And that’s simply from two of yesterday’s video games.
TODAY’S LINEUP 🏀
1️⃣ Developing clutch: Kyrie Irving and Bam Adebayo each electrified the league with Tissot Buzzer Beaters lower than an hour aside 🚨
2️⃣ Sounding off on Kyrie: The sports activities world went right into a frenzy, from social media to American Airways Heart car parking zone – the place Kai bumped into Pat Mahomes 🗣
3️⃣ Uncommon air: Simply how uncommon is it for 2 gamers to have buzzer-beating game-winners on the identical day? 📊
4️⃣ Sunday roundup: Lillard and the Bucks had themselves a day, whereas Wemby, Paolo Banchero and Sam Hauser did, too. Stat leaders 🌪
5️⃣ Monday planner: What that you must know from the weekend, plus a couple of key video games to circle this week – with some robust runs forward for Orlando and Philly, and a packed Sunday 📅
SCORES & WHAT TO WATCH 🏀
Cleveland vs. Indiana (7 ET, NBA App) brings collectively two groups trying to shut the hole, because the league’s finest offense (Indy) faces a staff that has led the league in % of baskets assisted since 2024 opened
Philly and Miami meet at 7:30 ET (ESPN), opening a stretch for Philly that sees seven straight matchups in opposition to groups with successful information
Golden State hosts New York at 10 ET (ESPN) with the Knicks two video games out of third place and Golden State – three video games out of the No. 6 seed – trying to go on a run
1. BAM & KYRIE’S ST. PATRICK’S DAY STUNNERS
Adebayo & Irving come up clutch: Simply after 5:15 ET on Sunday, one of many yr’s largest breakouts hit a Tissot Buzzer Beater to ship his staff to seventh within the standings.
Forty-five minutes later, one of the inventive scorers in NBA historical past did the identical, including a brand new masterpiece to his assortment and electrifying the hoops world.
- Inform me what I must know: The twelfth trey of Adebayo’s profession despatched the Warmth over the Pistons, 104-101, whereas Irving’s lefty floater from 21 toes out gave the Mavs their fifth W in six video games, 107-105 over the Nuggets
- sixteenth time in 27 years: Because the play-by-play stats period started in 1997-98, two gamers have hit buzzer-beating game-winners on the identical day simply 15 occasions earlier than. (0.0 left on the clock)
First, Bam: Adebayo received a move from Terry Rozier 31 toes from the ring after a Cade Cunningham miss, fired, splashed and received mobbed by his teammates at middle court docket.
- Angles on angles: Begin with each angle … and this bonus from the far baseline
- While you’re scorching, you’re scorching: Every week in the past, Adebayo shot beneath 12% from 3 for his profession. Since then, he’s had three straight video games with a triple
- Warmth coach Erik Spoelstra: “Typically there’s karma on this sport. Bam was simply excellent for us, particularly defensively, with all of the issues he was doing and every part he received on the glass. Typically the ball simply occurs to seek out that man.”
- Playoff Race (MIA ↔️): Two straight wins over the Pistons after 4 straight losses have the Warmth again to seventh
- Pistons have fun ‘04: Detroit’s 2004 championship staff was in the home to commemorate the twentieth anniversary of an all-time staff
Then, Kyrie: Tied 105-105 in entrance of a nationwide TV viewers on ABC, Kyrie took the inbounds close to the fitting nook, curled towards the highest of the important thing, then pulled up with a (mind-boggling) lefty runner to win it along with his off-hand.
2. GROUP CHAT: SOUNDING OFF ON KYRIE
“Irving for the win … Oh my, oh my! The southpaw end from Kyrie Irving! Simply absurd! … Unforgettable ingenuity from Kyrie Irving. A left-handed floater for the win.” – Ryan Ruocco on ABC
Kyrie’s winner despatched shockwaves across the sports activities world, immediately going viral – with followers world wide (and NBA gamers) weighing in.
