Mavs v. Pelicans: The Mavericks mounted a furious comeback against the Pelicans, to try and overcome a 25-point fourth-quarter comeback but fell just short. They went 10-18 from the 3-point line but still ended up losing the game 113-106. The Mavericks’ performance behind the arc explains how they got back in the game, but there is no explanation for Brandon Ingram biting teammate Jose Alvarado.
Thunder vs. Suns: With no Kevin Durant for the Suns and no Shai Gilgeous-Alexander for the Thunder, Phoenix still rolled to a 132-101 victory. The story of that game though is what happened before the player introductions.
Raptors vs. Clippers: The Clippers won 108-100, good for them. They needed that win. But this was another game in which the most interesting action was not between the lines. After the game, Fred VanVleet unloaded on referee Ben Taylor in an expletive-filled press conference. Seriously, don’t play this video around your kids.
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Grizzlies vs. Lakers: Given the circumstances, the best possible night to retire Pau Gasol’s number. The franchise that traded him to the Lakers in 2009 was in town. Anthony Davis was spectacular scoring 30 points and pulling in 22 rebounds in a 112-103 win that has the Lakers as the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference postseason picture. However, watching Pau’s number in the rafter next to Kobe Bryant’s was a sad reminder of Kobe’s absence on a night he surely would have been in attendance.
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