The Morning Dunk is back with all of the NBA news and highlights you missed from Wednesday's action around the Association, including blowouts, buzzer beaters, and much more.
Raptors Handle Heat After Siakam Trade
With emotions still running high after the organization moved Pascal Siakam to the Indiana Pacers, the remaining Toronto Raptors channelled their emotions and put forth one of their strongest and most dominant efforts of the season.
Gary Trent Jr. connected on eight 3-pointers for 28 points and RJ Barrett contributed 26 points and eight rebounds of his own as Toronto cruised to a 121-97 victory at Scotiabank Arena on Wednesday night over the visiting Miami Heat.
Toronto led by as many as 37 points in this one after beginning the day as the two-point underdogs prior to news of the trade coming through.
The Raptors beat the Heat by 24, hours after the Pascal Siakam trade 👀 pic.twitter.com/D3X7EQVzVu
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) January 18, 2024
Toronto was without the services of incoming pieces Bruce Brown, Jordan Nwora, and Kira Lewis Jr. as the trade with Indiana had yet to become official.
Bucks Walloped Without Giannis
It's a shame the equipment manager couldn't step in, because perhaps their best efforts would have been stronger than what ultimately manifested on the hardwood.
The Giannis Antetokounmpo-less Milwaukee Bucks were thoroughly dissected by the red-hot Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday, who extended their winning streak to six games SU with a 40-point victory, 135-95.
Donovan Mitchell, what a pass! 👀 pic.twitter.com/ihVRfHPdV1
— NBA UK (@NBAUK) January 18, 2024
Donovan Mitchell had 31 points in just 26 minutes for the Cavaliers, while Georges Niang led all scorers with 33 points off the bench.
Cleveland entered as the five-point underdogs but eventually grew to be the two-point favorites once it was revealed that Antetokounmpo wouldn't suit up. The win improved the Cavs' record ATS to 5-1 over its last six games, while Milwaukee fell 1-8 in its last nine on that front.
Murray Beats Magic At Buzzer
Heartbreak is real.
The Orlando Magic thought they were at least headed to overtime as Paolo Banchero drilled a 3-pointer with nine seconds remaining against the Atlanta Hawks to tie the game at 104 apiece.
Dejounte Murray ruined those plans, though, sinking a fadeaway jumper as time expired to send the fans at State Farm Arena into a frenzy as Atlanta prevailed 106-104.
What a sequence 🤯
— NBA (@NBA) January 18, 2024
Paolo hits the clutch 3-pointer to tie the game...
Dejounte Murray hits the tough fadeaway to seal the game 😤 https://t.co/zS13Yw0e1O pic.twitter.com/8rqHYP1EU0
The bucket gave Murray a game-high 26 points as the Hawks won their second consecutive game, although they failed to cover the spread as the 3.5-point favorites.