Inside the world…
- Jason Kidd: “Kai’s top-of-the-line finishers within the league. He’s most likely going to go down as top-of-the-line finishers ever.”
- Dereck Vigorous II: “In Kyrie we belief. Each time we see him get the ball, sit again and watch it occur.”
- Patrick Mahomes: The 2-time reigning Tremendous Bowl champ put it merely: “Greatness, dawg.”
Kyrie, for his half, didn’t appear too shocked. He’s been engaged on this for years, he stated.
- Kyrie: “Typically I spend an hour straight engaged on straight left-handed stuff. Being a small guard for a big place of my life … you gotta have a large number of finishes. That’s one thing I’ve been engaged on since I used to be a child.
- “We play in essentially the most athletic league on the earth … and people guys make up floor fairly fast. I attempt to work on issues that the protection isn’t anticipating.”
3. RARE AIR
The place would Sunday rank amongst among the rarest issues to occur over the previous 27 years?
- 12 Occasions: Days the place 2+ gamers scored 50+
- 16 Occasions: Dueling 20-point triple-doubles in a sport
- 17 Occasions: 28+ rebound video games & 21+ pt, 20+ ast video games
- 18 Occasions: 45+ pt triple-doubles
- 19 Occasions: 40+ pt, 15+ ast video games
- 21 Occasions: Days with a number of 30+ pt triple-doubles
4. ROUNDUP: LILLARD LEADS BUCKS BARRAGE
Dame, Milwaukee make historical past: Damian Lillard (31 pts, 16 ast) tied a career-high in assists, turning into the primary Buck in historical past with a 30pt-15ast sport, as Milwaukee knocked down a season-high 24 treys (inc. this Dame brand 3) to beat Phoenix, 140-129. | Recap
- Crew sport: Enjoying with out Giannis, the Bucks additionally received 31 factors from Bobby Portis, together with 22 from Khris Middleton — coming off a 16-game absence with a sprained ankle.
- Beginning scorching: Milwaukee’s 18 first-half threes tied an NBA document for a half
- Lillard on Middleton: “I believed it was large, particularly with Giannis being out. Any time you’re down your finest participant and you then add one other weapon to a staff that’s already down, it’s a pick-me-up simply because we’re excited to have him again.”
- Playoff Race (MIL ↔️, PHX ⬇️): Milwaukee stayed put because the No. 2 seed within the East, whereas Phoenix fell out of assured territory at No. 6 and into the eighth seed within the West, under the Mavs and Kings
Boston rides Hauser’s profession evening: Sam Hauser’s career-high 30 factors and 10 3-pointers included seven treys within the first half, and Jayson Tatum added 30 of his personal, because the Celtics beat the Wizards, 130-104. | Recap
- Inform me some cool stats: Hauser turned the primary NBA participant to hit 10 treys in fewer than 23 minutes. In the meantime, the Celtics’ fourth 80-point half of the season gave them double the whole from another staff within the league
- Playoff Race (BOS ↔️): The Celtics stayed on high within the East, 9.5 up on the Bucks in 2nd
Magic climbing: Orlando improved to 8-2 over its final 10, and now stands only a half-game behind the Knicks after a 111-96 win over the Raptors, powered by Paolo Banchero’s 29. | Recap
- Elite in Orlando: Banchero’s fortieth profession 25+ level sport joins Shaquille O’Neal (70) and Tracy McGrady (49) as the one Magic gamers to achieve that mark earlier than turning 22 years previous
- Steal sans shoe: Cole Anthony misplaced his shoe, however took the ball.
