2013 is winding down. Nonetheless, the NBA is getting in as many extraordinary games as it can before the year ends.
Saturday, December 29 was highlighted by a meeting between two of the fastest rising point guards in the NBA and a clash between former award-winning teammates.
Here’s everything that you need to know about last night’s games.
1. Two of the fastest rising point guards in the world clashed as Stephen Curry led the Golden State Warriors past Kyrie Irving and the Cleveland Cavaliers 108-104 in overtime. One game after posting his third career triple-double, Curry dropped 29 points, 11 assists, nine rebounds, two steals and a block on 10-of-23 shooting from the field and 5-of-10 from 3-point range.
As for Irving, all he did was tally 27 points nine assists and the game-tying 3-ball with nine seconds left on the clock in regulation.
2. Curry has nine games with at least 20 points and 10 assists, which ties him with Chris Paul of the Los Angeles Clippers for the league-lead. In 2012-13, Curry had 10 of such performances.
3. Kevin Durant took over by tallying 33 points, 13 rebounds, five assists, one block and a steal on 11-of-17 shooting from the field, 3-of-5 from 3-point range and 8-of-9 from the charity stripe. Jeremy Lamb added a career-high 22 points, five assists, five rebounds, two steals and a block on 8-of-10 shooting from the field.
As for the Oklahoma City Thunder’s former sixth man, James Harden was limited to eight points, three assists, three steals and a block on 2-of-9 shooting in 30 minutes. The Houston Rockets’ starting lineup combined for just 40 points.
The end result was the Thunder earning a 117-86 destruction of the Rockets.
4. Manu Ginobili scored a season-high 28 points to guide the San Antonio Spurs to a 112-104 win over the Sacramento Kings. The stars of the game were Sacramento’s new Big Three, however, as DeMarcus Cousins posted 29 points and 14 rebounds, Isaiah Thomas tallied 27 points and nine assists, and Rudy Gay put up 24 points and nine boards.
It’s the second straight game that Cousins, Thomas and Gay have all scored at least 20 points.
5. The Philadelphia 76ers defeated the Los Angeles Lakers for just their second road victory of the season. Thaddeus Young tallied 25 points, marking the fourth consecutive game that he’s eclipsed that scoring mark, and Evan Turner put up 22 points, seven rebounds, six assists and a block in his first game back from a one-game absence via a knee injury.
For the Lakers, Shawne Williams posted 11 points and 10 rebounds for his first double-double since January 28, 2011.
Bonus Fact: The Orlando Magic dished out a season-high 30 assists during a 109-102 win over the Atlanta Hawks.
Bonus Fact: Xavier Henry suffered a non-contact leg injury, but the severity is unknown. Henry is averaging a career-best 10.1 points per game in his first season with the Lakers.