BBNBA: Julius Randle delivers 35 points in Christmas loss

Merry Christmas to you and yours. My guess is that your day fell into one of two categories. You either spent the holiday watching sports all day or your family members complained about watching sports all day. With a full slate of NBA and NFL games, it was quite the Christmas miracle. At the very least, hopefully, you got to see Julius Randle ball out in the first half of the first game of the day.

The New York Knicks always seem to kick off the Christmas schedule just as the sound of crunching wrapping paper settles. This year was no different, and those who had the TV on got to see the former Kentucky big man go to work. Randle had 25 points in the first half against the Philadelphia 76ers and looked to be on his way to a historic afternoon.

Unfortunately for him and New York fans, he was held to just 10 points in the second half and the Knicks let their lead slip away to Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers, ultimately falling 112-119. Immanuel Quickley came in off the bench and chipped in 11 points for the Knickerbockers.

Kentucky’s Tyrese Maxey sat out once again for Philly, but there is scuttlebutt he could return soon from the stress fracture in his foot. He has been out since November.

Though he didn’t see the court, his team’s victory was a significantly better Christmas gift than what he got last year. ESPN detailed the story of Maxey’s home catching fire, forcing him and his family barefoot out in the cold as they watched flames engulf the house he had just rented three months prior. Thankfully, everyone made it out safely.

Booker leaves game early; Murray shoots the Nuggets to OT victory

Julius Randle and Immanuel Quickley kicked off the Christmas day slew of games; Devin Booker and Jamal Murray capped them off. In case you fell asleep on the couch, the Denver Nuggets bested the Phoenix Suns in overtime, 125-121.

Booker missed the last three games with a groin injury but was determined to make his comeback on Christmas day, an opportunity he considers a privilege. At first, it all looked good, as he drilled a long jumper to get the game started, but a few moments later, he yelled in frustration as he walked down the court, as he knew he retweaked his groin. Booker left the game after just four minutes and did not return.

Murray on the other hand, who was also questionable coming into the day, had himself a night. The sharpshooter scored 26 points, grabbed five rebounds, dished out five assists, had two steals, a block, and a partridge in a pear tree.

Murray is finally starting to settle in after missing so much time with his knee injury last season. Nikola Jokic helps ease that burden, too. The reigning two-time MVP had another incredible performance, putting up a 41-15-15 stat line, the most points ever recorded in a Christmas day triple-double.

It might be difficult to appreciate in real-time, but the Joker is the best center we have seen since Wilt Chamberlain. Yeah, he plays for the Nuggets, he’s not super flashy (though he did have a between-the-legs assist last night), and he certainly isn’t going to break any backboards with a Shaq-like dunk anytime soon, but the Serbian big man might go down as one of the best centers of all time. Basketball fans everywhere should appreciate his greatness.

Davis remains out, Gabriel gets fooled in Lakers’ loss

Anthony Davis wore his finest Christmas clothes on the bench, as he watched his Los Angeles Lakers fall to the Dallas Mavericks, 115-124. Davis had been playing some of the best basketball of his career before an untimely stress injury in his foot sidelined him yet again.

His team could have used him, if nowhere else, in the third quarter, when Luka Doncic and the Mavericks outscored the Lakers 51-21 to erase a double-digit halftime deficit. During this run, Kentucky’s Wenyen Gabriel fell victim to some Luka magic.

Doncic turned Gabriel around with a fake pass underneath the basket after an offensive rebound, in a highlight (lowlight?) that will likely be replayed for quite some time. Gabriel did lead his team in rebounds off the bench with seven, but that stat will get lost in the sands of history compared to this fake out.

Luka Doncic with the wicked fake pass that absolutely fools Wenyen Gabriel 👌

🎥 @NBATV pic.twitter.com/6X8QoW7uzB

— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) December 26, 2022

12/25/2022 Statistics

Player	Score	PTS	FG (3PT)	REB	AST	STL	BLK	TO	MIN	+/-
Julius Randle (NYK)	112-119 L vs. PHI	35	12-24 (4-9)	8	4	2	1	1	40	+5
Jamal Murray (DEN)	128-125 W vs. PHX	26	7-19 (5-11)	5	5	2	1	3	43	+2
Immanuel Quickley (NYK)	112-119 L vs. PHI	11	4-7 (2-5)	1	1	0	1	1	22	0
Devin Booker (PHX)	125-128 L vs. DEN	2	1-2 (0-0)	0	0	0	0	0	4	2
Wenyen Gabriel (LAL)	115-124 L vs. DAL	2	0-3	7	0	0	0	1	18	-10
Anthony Davis (LAL)	115-124 L vs. DAL	DNP – Foot
Tyrese Maxey (PHI)	119-112 W vs. NYK	DNP – Foot

Tonight in the NBA

7:00 (NBA TV): Nets @ Cavaliers
7:00: Clippers (Wall, Boston: G League) @ Pistons (Knox, Diallo, Noel)
7:30: Timberwolves (Towns: out) @ Heat (Herro, Adebayo: questionable)
8:00: Rockets (TyTy Washington) @ Bulls
8:00: Pacers (Jackson) @ Pelicans
8:00: Jazz (Vanderbilt) @ Spurs (Johnson)
10:00 (NBA TV): Hornets (PJ Washington, Richards: doubtful) @ Trail Blazers (Sharpe)