HISTORY MADE: NIKOLA JOKIC DROPS HISTORIC 56-POINT TRIPLE-DOUBLE TO SINK MINNESOTA TODAY
Nikola Jokic records the first 55/15/15 game in NBA history as the Nuggets win an OT thriller against the Timberwolves.
Nikola Jokic went OFF last night. He put up 56 points, grabbed 16 boards, and dished out 15 assists as the Nuggets came back from nine down in OT to beat the Timberwolves 142-138.
Apparently, no one in NBA history has EVER had a game with at least 55 points, 15 rebounds, and 15 assists before. Jokic also had the third-most points ever scored on Christmas Day. Only Bernard King (60 in '84) and Wilt Chamberlain (59 in '61) scored more!
It was a crazy game, Jokic said after, and it’s a little bit late, so it’s nice to finish off with a win.”
That was Jokic's 15th triple-double this year, bringing his career total to 179 in the regular season and 21 in the playoffs. Jamal Murray helped out big time with 35 points and 10 assists. The Nuggets needed that win after losing two of their last three.
Anthony Edwards was a beast for the Timberwolves, scoring 44 points, including 24 in the fourth and OT. But he got a technical foul late in OT. Julius Randle had 32 points, Jaden McDaniels added 21, and Rudy Gobert grabbed 12 rebounds, but it wasn't enough as Minnesota's three-game win streak came to an end.
Knicks 126, Cavaliers 124
Jalen Brunson nailed a clutch 3-pointer with just over a minute left to give the Knicks the lead as they rallied from 17 down in the fourth to beat Cleveland.
Brunson was on fire, scoring 13 of his 34 points late in the game. The Knicks pulled off their biggest comeback of the year. Jordan Clarkson (25 points) and Tyler Kolek (16 points, nine assists) came up big off the bench, while Karl-Anthony Towns put up a double-double (11 points, 14 rebounds).
Donovan Mitchell went for 34 for the Cavaliers, but those guys blew two double-digit leads and lost for the first time this season when leading after three quarters. Darius Garland had a double-double of his own (20 points, 10 assists), and Jaylon Tyson (16 points), Evan Mobley (14 points, nine rebounds in his return), and De’Andre Hunter (13 points) all scored in double figures as reserves.
Spurs 117, Thunder 102
De’Aaron Fox scored 29 points, and San Antonio handed the NBA champs, Oklahoma City, back-to-back losses for the first time this season.
The Spurs have now won eight straight (not counting the NBA Cup final loss to the Knicks) for their longest streak. The Thunder have lost five times this season, and two defeats were against San Antonio.
Victor Wembanyama, coming off the bench for the sixth game since returning from a calf injury, had 19 points and 11 rebounds in about 26 minutes. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led Oklahoma City with 22 points but struggled from the field (7-for-19). Isaiah Hartenstein had 13 points and 12 rebounds, but no one else on the Thunder really got going.
Warriors 126, Mavericks 116
Stephen Curry lost his scoring battle with Cooper Flagg in their first meeting, but he and Gary Payton II stopped a late rally as Golden State held off Dallas.
Curry scored 23. After the Mavericks got within 110-104 with about four minutes left, Payton threw down a dunk off a Draymond Green pass to grab momentum, and Curry hit an extra-long three to push the lead back to double digits.
Flagg had a game-high 27 points, and Brandon Williams added 26 for the Mavericks, who lost Anthony Davis after he hurt his groin early in the second quarter.
Rockets 119, Lakers 96
Amen Thompson had a game-high 26 points, and Kevin Durant added 25 as Houston never trailed against Los Angeles, ending the 2-4 road trip on a good note.
Jabari Smith Jr. scored 16 points, and Alperen Sengun added 14 points and 12 rebounds as the Rockets blasted a ten-point halftime lead into a big lead in the third. Luka Doncic paced the Lakers with 25 points and seven assists, while LeBron James had 18 points in his 19th Christmas Day game. Austin Reaves scored 12 in the first half but didn't play in the second after hurting his calf. And the Lakers got beaten badly on the boards (48-25).
