On Sunday, December 22, the NBA hosted 12 games featuring 24 teams in pursuit of the postseason. There were breakout performances by embattled players, standings-altering victories and a career performance by an under-the-radar European import.
Here’s everything that you need to know about last night’s action.
1. Jamal Crawford scored 27 points and Blake Griffin dominated with 24 points and 16 rebounds to lead the Los Angeles Clippers past the Denver Nuggets 112-91. In the end, the story was Chris Paul. Again.
CP3 finished with 10 points, 11 assists, three rebounds and three steals for L.A. CP3 leads all guards with 21 double-doubles. The next-best is Stephen Curry with 11.
Los Angeles has won 11 of 15 after starting at 8-5.
2. With both James Harden and Jeremy Lin sidelined by injuries, Dwight Howard stepped up with 35 points, 19 rebounds, five assists, three blocks and one steal en route to a 114-97 Houston Rockets win at the Detroit Pistons. It was a measuring game for Andre Drummond, who finished with nine points, six boards and four blocks in 29 minutes.
This marks D-12’s highest scoring total since March 12, 2013. He’s the first Rockets player with at least 35 points and 19 boards since Yao Ming in 2008.
3. The Phoenix Suns continued their unbelievable start with a 123-108 win over the Dallas Mavericks. Eric Bledsoe scored 25 points and Gerald Green put up 22 to lead the Suns. Both Bledsoe (9) and Green (5) have more 20-point games through 26 outings in 2013-14 than they did in all of 2012-13.
As for Phoenix, it’s 16-10. That’s the Suns’ best record through 26 games since 2009-10.
4. D.J. Augustin tallied season-high numbers of 18 points and 10 assists to lead the Chicago Bulls to a 100-84 win over the Cleveland Cavaliers. This marks the third time in four games that he’s posted at least eight assists in one game after failing to hit that plateau in any game since March 8, 2013.
More significantly, this is Augustin’s first double-double since April 10, 2012. Chicago has been the source of his career rejuvenation.
5. Miroslav Raduljica scored a career-high 14 points in 22 minutes to lead the Milwaukee Bucks to a 116-106 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Thaddeus Young scored a season-high 30 points and Michael Carter-Williams posted his second straight double-double in the Sixers’ loss.
Caron Butler earned his second double-double of the season for Milwaukee after failing to tally a single one in 2012-13.
6. After blowing an eight-point lead with less than six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter, the Portland Trail Blazers managed to hold on for a 110-107 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Damian Lillard continued his tremendous stretch of play after struggling for the first quarter of the year, posting 29 points in 37 minutes.
Portland improves to 23-5,
7. Isaiah Thomas posted 23 points and nine assists, and Rudy Gay put up 23 as the Sacramento Kings defeated the Orlando Magic 105-100. Thomas posted at least 20 points and eight assists for the fourth time in December. He failed to do it a single time while Greivis Vasquez was on the roster.
Gay has at least 20 points in four of his six appearances with the Kings.
8. Russell Westbrook scored 31 points and Reggie Jackson dropped 21 as the Oklahoma City Thunder toppled the San Antonio Spurs 113-100 on the road. In the loss, Tim Duncan put up 17 points and 10 rebounds for the Spurs.
Duncan has seven double-doubles in nine December games after tallying one during his first 15 games.
9. Trevor Ariza scored 27 points and John Wall added 20 to lead the Washington Wizards to a 106-99 win over the Boston Celtics. Jared Sullinger posted 22 points and 11 rebounds for the Celtics. He has four games with at least 20 points and 10 rebounds in his past 12 outings after failing to do it a single time during his first 59 career appearances.
10. The Memphis Grizzlies snapped a five-game losing streak behind 25 points and 15 rebounds from Zach Randolph. Z-Bo led Memphis to a 95-87 road win over the New York Knicks as two of the most underachieving teams in the league clashed with rather significant implications.
New York is now 4-10 at home after going 31-10 at Madison Square Garden in 2012-13.
Bonus Fact: Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson combined to shoot 10-of-30 from the field, but Andrew Bogut and David Lee combined for 31 points and 30 rebounds to lead the Golden State Warriors to a 102-83 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.
Bonus Fact: Kemba Walker scored 20 points and Al Jefferson dropped 19, but the rest of the Charlotte Bobcats combined for 46 points on 18-of-48 shooting from the field and 1-of-10 from 3-point range. Needless to say, Charlotte squandered an opportunity at reaching .500 by losing 88-85 against the Utah Jazz.
The Bobcats are 13-15. That’s the Al Jefferson effect.
Here is one of last night’s best highlights: