Who won the NBA games last night on February 23rd, 2023? Looking at winners, losers, top scores, and more as crazy day resumes after All-Star break

The NBA is back after the festivities of the All-Star game and a quick break. Nine games were played last night as the battle for the playoff spots heats up.

The marquee matchup was between the Golden State Warriors and LA Lakers, which LA handily won 124-111. Nikola Jokic and the Denver Nuggets took down the Cleveland Cavaliers 115-109 while the Boston Celtics beat the Indiana Pacers 142-138 in overtime.

The Philadelphia 76ers emerged the winner 110-105 in a seesaw battle against the Memphis Grizzlies. Ditto for the Toronto Raptors versus New Orleans Pelicans game where the Raptors edged the Pelicans 115-110.

The Dallas Mavericks pummeled the San Antonio Spurs 142-116 in Texas. Utah squeaked past the OKC Thunder 120-119 while the Orlando Magic did the same against the Detroit Pistons 108-106.

The Warriors versus Lakers tiff was somewhat very surprising. LeBron James and Anthony Davis combined for just 25 points and yet the Hollywood squad ran away from the visiting team. Fans quickly reacted to how the Lakers managed to win the game despite James' so-so performance.

Golden State were without Steph Curry and Andrew Wiggins, which heavily contributed to the lopsided loss.

James and Davis each played 26 minutes. AD had 12 points, 12 rebounds and two blocks. "King James" finished with 13 points, nine rebounds and eight assists. The four-time NBA MVP made just 5-20 shots, on a forgettable night.

Malik Beasley, however, provided the big-time scoring punch. He had 25 points, making 7-11 shots from behind the arc in just 26 minutes.

Meanwhile, the Boston Celtics struggled against the Indiana Pacers. It took the Cs overtime and Jayson Tatum's heroics to outlast the gritty home team. Tatum had 31 points while Jaylen Brown scored 30 points.

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Nikola Jokic makes another strong case for why he deserves a third straight NBA MVP award

When the NBA had their annual GM survey heading into this season, not one general manager predicted a third straight MVP season for Nikola Jokic. The top vote-getter was Luka Doncic with 48% of the votes and followed by Giannis Antetokounmpo with 34%.

The back-to-back NBA MVP, however, is putting a strangehold on the award, which started with at least five solid candidates to win it this season. Forget the advanced metrics that Jokic doubters endlessly throw at him.

The Serbian basketball star is averaging 24.7 points, 11.6 rebounds, 10.2 assists and 1.3 steals. He is a center who is third in the NBA in assists. The top 12 on that list are made up of point guards, with James Harden and Trae Young leading the field.

Nikola Jokic is playing with such efficiency that it's almost a joke how he impacts games. He is shooting 63.2% from the field, including 40.2% from behind the arc, both career-high numbers.

In tonight's game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, the five-time All-Star faced arguably the best defensive frontline in the NBA. In 36 minutes of action, Jokic dropped 24 points to go with 18 rebounds, 13 assists and two steals. He made 8-13 field goals, including 2-2 from deep and 6-6 free throws.

The last player to win three consecutive NBA MVP awards was the legendary Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird. It's looking more and more like Nikola Jokic is on track to be the next to accomplish such an incredible feat.