DEXTER LAWRENCE TRADE REQUEST LOOMS OVER GIANTS' PREPARATIONS FOR PITTSBURGH NFL DRAFT
Dexter Lawrence wants out! Discover why the Giants are considering a trade before the NFL Draft in Pittsburgh.
The New York Giants might have no choice but to trade Dexter Lawrence before the NFL Draft. Negotiations on a new contract with the star defender have hit a wall, and Lawrence already asked for a trade earlier this month. He's skipped the team’s first offseason practices under new head coach John Harbaugh, which hasn’t helped matters.
At this point, the Giants have been talking with several teams about a possible deal for Lawrence. With the draft coming up in Pittsburgh next week, the pressure is on. They need picks, and right now they only hold two selections in the top 100. Harbaugh’s trying to breathe new life into the roster, but he needs more draft capital to do it.
News of the stalled negotiations came just hours after GM Joe Schoen sounded pretty upbeat, saying talks had been "productive". He explained that he, Harbaugh, and senior VP Dawn Aponte were all in regular contact with Lawrence’s reps, looking for some kind of resolution. Schoen insisted they want Dexter to stay, but he admitted it’s out of their hands now. They’ll just have to see what happens.
Lawrence, 28, signed a four-year, $90 million extension last year. Since then, defensive contracts have exploded, so his deal has dropped to just 11th among league defenders. On top of that, the team’s shaken up its roster, letting go of many Lawrence’s close teammates like Saquon Barkley.
Lawrence has been with the Giants since they drafted him 17th overall in 2019. He’s played his whole seven-year career in New York, earning three trips to the Pro Bowl and two second-team All-Pro honours. His career stats include 30.5 sacks, five forced fumbles, and an interception. But last year wasn’t great; he only managed half a sack, eight QB hits, and a pass rush win rate of 8.3 per cent for a team that finished 4-13. It’s hard to tell if he’ll stay with the Giants much longer.
RORY MCILROY TARGETS SEVENTH MAJOR AT ARONIMINK FOLLOWING EMOTIONAL MASTERS DEFENSE
No long break for Rory McIlroy! After his 6th major win, McIlroy eyes the PGA Championship at Aronimink this May.
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Rory McIlroy isn’t following the same script after this Masters win. When reporters asked if he’d take another long break, as he did in 2025, Rory had a different plan in mind.
He’s not disappearing for months this time. Instead, he’s taking a couple of weeks off before jumping back into PGA Tour action. The next big event on the calendar is the PGA Championship, starting May 14 at Aronimink Golf Club in Pennsylvania, but it sounds like Rory wants to get some tournament play before then.
He talked about his mindset shift after winning again at Augusta. “My schedule’s going to be different this year,” he said on April 13. “Last year, I thought winning the Grand Slam would be the destination. But actually, it’s just part of the ride. Now that I’ve won my sixth major, I feel great about my game and my body.
“I waited ages to win the Masters, and then I won two in a row. I definitely want to enjoy this. I’ll take a couple weeks off, but I don’t think I’ll hit that motivation lull I felt last year after the win.”
So, what comes next for Rory? He’s skipping the RBC Heritage this week, and his appearance at the Zurich Classic isn’t confirmed either.
Then, there’s Donald Trump, who might’ve let the cat out of the bag. After congratulating Rory on social media, Trump said he was looking forward to watching him at Doral during the Cadillac Championship on April 30. That’s not an official confirmation, but it’s a pretty solid clue that Rory’s next start could be there.
Now that he’s up to six majors and finally has back-to-back Masters titles, Rory’s thinking ahead. The next big stop? The PGA Championship, where he’ll chase number seven. But he’s not feeling satisfied just yet.
“I don’t want to put a hard number on it, but this is just part of the journey,” he said. “I’ve still got things I want to accomplish even as I make sure I enjoy the moment, too.”
