From December 5th, December 19th: The list of 13 games from Thursday

Bang!

After no basketball was played on Wednesday, There’s a big basketball night coming up tonight.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S ISSUE 🏀

December 19, 2024

KAT’s homecoming: Karl-Anthony Towns returns to Minnesota tonight

Wild West Race: The championship contenders will fight for places on Thursday

Dynamic Duos: The best tandems take center stage tonight in League Pass

NBA Cup frame: Relive the Emirates NBA Cup 2024 through some of our favorite snaps

What’s next? An exciting weekend of basketball leading up to a star-studded NBA Christmas celebration

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BUT FIRST… ⏰

Basketball is back…

The list of 13 games on Thursday: After a one-day break following the Emirates NBA Cup Championship on Tuesday, the 13-game schedule continues tonight, led by a TNT doubleheader where the Magic host the Thunder (7 ET) before the Knicks take on the Wolves compete (9:30 ET).

Get ready for today’s list of today’s NBA Play Trivia!

NBA All-Star Voting opens today at 10 a.m. ET and ends January 20th. Fans can vote for starters using their NBA ID via the NBA app and NBA.com. Tap here for more details.

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1. KAT COMES BACK TO MINNESOTA TONIGHT ON TNT

Twenty days Before the 2024-25 season, the Timberwolves traded four-time All-Star Karl-Anthony Towns to the Knicks in a blockbuster deal for fellow All-Stars Julius Randle and Donte DiVincenzo.

The move sent shockwaves throughout the NBAThat abruptly ended Towns’ nine-year run in Minnesota – a stretch capped last season by the franchise’s first trip to the West Finals in two decades.

• “Nine years ago I came to Minnesota as a young man with a dream,” Towns wrote on X after the trade. “Little did I know that this place would become my home and its people my family…
• “You will always persevere a special place in my heart.”

On Thursday, Towns – who ranks second in Wolves history in points, rebounds and blocks – returns to Target Center for the first time since the trade as the Wolves host the Knicks in the second leg of the TNT doubleheader (9: 30 ET).

Strength vs Strength: The match also pits one of the NBA’s most explosive offenses against the league’s fiercest defense.

• Record attack: Through 26 games, the Knicks (16-10) are on pace to set franchise highs in points (116.4), assists (27.7), 3s (14.2), field goal percentage (49.7). ), 3-point percentage (39.4) and offensive scoring rating (119.7) and net rating (6.6)
• Recording from 5: Led by Towns (24.8 ppg) and Jalen Brunson (25.0), the Knicks’ starting five posted 96.0 ppg – the third-highest figure since the starting numbers were first recorded in 1970-71

Wolves howl: Meanwhile, the Wolves have won six of their last seven games, led by a defense that allowed an NBA-low 90.7 ppg in that span.

• Historical status: It’s the Wolves’ lowest points average in seven games since 2012, and they’ve allowed 92 points or fewer in all six wins
• The whole package: Over the same period, the top eight NBA leaders in DefRtg (min. 20 min/g) are all Wolves, and the team ranks first in opponent FG% (40.5) and turnovers (19.3).

Tonight, They will try to slow down their former teammate in Towns, who is the first Knick to total 550+ points, 330+ rebounds and 75+ assists in the first 24 games of a season.

• “It will be emotional “Definitely for KAT,” Wolves guard Mike Conley said. “We all miss him, and obviously he considers this his home… At some point during the game there will be an emotional attachment to it that’s hard to explain.”

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2nd WILD WEST RACE IS ON THURSDAY

In the first leg The TNT doubleheader sees the Magic host the Thunder, with OKC looking to bounce back from Tuesday’s loss to the Bucks in the Emirates NBA Cup championship.

The thunder have a three-game lead over first place in the West. Behind them are three teams – the Grizzlies, Rockets and Mavericks – all separated by only half a game. Behind them? Eight others were separated by just 2.5.

Tonight, All four top seeds are in action, trying to stand out from the crowd.

Thunder at Magic (7 ET, TNT): Two teams have the same top-scoring defense in the NBA: the Thunder and Magic, each allowing just 103.5 points per game.

• Number you should know: OKC is on pace to become the fourth team in NBA history with a point differential of +12 or better (12.1), joining the 1970-71 Bucks, the 1971-72 Lakers and the Bulls from 1995–96
• These three teams All won the NBA title
• Suggestions for Spark: With leading scorers Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner sidelined with oblique injuries, Jalen Suggs has stepped up for Orlando, scoring 22.3 ppg in the last three games

Warriors at Grizzlies (8 ET, LP): On Sunday, the Warriors (27) and Mavs (21) set the NBA record for 3s in a game with 48. Tonight Steph Curry and Co. face Ja Morant and the Grizzlies, who lead the NBA in scoring (122.1 ppg) and have won 10 of their last 12 games.

• Memphis heater: The Grizzlies moved from 10th to second place in the West during their 10-2 run, averaging 126.0 ppg on 50.0% shooting and a NetRtg of 11.0

Pelicans at Rockets (8 ET, LP): The Rockets, one of only two teams with four players age 22 or younger logging 25+ minutes per game, rank second in DefRtg (105.3) and third in fastbreak points (17, 9).

After five days Will Houston’s young core catch a break tonight after their NBA Cup semifinal loss to OKC?

