Christmas has come and gone, but The Morning Dunk stops for no one. If you were preoccupied opening gifts and spending quality time with family, which is completely justifiable, here's the NBA news and highlights you missed when basketball was back in the spotlight on December 25.
Doncic Gives Suns The Business
The Phoenix Suns were visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future on Monday night, and all three were named Luka Doncic.
The Dallas Mavericks superstar led the way like Rudolph with 50 points on 15-of-25 shooting, eight 3-pointers, six rebounds, 15 assists, four steals, and three blocks in 44 minutes in a 128-114 victory over Phoenix.
Dropping a 50-piece on Christmas Day is rare. So rare, in fact, that the basketball world hasn't seen such a performance since 1984 when Bernard King had 60 points against the Nets. Doncic becomes the fourth player in NBA history to hit that mark, joining King, Wilt Chamberlain, and Rick Barry.
Luka Doncic put together an HISTORIC #NBAXmas performance in the Mavs' win over the Suns 🎄
— NBA (@NBA) December 26, 2023
50 PTS
15 AST
8 3PM
6 REB
4 STL
3 BLK
▪️ No player in NBA history has reached these thresholds
▪️ 2nd player ever with 50 points and 15 assists (James Harden, Dec. 31, 2016) pic.twitter.com/tBFSwWKq9n
The Mavericks improve to 3-4 ATS over their last seven games after covering as the four-point underdogs against the Suns. Doncic's odds in the NBA Most Valuable Player race also bumped up to +500, placing him just behind Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic.
Knicks FINALLY Beat The Bucks
It's a Christmas miracle.
For the first time since November 5, 2021, the New York Knicks can finally say they've defeated the Milwaukee Bucks in the regular season after prevailing 129-122 at Madison Square Garden on Christmas.
New York had been riding a nine-game losing streak against Giannis Antetokounmpo and company, and entered this matchup as the three-point underdogs. Jalen Brunson led all scorers with 38 points and six dimes, while teammate Julius Randle contributed a near double-double of 24 points and nine boards.
Jalen Brunson makes the Knicks Christmas wish come true 🎄 pic.twitter.com/LWrBLaBlve
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) December 25, 2023
The Bucks were in the midst of a seven-game winning streak SU themselves before losing to the Knicks. This is just their second loss in the last eight road games ATS.
Kerr A Scrooge To Officiating
Bah Humbug.
Nothing sucks the holiday spirit out of Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr more than inconsistent officiating, and he certainly believed that played a part in his side's 120-114 loss to the reigning NBA champion Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena.
Kerr called out the quick whistle to the media afterwards, specifically acknowledging Nikola Jokic getting to the free-throw line nearly as many times (18-of-18) as Golden State did as a unit (20-of-23).
Steve Kerr sounds off after Nikola Jokic’s 18 free throws: “I have a problem with the way we are legislating defense out of the game.We're just enabling players to BS their way to the foul line. If I were a fan, I wouldn't have wanted to watch the second half. It was disgusting." pic.twitter.com/YBWuldi0Za
— Anthony Slater (@anthonyVslater) December 25, 2023
The Warriors were the biggest underdogs of the day as Denver was the 7.5-point favorites, although Golden State did cover in the six-point defeat. The loss ended the Warriors' five-game winning streak SU, as the Nuggets extended their winning streak SU to five games.
