Monday brought a busy NBA schedule with big runs, huge scoring nights and some one-sided games. The weather forced early warnings in a few towns, but the action still bore fruit. Several teams showed great depth, while others struggled to maintain leads or keep pace with hot shooting. Here’s a detailed look at each game.
Atlanta Hawks against Indiana Pacers (132-116)
Winner: Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta completely turned the game around with a huge 17-0 lead at the end of the third quarter. CJ McCollum led the way with 23 points and five straight threes. Dyson Daniels added 22 points and nine assists, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 21. Even without Kristaps Porzingis and Zaccharie Risacher, the Hawks dominated the second half and won their third straight game.
Loser: Indiana Pacers
Indiana led most of the night and led by 15 in the third quarter, but its offense suddenly cooled. Pascal Siakam scored 26 and Aaron Nesmith added 18. Bennedict Mathurin came back with 16 points, but the Pacers couldn’t stop Atlanta’s run and lost control late.
Charlotte Hornets against Philadelphia 76ers (130-93)
Winner: Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte turned a close game into a blowout by dominating the second and third quarters. Brandon Miller scored 30 points and all five starters reached double figures. The Hornets led by as many as 50 points and won their third straight game for the first time this season.
Loser: Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia fell apart after the first quarter. Kelly Oubre Jr. scored 17 points, while Tyrese Maxey struggled mightily with just six points. The Sixers never recovered from the massive mid-period collapse and suffered one of their worst losses of the season.
Cleveland Cavaliers against Orlando Magic (114-98)
Winners: Cleveland Cavaliers
Donovan Mitchell delivered a huge night with 45 points on 15 of 25 shooting. He made five three-pointers and scored 26 in the first half. Evan Mobley added 20 points and nine rebounds. Cleveland won its fourth straight game and improved to 28-20. The Cavs closed the first half strong and finished the game on an 8-2 run to seal it.
Losers: Orlando Magic
Paolo Banchero recorded a season-high 37 points and 10 rebounds. Desmond Bane scored 19, including 15 in the first half. Orlando took the lead early but faded late. The Magic lost their third straight game and couldn’t match Mitchell’s scoring pace.
Boston Celtics against Portland Trail Blazers (102-94)
Winners: Boston Celtics
Payton Pritchard scored 23 points and hit buzzers to end the first and second quarters. Jaylen Brown added 20. Derrick White scored 18 and hit a late three that ended Portland’s comeback attempt. Jrue Holiday scored 14 points and received a long standing ovation from the home crowd. Boston built a 23-point lead and survived a late surge to secure the victory.
Losers: Portland Trail Blazers
Jerami Grant led Portland with 19 points. Donovan Clingan had 15 rebounds. The Blazers cut the lead to five in the final minute but couldn’t get any closer. Their recent momentum has slowed after winning four of the previous five matches.
Los Angeles Lakers against Chicago Bulls (129-118)
Winners: Los Angeles Lakers
Luka Doncic played with 46 points, 11 assists and seven rebounds. He scored 20 in the third quarter alone. LeBron James added 24 points, including 20 in the first half. Rui Hachimura scored 23 on 9 of 11 shooting. The Lakers shot 56 percent from the field and 16 of 33 from deep. A 25-6 run spanning the first and second quarters set the tone.
Losers: Chicago Bulls
Coby White scored 23 and Ayo Dosunmu scored 20. Nikola Vucevic had 18 points and 11 rebounds. Josh Giddey added 19. Chicago narrowed the lead briefly in the third quarter but couldn’t stop Doncic. The Bulls saw their winning streak end after four straight victories.
Houston Rockets against Memphis Grizzlies (108-99)
Winners: Houston Rockets
Alperen Sengun and Kevin Durant each scored 33. Sengun made 15 of 17 from the field and added nine rebounds and six assists. Houston opened the fourth quarter with a 21-9 run. Tari Eason had 17 points and Amen Thompson dished out 14 assists. The Rockets won their fifth game in six outings.
Losers: Memphis Grizzlies
Jaren Jackson Jr. and Santi Aldama each scored 17. GG Jackson added 14 and Jaylen Wells had 12. Memphis shot poorly on threes and played without Ja Morant. The Grizzlies lost their third straight game and fell for the 10th time in 13 games.
Minnesota Timberwolves against Golden State Warriors (108-83)
Winners: Minnesota Timberwolves
Rudy Gobert posted 15 points and 17 rebounds. Julius Randle led with 18 points. Bones Hyland added 17, while Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo scored 15 each. Minnesota closed the second quarter on a 21-4 run and snapped a five-game losing streak.
Losers: Golden State Warriors
Stephen Curry and Draymond Green were out and the offense struggled. Quinten Post led with 13 points. Brandin Podziemski scored 12 goals and grabbed seven rebounds. Gui Santos recorded 11 points and 10 rebounds. Golden State shot a season-low 23.1 percent from three and never recovered after halftime.
Conclusion
January 26 showed how quickly NBA games can move. Atlanta and Houston turned around close contests with strong fourth quarters. Charlotte and Minnesota dominated from start to finish. Cleveland and Los Angeles relied on star power. Boston survived a late scare. Indiana, Philadelphia and Memphis have let off strong starts.
