Hope you enjoyed the breakdown of all the action, drama, and laughs both on and off the court. Don’t forget to hit the poll below and let me know your thoughts—what did you love, and what do you want to see more of?

What did you think of today's newsletter?

Login or Subscribe to participate in polls.