LAST CHANCE: SEE HOW THE KNICKS STUNNED CLEVELAND IN A HISTORIC HOLIDAY THRILLER
Jalen Brunson’s 34 points and Tyler Kolek’s spark off the bench led the Knicks to a wild 126-124 Christmas comeback over the Cavs.
The New York Knicks were way behind, like 17 points, in the fourth quarter, but they pulled off a major comeback against the Cleveland Cavaliers on Christmas Day. They won 126-124, making their season record 21-9.
New York struggled to guard Cleveland throughout much of the game. It looked really bad when they were down 17 early in the fourth. But instead of giving up, they bounced back, just like they have all season.
Jalen Brunson, who was way in the negative earlier in the game, really stepped it up in the fourth. He scored 13 points, hitting 3 of 4 three-pointers, ending with 34 points. He showed why he got Clutch Player of the Year last season.
Brunson started slow, but he really came through when it mattered most. The captain did it again at the most important time.
The Knicks' bench really changed the game's momentum. The guys coming off the bench, even without Miles McBride and Landry Shamet, were key. Tyler Kolek, who's been playing great recently, was super important in the comeback, sinking a couple of important shots to cut Cleveland's lead in the fourth.
Kolek had 16 points and nine assists off the bench. Also, he had the best plus-minus on the team at +24, killing it when he was on the court and helping them catch up.
Jordan Clarkson also had his best game this season, coming off the bench. He scored a season-high 25 points and hit five of 10 three-pointers, providing a lift when New York was struggling.
Mitchell Robinson's rebounding was amazing, and without those offensive rebounds, they wouldn't have had the extra chances needed to come back. Robinson didn't score, but he grabbed 13 rebounds (eight offensive) in just 17 minutes, including eight in the fourth quarter.
The Knicks' defence was still a bit slow.
New York's defence put them in that hole to begin with. They let Cleveland score 38 points in both the first and third quarters, struggling with the three-point shot.
Darius Garland and Donovan Mitchell were causing the Knicks the most trouble. Garland ended with 20 points and 10 assists, and Mitchell led the Cavs with 34 points.
Thankfully, the Knicks were able to shut them down late and score a bunch on offence. However, they'll need to tighten up their defence going forward if they don't want to keep making these big comebacks.
Overall:
The Knicks showed their usual fight and toughness, and it led to a big home win. Now, New York hits the road to play the Atlanta Hawks.
NETFLIX NFL HALFTIME SHOW: DID SNOOP DOGG FAKE HIS VOCALS DURING THE LIONS VS VIKINGS GAME?
Snoop Dogg’s Netflix Christmas halftime show faces "terrible" lip-syncing accusations from fans during the Lions-Vikings game.
Snoop Dogg's Christmas Day halftime show got some heat online, with viewers wondering if he was lip-syncing.
On Christmas, Snoop Dogg headlined the Netflix halftime show for the Lions-Vikings game. His Holiday Halftime Party had guests like Lainey Wilson, K-pop Demon Hunters (HUNTR/X: EJAE, AUDREY NUNA, and REI AMI), and other surprise folks.
Netflix aired the Christmas Day NFL games for the second time. Last year, Beyoncé killed it during halftime at the Texans-Ravens game at NRG Stadium. This year, Snoop made the holiday game a music event for fans at the stadium and watching on Netflix.
It’s Snoop Dogg time, one fan posted.
Snoop Dogg is the best, said another. But as the show went on, some people started to question things.
Some viewers weren't sure if Snoop was really singing live. They felt the vocals didn't match his mouth movements. Snoop’s lip-syncing skills need some work, one person mentioned.
"Snoop Dogg and K-pop chicks lip-syncing terribly with an orchestra," someone else wrote.
"Snoop is lip-syncing… that's a bummer," another said. Yeah, Snoop was totally lip-syncing; one post confirmed.
Is Snoop lip-syncing? What the heck?, another asked.
The NFL Christmas Day halftime show has gotten bigger since the league started playing games on that day six years ago. Netflix streams the game globally. And this changes how the performers get paid.
We don’t know exactly how much Snoop Dogg got paid for the show. But when the Christmas Day halftime show started in 2023, Beyoncé got around $20 million through the Netflix deal, according to Sports Illustrated. Usually, the NFL pays halftime performers based on a union scale, but the streaming thing adds a different angle.
Often, artists do these shows for the exposure, not just the money. Front Office Sports said that Usher’s Super Bowl halftime show made about $52 million in marketing impact because of streams, sales, and attention to his brand.
Snoop Dogg, worth about $160 million according to Celebrity Net Worth, is still one of the most famous rappers. He's had tons of hits and runs a lot of businesses.
Snoop has been married to his high school sweetheart, Shante Monique Broadus, since way back in 1997. They met at Long Beach Polytechnic High School in the late '80s and renewed their vows in 2008 after a short break in 2004.
Shante Broadus, born in 1971, is Snoop’s manager and runs his branding companies, like Boss Lady Entertainment. She handles his cannabis, alcohol, gaming, and media deals and helped start The Broadus Collection, a scarf line inspired by their daughter Cori’s battle with lupus.
TACTICAL ANALYSIS: WHY HERB JONES IS THE ONLY 3-AND-D STAR REDICK TRULY WANTS
JJ Redick calls out the Lakers' defensive effort ahead of the Rockets clash. Explore the hurdles in a potential Herb Jones trade.
Lakers' new head coach JJ Redick and Rob Pelinka talked about the team's plans for the 2025-26 season back on September 25, 2025.
So, the Lakers might have to be patient if they want Herb Jones from the Pelicans. He can't be traded until January 14. Some people think Jones would be the perfect Christmas gift for the Lakers.
Brett Siegel at ClutchPoints thinks Jones is just what Redick's team needs. He wrote that the Lakers really want Jones because they need better defense to make a real run for the championship. Even with players like Doncic, LeBron, and Reaves, their defense sometimes isn't good, especially on the wings.
Siegel said Redick wants tough defenders, and he's always liked Jones, even before becoming the Lakers' coach. Apparently, Jones is the kind of player worth trading future draft picks for.
But, according to Siegel, the Pelicans aren't really trying to trade Jones. They seem to want to keep him. However, Dan Woike of The Athletic says they might trade him if a team offers enough, but the Lakers might not be able to afford it.
The Lakers only have one first-round pick they can trade (in 2031 or 2032), plus some contracts that are about to expire, like Rui Hachimura's, Gabe Vincent's, and Maxi Kleber's. Woike wrote that the Pelicans probably aren't interested in that kind of deal.
Woike mentioned that things could change before the trade deadline on Feb. 5, but right now, it seems like the Pelicans would need a lot to change their minds.
The Lakers are supposedly looking for 3-and-D players to help their defense, which is currently ranked 24th and has been giving up a lot of points lately. Their defense was especially bad in a recent game against the Suns.
After that loss, Redick criticized his players for not trying hard enough on defense and questioned how committed they are.
He said that they can cheat and take shortcuts or make the hard play. It's a choice. You have to make a million choices in a game, and you are not likely to make them all, but you can make most of them.
For now, all trade talks are on pause as the Lakers try to end their two-game losing streak against the Houston Rockets on Christmas Day. It’ll be the first time these two teams have faced off this season. The good news is that Luka Doncic and Rui Hachimura are expected to be back from their injuries.