The Morning Dunk is back for another glorious week of NBA content to fuel you with your daily dose of news and highlights from around the Association.
Lakers Escape With Win Over Clippers
The Los Angeles Lakers needed to stop the bleeding on Sunday night, and while they accomplished their task, it took every last bucket to do so.
In the latest Battle of Los Angeles between Crypto.com Arena residents, the Lakers held on by the narrowest of margins to fend off the efforts of the Los Angeles Clippers with a 106-103 victory.
Clippers sixth man Norman Powell nearly tied the game at 106 apiece with a last-second 3-point attempt over the outstretched arm of Austin Reaves, but the Basketball Gods had other plans as the ball rimmed out despite appearing good.
Norman Powell juuuuuuust missed tying it pic.twitter.com/EuAfzsjnip
— CJ Fogler account may or may not be notable (@cjzero) January 8, 2024
The Lakers were the two-point underdogs and ended a four-game losing skid SU with the victory while ending the Clippers' five-game winning streak SU in the process.
Curry Puts Up Goose Egg Against Raptors
It wasn't all that long ago that Stephen Curry was riding an NBA record 268-game streak of games with at least one 3-pointer made. As yet another indicator of how poorly the 2023-24 campaign is going for the Golden State Warriors, the veteran sniper failed to connect on a 3-pointer for the second time in a matter of weeks on Sunday night.
Curry was ice cold thanks in large part to the defensive efforts of the Toronto Raptors, who emerged with a blowout 133-118 win at the Chase Center while holding the four-time champion to just nine points and 0-of-9 shooting from 3-point range.
6:30 left here at Chase Center and fans are leaving in droves as the Warriors trail the Raptors 124-99.
— Jason Dumas (@JDumasReports) January 8, 2024
They all boo’d the team as they entered the locker room at halftime down 27 points. pic.twitter.com/s4QiASV9dz
Curry opened the season with +1400 odds in the NBA's Most Valuable Player race. Unfortunately, with the Warriors cratering at 17-19 SU and outside of the play-in tournament in the Western Conference, Curry's odds have plummeted to +10000.
Jokic Dominates In Limited Offensive Role
Nikola Jokic must have seen the Detroit Pistons on the schedule and elected to take the night off from shooting the basketball.
The Denver Nuggets big man attempted just three shots in a commanding 131-114 blowout of the Pistons at the Ball Arena, focusing his attention on other facets of his arsenal. Jokic distributed 16 assists in 25 minutes, two shy of his career best, although his five rejections were the most he's ever recorded.
Jokic only attempted 3 shots and the Nuggets still beat the Pistons by 17!
— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) January 8, 2024
He did have 16 assists and career-high 5 blocks in just 25 minutes. pic.twitter.com/rR7fhAU3sT
The Pistons have lost four games in a row since defeating the Raptors on December 30 of last year to end their record 28-game losing streak SU. Denver, meanwhile, still covered as the 15-point favorites against Detroit, improving to 3-5 in its last eight games ATS.
