If you love NBA blowouts and games that are over before they have a chance to get started, then you were probably glued to your television set on Thursday night.
(sarcasm alert)
If not, The Morning Dunk will let you know what you missed.
Thunder Decimate Trail Blazers In Epic Blowout
You can ease up, Oklahoma City. They're already dead.
From start to finish, the Thunder put their foot down on the Portland Trail Blazers and didn't let up, setting a new franchise record with a 62-point margin of victory (previous record was 45 points) in a commanding 139-77 win at the Paycom Center.
It's the fifth-largest margin of victory in NBA history, while the 62-point lead Oklahoma City held at the end of the third quarter at 118-56 set a new league record.
Thunder win big vs. the Trail Blazers last night! 🔥#ThunderUp | @okcthunder | @BallySports 📺 pic.twitter.com/b17T9jllOV
— Bally Sports Oklahoma (@BallySportsOK) January 12, 2024
MVP candidate Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led all scorers with 31 points, while Josh Giddey notched a triple-double with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and 12 assists.
Portland has covered the spread just once in its last seven games, failing to do so against the Thunder (clearly) as the 14-point underdogs.
Mitchell Puts On Show In Paris
Scorers score no matter what country they're in, and Donovan Mitchell was proof of that on Thursday when the Cleveland Cavaliers and Brooklyn Nets took part in the NBA's latest Global Game in Paris, France.
Mitchell recorded a season-high 45 points on 15-of-30 shooting to go along with 12 rebounds, six assists, and three steals in a 111-102 victory for Cleveland.
45 pts
— Across The Cavs (@AcrossCavs) January 12, 2024
12 rbs
6 asts
3 stls
If Donovan Mitchell hasn’t convinced you yet that he’s HIM, top-tier superstar, get off the bandwagon
🇫🇷🇫🇷🇫🇷pic.twitter.com/MYTZisPjeP
The win was Cleveland's fourth in a row SU, improving its record to 22-15 which is tied with the Indiana Pacers for fourth in the Eastern Conference. The Nets, meanwhile, are losers of seven of their last eight games SU.
Suns Handle Business Vs. Lakers
Winning the inaugural In-Season Tournament is but a distant memory at this point.
The Phoenix Suns got a combined 86 points from its Big Three of Bradley Beal, Devin Booker, and Kevin Durant on Thursday to take care of the Los Angeles Lakers 127-109 at Crypto.com Arena.
The Lakers are a mere 5-11 since capturing the NBA Cup back in December.
Beal went OFF in Suns win against the Lakers. 😤 pic.twitter.com/lEMUKnK3DN
— House of Highlights (@HoHighlights) January 12, 2024
The Suns are usually pretty weak when it comes to covering the spread (4-16 ATS over last 20 games prior to Thursday), but they did get a rare win on that front Thursday as the 2-point underdogs.
