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The NBA almost had a full set of games two days before Christmas. There were 14 games on Friday night, headlined by the LA Lakers going up against the Charlotte Hornets.
LeBron James lost a shoe in the final moments of the game as the Lakers were down by two points. Meanwhile, Luka Doncic dropped 50 points against the hapless Houston Rockets.
It was an exciting day in the NBA, with two game-winners, two teams extending their winning streaks, and more. On that note, here's the latest NBA news today brought to you by Sportskeeda.
LeBron James loses shoe in final moments against Hornets
The LA Lakers were down by 16 points at one point against the Charlotte Hornets on Friday. However, LeBron James led a furious comeback and tied the game with 42 seconds left. Patrick Beverley stole the ball from LaMelo Ball in the next possession, but miscommunication led to a turnover.
Terry Rozier missed the potential game-winner with eight seconds to go, but Gordon Hayward grabbed the offensive rebound. James blocked Hayward's layup, but it was ruled goaltending to give the Hornets a two-point lead.
With five seconds left, James drove to the basket and lost his shoe in the process. He was able to make the pass to Dennis Schroder, who missed a wide-open 3-point shot. The Hornets iced the game with free throws to earn the 134-130 win.
Luka Doncic drops 50 points against Houston Rockets
Luka Doncic did it all for the Dallas Mavericks in their 112-106 win over the Houston Rockets. Doncic scored 50 points, which was a point less than his career-high. He also grabbed eight rebounds and dished 10 assists. Spencer Dinwiddie had 11 points, while Davis Bertans added 11 points off the bench.
Meanwhile, Jabari Smith Jr. had the best game of his young NBA career with 24 points, 10 rebounds and three assists. Jalen Green contributed 23 points, eight rebounds and four assists, while Alperen Sengun added 19 points, eight rebounds and seven assists.
The Mavericks have now won two straight games, improving to a record of 17-16. The Rockets, meanwhile, are on a five-game losing streak. They have the second-worst record in the NBA at 9-23.
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DeMar DeRozan and Tyrese Haliburton hit game-winners
There were two game-winning shots in the NBA on Friday. DeMar DeRozan broke the hearts of the New York Knicks with his patented mid-range jumper. Meanwhile, Tyrese Haliburton went crazy against the Miami Heat and hit the game-winning 3-point shot.
Two days after missing the game-winner against the Atlanta Hawks, DeRozan redeemed himself against the Knicks. The five-time NBA All-Star hit a well-contested jump shot to give the Bulls the lead with 0.4 seconds left.
Meanwhile, in South Beach, Haliburton hit a career-high 10 shots from beyond the arc.
He ended the game with 43 points, two rebounds and seven assists. He also hit the game-winning 3-point shot with 2.6 seconds left. Tyler Herro missed the hail mary shot from half court that would have sent the contest to overtime.
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Brooklyn Nets, Philadelphia 76ers extend winning streaks
The Brooklyn Nets and Philadelphia 76ers are two of the hottest teams in the NBA heading into Christmas. The Nets are now on an eight-game winning streak after making quick work of the Milwaukee Bucks. Meanwhile, the Sixers have won seven straight games following their win over the LA Clippers.
Kevin Durant led the Nets with 24 points, five rebounds and six assists, while Nic Claxton had 19 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Giannis Antetokounmpo had 23 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists for the Bucks.
As for the Sixers, they had to make a comeback against the Clippers. Joel Embiid sparked a third-quarter run and finished with 44 points and seven rebounds. James Harden had 20 points, 11 rebounds and 21 assists. Kawhi Leonard and Paul George combined for 50 points, but that was not enough to stop the Sixers.
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Complete NBA scores for December 23
The NBA had 14 games on Friday, with only the Golden State Warriors and Utah Jazz not playing. The Orlando Magic and Boston Celtics earned blowout wins over the San Antonio Spurs and Minnesota Timberwolves, respectively.
The Atlanta Hawks handed the Detroit Pistons their fifth loss in a row, while the Toronto Raptors beat the Cleveland Cavaliers. The New Orleans Pelicans outlasted the OKC Thunder in overtime, and the Denver Nuggets, Memphis Grizzlies and Washington Wizards got easy victories.
Here're the complete NBA scores for Dec. 23:
- Orlando Magic def. San Antonio Spurs 133-113
- Philadelphia 76ers def. LA Clippers 119-114
- Brooklyn Nets def. Milwaukee Bucks 118-100
- Chicago Bulls def. New York Knicks 118-117
- Boston Celtics def. Minnesota Timberwolves 121-109
- Atlanta Hawks def. Detroit Pistons 130-105
- Toronto Raptors def. Cleveland Cavaliers 118-107
- Dallas Mavericks def. Houston Rockets 112-106
- New Orleans Pelicans def. OKC Thunder 128-125 OT
- Indiana Pacers def. Miami Heat 111-108
- Denver Nuggets def. Portland Trail Blazers 120-107
- Washington Wizards def. Sacramento Kings 125-111
- Memphis Grizzlies def. Phoenix Suns 125-100
- Charlotte Hornets def. LA Lakers 134-130
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