- Playoff Race (ORL ↔️): The Magic stayed fifth within the East, however have a tricky stretch forward of them. Extra in Part 4
Wemby’s large sport beats Nets in OT: Victor Wembanyama’s 33-point, 15-rebound, 7-block, 7-assist evening – his thirty sixth double-double in 60 video games – led the Spurs to a 122-115 win over the Brooklyn Nets, holding off 31 factors from Cam Thomas. | Recap
- Schroder sends it to OT: Brooklyn’s Dennis Schroder (19 pts) hit a 3 with 16 seconds left in regulation to tie it at 110, however had a go-ahead shot blocked by Wemby within the closing minute of OT because the Spurs held on
- Too easy, Wemby: The 7-foot-4 No. 1 total decide went guard mode with the double-cross into the reverse
Hawks break stoop vs. Clippers: Double-doubles from Dejounte Murray, Clint Capela and Jalen Johnson and a defensive effort that held LA beneath 38% capturing despatched Atlanta to the 110-93 win over the Clippers. | Recap
- James Harden handed Vince Carter for twentieth on the NBA all-time scoring record
- Playoff Race (ATL ↔️, LAC ↔️): Atlanta stayed in tenth and the Clippers, who’ve now misplaced 4 of 5, stayed at 4th
5. YOUR MONDAY PLANNER
The common season ends in 27 days. Right here’s what you gotta know concerning the subsequent seven.
(And simply in case you missed ‘em, the final three.)
Weekend Rewind: The West’s No. 1 spot flipped between OKC and Denver 5 days in a row, earlier than the Thunder took it going into Sunday, then received respiration room (a half a sport) from Denver’s loss.
- OKC Grabs 1st, Once more: SGA, Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams all put up 20+ for the tenth time this yr, beating the Grizzlies Saturday to maneuver OKC to a West-best 47-20
- Dubs Win Potential Play-In Preview: Steph Curry’s 31 (after a 3-game absence) and Klay Thompson’s 26 overcame a 40-point sport from LeBron, because the Warriors beat the Lakers, 128-121, to leap L.A. into ninth
- Pelicans Hovering: No. 5 seed New Orleans logged a press release win over the Clippers Friday, then got here again and beat Portland on Saturday for his or her seventh W in 9 video games
- Brunson’s Again-To-Again 40: The Knicks’ All-Star level guard poured in 42 factors in opposition to the Kings Saturday, making him the primary NYK participant since Melo in 2014 to have consecutive 40-spots … in the meantime, the Knicks haven’t allowed 100+ in 5 straight video games
Gimme a couple of extra video games to circle this week:
- Tuesday: A Prime of the West showdown between Denver and Minnesota (9 ET, NBA TV), within the first of three matchups between the groups between now and April 10
- Wednesday: Celtics-Bucks on ESPN (7:30 ET) pits the East’s high staff vs. considered one of its high challengers – and largest rivals. Additionally … 2 East elites meet in Warmth-Cavs at 7 ET (NBA App), and the Suns host the Sixers (10 ET, NBA App)
- Thursday: Two breakout groups (and No. 5 seeds) meet in Orlando, when the Pelicans come to city (7 ET, NBA TV). Additionally … the Rockets look to maintain rising vs. the Bulls (8 ET, NBA App) and the Knicks face a take a look at in Denver (9 ET, NBA App)
Issues solely warmth up from Friday by means of Sunday:
- Friday: Massive video games in every single place. Cavs-Wolves at 8 (NBA TV), then Pelicans-Warmth tipping on the similar time (NBA App), with all 4 groups jockeying for place. 76ers-Lakers closes the evening (10:30 ET, NBA TV)
- Saturday: The Magic play their 2nd sport of 4 straight in opposition to West groups within the Play-In or above, taking over the Kings at 7 ET (NBA App).
- Additionally … Celtics-Bulls (8 ET, NBA TV) matches up two longtime rivals, Suns-Spurs (8 ET, NBA App) sees KD & Wemby go at it and Knicks-Nets ideas the time without work at 1 ET (NBA App)
- Sunday: Six video games. 5 between groups in Play-In or Playoff place. The Sixers’ West Coast swing finishes vs. the Clippers (3:30 ET, NBA App).
- The Cavs & Warmth meet (6 ET, NBA App), adopted by Warriors-Wolves (7 ET, NBA App), Thunder-Bucks (7 ET, NBA TV) and Pacers-Lakers (10 ET, NBA TV)