Most basketball fans and sports betting aficionados expected the MLK Day to be an action-packed affair, and it sure didn’t disappoint.
Besides the Dubs producing another masterful performance to delight the online gambling faithful, today’s NBA slate also featured stunners that turned the betting odds upside down. There’s Philly surprising Toronto, Chicago snapping Miami’s streak and Atlanta—of all teams—upsetting San Antonio!
What more could you ask for?!
Charlotte Hornets 118-107 Detroit Pistons
Charlotte weren’t expected to win at Little Caesars, but an offensive outburst from their starters saw them pummel Detroit. Dwight Howard, Marvin Williams and Kemba Walker paced the Hornets to victory with a combined 62 points. Howard even finished with 17 rebounds as Charlotte dominated the boards.
Toronto Raptors 111-117 Philadelphia 76ers
DeMar DeRozan was the lone bright spot for the toothless Raptors that fell to the young and rising Sixers. Most of Toronto’s starting unit struggled offensively, paving the way for Philadelphia to run riot and lead by as much as 21 points. Six players scored in double figures for Philadelphia, led by Joel Embiid who had 34 markers and 11 boards.
Milwaukee Bucks 104-95 Washington Wizards
The Bucks have an All-Star player, and his name is Giannis Antetokounmpo. The Greek Freak showed everyone why he deserves another appearance in the annual festivity, logging his first 20-point, 20-rebound game to lift Milwaukee past Washington. Oh, Antetokounmpo also had six assists and two blocks!
San Antonio Spurs 99-102 Atlanta Hawks
Dennis Schroder scored 12 of his 26 points in the final quarter to help the Hawks upset the Spurs, who were once again without Kawhi Leonard. Atlanta also received a boost from their bench players as they outscored San Antonio’s reserves, 44-38.
New York Knicks 119-104 Brooklyn Nets
Talking about bench unit, no other reserve players had a better day than the Knicks’. Kristaps Porzingis shined bright with his 26 markers, but it was Michael Beasley, Doug McDermott, Frank Ntilikina and Kyle O’Quinn who stole the show as they sparked the New York bench to 70 points.
Miami Heat 111-119 Chicago Bulls
Chicago put an end to Miami’s winning streak, all while extending their own. The three-pointers made the difference in the game, with Justin Holiday bagging seven to finish with 25 points for the Bulls. Rookie Lauri Markkanen also had three treys as he became the fastest player to make 100 3s.
Los Angeles Lakers 114-123 Memphis Grizzlies
With Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram out, the Lakers were just no match for the Grizzlies. Memphis used a 28-10 third-quarter run to take control, and they never relinquished their lead as eight players—headed by Dillon Brooks and Marc Gasol—reached double-digit scoring.
Sacramento Kings 88-95 Oklahoma City Thunder
Oklahoma banked on a 31-16 third quarter to recover from a 15-point first-half deficit and get their payback against Sacramento. Carmelo Anthony came up big for the Thunder, scoring 15 of his 20 points in the decisive third that put them up by nine entering the final frame. Russell Westbrook had a near triple-double for Loud City, while Buddy Hield and Willie Cauley-Stein made 16 and 15 respectively in a losing effort for the Kings.
Golden State Warriors 118-108 Cleveland Cavaliers
It’s 13th straight win on the road for the Warriors after defeating the Cavaliers at Quicken Loans Arena. Despite their questionable defence, the Cavs fought bravely and managed to stay ahead up until the end of first half. However, the Dubs were just unstoppable as they went berserk in the final 24 minutes of play behind the trio of Kevin Durant (32 points), Steph Curry (23 points) and Klay Thompson (17 points).
Indiana Pacers 109-94 Utah Jazz
Utah’s offence and ball movement were stagnant in the game, so it’s no wonder why Indiana were in the driver’s seat throughout. The Pacers dished out a total of 26 assists and thrived offensively, pushing them up by 23 points at one point. Meanwhile, the Jazz only had 11 dimes, with Donovan Mitchell and Derrick Favors the only ones carrying the attacking load.
Houston Rockets 102-113 LA Clippers
The Clips made a statement in this matchup, telling the league that they don’t need Chris Paul to win. CP3 had an all-around performance for Houston, but the Clips played with the desire to show they are just fine without their All-Star point guard.
Blake Griffin handed more frustration to his former teammate, notching 29 points and 10 rebounds. Meanwhile, Lou Williams showed the Rockets what they missed when they traded him with his 31 points and nine assists.
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