It's Wednesday, and you know what that means. The Morning Dunk is back for another rousing edition of NBA news, highlights, and betting odds.
Lakers' Fall Continues With Loss To Hawks
LeBron James posted an hourglass on X early Wednesday morning, which could mean that time is up for the rest of the league. In reality, though, it could simply be an analogy for how the Los Angeles Lakers' season is going.
A 138-122 loss to the Atlanta Hawks on Tuesday put the Lakers' win-loss record back under the .500 mark at 24-25 SU. It was Los Angeles' second-straight defeat and third in five games.
LeBron James just missed out on a triple-double of 20 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists. Atlanta, though, had all five starters score in double-figures to secure the win, led by Trae Young's double-double of 26 points and 13 dimes.
LeBron James on the 24-25 Lakers: “We could on any given night beat any team in the NBA. And then on any given night we could get our ass kicked” pic.twitter.com/IlKra5XAmy
— Dave McMenamin (@mcten) January 31, 2024
Atlanta covered the narrow spread as the 1.5-point favorites, marking the first time its done so in the last six games.
Sixers' Loss Worsened By Apparent Embiid Injury
It's bad enough for the Philadelphia 76ers that they fell to the Golden State Warriors on Tuesday, but they may have lost so much more when it's all said and done.
Reigning NBA Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid suffered an apparent knee injury with just over four minutes remaining in the game after Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga landed on him diving for a loose ball.
Embiid was able to exit the game under his own power but did not return in an eventual 119-107 loss at the Chase Center. He finished with 14 points and seven rebounds in 30 minutes.
Joel Embiid is headed to the locker room after Jonathan Kuminga fell on him
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) January 31, 2024
Hope he's ok 🙏 pic.twitter.com/iZysg8pULR
Oddsmakers have removed Embiid from the MVP race until further notice. With his injury status now up in the air, and having already missed 12 games this season, the 7-footer is at risk of failing to meet the 65-game quota to be eligible for end-of-season hardware.
DiVincenzo records rare line in knicks win
No O.G. Anunoby or Julius Randle meant more of an opportunity for Donte DiVincenzo, and boy did he deliver the goods against the Utah Jazz.
DiVincenzo finished with a game-high 33 points, nine 3-pointers, five rebounds, four assists, four steals, and zero turnovers across 39 minutes of action in a 118-103 win for the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
It's just the second time in history that such a line has been recorded.
Donte DiVincenzo could not be stopped tonight 🔥
— NBA (@NBA) January 31, 2024
33 PTS | 5 REB | 4 STL | 9 3PM (career-high) pic.twitter.com/XTlhnZSYCW
The Knicks' are a league-best 14-2 SU in the month of January with the No. 1-ranked defense during that span, allowing just 104.4 points per 100 possessions.
