Wow, DeMarcus Cousins. Wow.
We have that and more in Thursday’s NBA newsletter.
DeMarcus Cousins put up 40 points and 22 rebounds in the Pelicans' win over the Nuggets on Wednesday. (That's an important win for New Orleans considering we are in fact looking at six teams competing for five playoff spots at this point, and Denver and New Orleans are two of them.) Dropping 40 and 20 seems crazy — because it is. It's also the second time Cousins has done it this season. (It's Dec. 7.) There were only two 40-20 games in the entire league last season, and no one has had two in a season since Patrick Ewing in 1989-90.
Cousins didn't just have 40 and 22 — he had four blocks, four assists, and two made threes in there, too, which makes his performance stand out even more for its versatility. Only one player in history has ever had a 40-20 night with at least two threes, four assists, and two blocks: Larry Bird in 1987. That's wildly specific, but hey! Shout out to Bird and Cousins!
The Pelicans have a one-game edge on Oklahoma City for the No. 8 seed, but are also within 1.5 games of the No. 4 seed. If Anthony Davis comes back soon, New Orleans can freak out some people and break Cousins' career-long playoff drought.
Scores Galore ...
SAC 95, CLE 101
CHI 96, IND 98
ATL 106, ORL 110 (OT)
DAL 90, BOS 97
MEM 88, NYK 99
GSW 101, CHA 87
DET 100, MIL 104
DEN 114, NOP 123
MIA 105, SAS 117
MIN 113, LAC 107
... And So Much More
Here's something a bit amusing about that six-team race for the five bottom Western playoff spots: it includes the entire five-team Northwest Division. Minnesota is the best of that crew so far, and Oklahoma City is the No. 9 seed right now. If New Orleans is the team on the outside in the end, it'll be because the entire Northwest Division snuck in.
Victor Oladipo game-winner! More like Victory Oladipo, am I right?
Mike Prada argues Marcus Smart's legendarily bad shooting is integral to the Celtics' offense.
Andy Miller, who has been caught up in the FBI's college basketball investigation, had his union certification stripped. He's done in the NBA. Kristaps Porzingis and Kyle Lowry were among his clients. Porzingis' brother is certified, and will now represent him, per David Aldridge.
Zach Lowe on Kevin Durant getting a chance to explode without Steph Curry.
Mike James is the first player on a two-way deal to get a NBA contract. Congratulations to him. This ensures that a bunch of guys will sign two-way deals next season hoping to be the next James. There had been some question as to whether these would work out.
Nine stats that explain the NBA season's most interesting trends so far, from Tim Cato. That Mavericks bench unit defies explanation.
Best wishes to Steve Clifford, who is dealing with a health issue away from the Hornets. Stephen Silas is running the team in Clifford's absence. Luckily for you, Paul Flannery spent some time with him this season.
Kawhi Leonard did not dress Wednesday. His return is imminent. Remain vigilant. Speaking of which, I wrote about injury resiliency. How do the Spurs survive Leonard missing the first month plus while the Grizzlies crumble in a couple weeks without Mike Conley? Resiliency.
Important piece from Lonnae O'Neal on LiAngelo Ball and the opportunity to bounce back from a boneheaded mistake many teenagers of color aren't afforded.
Happy 23rd birthday to Giannis Antetokounmpo. Here are 33 reasons we love him.
Another scary injury turns out OK: Devin Booker will miss just 2-3 weeks.
Nerlens Noel, who is destroying himself from the inside with hot dogs instead of playing basketball, will miss several weeks with a thumb injury. When Rick Carlisle was told, he asked "Who?" (That was a joke.)
Rookie Dennis Smith Jr. has had enough of Kyrie Irving's baloney. (Been there, bro.)
The Pistons have lost four straight, much of it owing to the schedule.
An argument that the WNBA's bottom line isn't actually so bad.
What an egregious flop by Mason Plumlee, attempting to draw a flagrant on Cousins when review shows no contact. The refs didn't buy it, thankfully (because Mount DeMarcus would have blown and now everyone would be covered in molten lava). I'm becoming more militant about flops as refs (understandably) become more likely to eject players for elbows and hard hits. I think flops like this should result in suspension. It damages the integrity of officiating.
Kelly Dwyer remembers the Latrell Sprewell vs. P.J. Carlesimo incident, 20 years later.
It's not basketball, but I had never seen this video of Patti LaBelle adlibbing through "This Christmas" during a White House tree lighting ceremony, and heavens, it is good. I am definitely shouting "where are my background singers?!" 10 times the next time I do karaoke.
James "J.D." "Jim" Dolan, Knicks franchisee, has been sued for allegedly knowing Harvey Weinstein was a serial sexual abuser and doing nothing.
It's a four-game Thursday, with Lakers-Sixers (8 p.m. ET) and Rockets-Jazz (10:30 p.m.) on TNT. Wizards-Suns and Thunder-Nets are the other options.
Prayers to all those fleeing and fighting fire in Southern California, including the Kirilenkos.
And finally: you're going to want to save this GIF to every device you own. It's Jimmy Butler reacting to a bad Taj Gibson end-of-quarter heave with a crystal clear, very sincere "WTF was that?!." Enjoy.
Be excellent to each other.