• Lockdown lineup: The Rockets’ starting lineup of Fred VanVleet, Dillon Brooks, Jalen Green, Alperen Sengun and Jabari Smith Jr. has a defensive rating of 104.8, second best among five-man lineups (min. 150 minutes).

Clippers at Mavericks (8:30 ET, LP): Can James Harden and the Clippers win their third straight regular season game against Dallas and do what few teams have been able to do recently – slow down the Mavs?

• After a 5:7 start Dallas has won 12 of its last 14 games and moved from 12th to fourth place in the West. In the meantime,
• In this period of time The Mavs lead the league in scoring (123.9 ppg) and have surpassed the 120-point mark 10 times

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3. DYNAMIC DUOS COMPETE DURING THE LEAGUE PASS

Eight more games Tonight’s League Pass tip, including three matchups with some of the league’s most dynamic duos.

Hawks at Spurs (8 ET): In a duel between offensive masters, Trae Young – who leads the NBA in assists this season (12.1 apg) – will face Chris Paul (8.4 apg), who is No. 2 on the all-time assist list. Your favorite destinations? Two promising young stars.

• Atlanta’s double victory: Jalen Johnson helped Young lead Atlanta to the NBA Cup Semifinals – the first player age 22 or younger to total 490+ points, 250+ rebounds and 135+ assists in the first 25 games of an NBA season
• CP3’s contact person? Victor Wembanyama, who averaged 24.3 points, 9.7 boards and 4.0 blocks in his last three games, was on the rise

Pacers at Suns (9 ET): In the Valley, Kevin Durant, Devin Booker and the Suns face Tyrese Haliburton, Pascal Siakam and the Pacers.

• Book & KD Shining: The Suns are 13-2 with Durant (25.7 ppg) in the lineup, as he and Booker (25.4 ppg) combine to score over 50 points per game
• Indy in a groove: The Pacers have won three of their last four games, powered by Haliburton (21.3 ppg, 9.3 apg) and Siakam (18.8 ppg, 54.0 FG%, 53.3 3P%) scoring one during that time Averaged over 40 ppg

Lakers at Kings (10 ET): In the first of two duels this week between national rivals Domantas Sabonis, De’Aaron Fox and the Kings host LeBron James, Anthony Davis and the Lakers.

• More fireworks? Sabonis dropped a triple-double against Los Angeles on October 26, but James topped him with 32 points, 14 boards and 10 dimes in the Lakers’ 131-127 win

More marquee action: The reigning champion and reigning Kia NBA MVP also return to play on Thursday when the Celtics host the Bulls (7:30 ET) before Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets take on the Blazers (10 ET).

• C consistency: Boston (21-5) trails only Cleveland (23-4) for the most wins in the NBA and is the first team this season to win both at home (record: 11-3) and away (record: 10: 1) achieved double-digit wins. 2)
• Hot Joker: In his last five games, Jokić averaged an NBA-best 33.4 points, 14.2 points and 8.4 assists, capped by a league-leading 10th triple-double in a win over the Kings on Monday

The remaining League Pass schedule for Thursday

• Jazz at Pistons (7 ET)
• Hornets at Wizards (7 ET)
• Nets at Raptors (7:30 ET)

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4. SIGNATURE EMIRATES NBA CUP SNAPSHOTS

Sixty-seven games, Eleven nights and one champion later, the 2024 Emirates NBA Cup is in the books. But that doesn’t mean we can’t look back on the moments that made the race for the trophy so electrifying.

Of groundbreaking performances Relive the 2024 NBA Cup with some of our favorite photos celebrating the championship.

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5. WHAT’S NEXT? #NBAXMAS & A DIVERSE WEEKEND

Don’t look now, But with Christmas just six days away, fans will have plenty to enjoy with more than 12 hours of high-octane matchups.

• Spurs at Knicks (12 ET, ESPN): As the festivities begin, Victor Wembanyama will make his Christmas debut against the Knicks at the world’s most famous arena
• Wolves at Mavericks (2:30 ET, ABC): There will then be a rematch in the Western Conference Finals, pitting Anthony Edwards and the Wolves against Luka Dončić and the Mavs
• 76ers at Celtics (5 ET, ABC): Paul George, Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers will face Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown and the defending champions in Beantown
• Lakers at Warriors (8 ET, ABC): LeBron and the Lakers vs. Steph Curry and the Warriors in prime time, with both teams struggling to keep pace in the crowded postseason West
• Nuggets at Suns (10:30 a.m. ET, ESPN): And to crown NBA Christmas, Nikola Jokić and the Nugs meet Kevin Durant and the Suns in Phoenix

But first 31 games through Sunday, including a stacked weekend recap on NBA TV and League Pass.

Below are seven matchups Here’s what you won’t want to miss, starting with a heavyweight showdown between the NBA-best Cavs and the Emirates NBA Cup champion Bucks on Friday:

• Friday: Bucks at Cavaliers (7:30 ET, NBA TV)
• Friday: Thunder at Heat (8 ET, LP)
• Saturday: Grizzlies at Hawks (7:30 ET, LP)
• Saturday: Knicks at Pelicans (8 ET, NBA TV)
• Saturday: Warriors at Wolves (8 ET, LP)
• Saturday: Clippers at Mavericks (8:30 ET, LP)
• Sunday: Nuggets at Pelicans (7 ET, LP)