James erupted for 38 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists as the top-seeded Lakers trumped the Trail Blazers in Game 3 of their Western Conference first-round series on Saturday.
At age 35, James became the oldest player to reach both 38 points and eight assists in a playoff game, surpassing Michael Jordan (34 in 1997), per STATS.
James moved second on the all-time list for playoff wins with 158, leapfrogging Tim Duncan and closing in on Derek Fisher (161), while the three-time NBA champion climbed up to third on the all-time list for three-points made in the playoffs (375).
Anthony Davis contributed his own double-double of 29 points and 11 rebounds as the Lakers benefited from a 40-point third quarter to see off eighth seeds the Trail Blazers in Orlando, Florida.
Damian Lillard's 34 points were not enough for the Trail Blazers, while CJ McCollum (28) and Carmelo Anthony (20) also impressed at Walt Disney World Resort.
Giannis fuels Bucks
Giannis Antetokounmpo led the way for the Milwaukee Bucks, who earned a 2-1 series lead against the Orlando Magic in their Eastern Conference opening-round matchup. The reigning MVP had 35 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists in a 121-107 triumph. Antetokounmpo was 12 of 14 from the field.
Dennis Schroder (29 points), Chris Paul (26), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (23) and Danilo Gallinari (20) all impressed as the Oklahoma City Thunder outlasted the Houston Rockets 119-107 in overtime. Oklahoma City avoided falling 3-0 behind in the Western Conference series. The Thunder outscored the Rockets 15-3 in OT.
James Harden scored a game-high 38 points, but the Rockets still lost. He fouled out 53 seconds into overtime.
Malcolm Brogdon starred with playoff highs of 34 points and 14 assists. However, the Indiana Pacers were beaten 124-115 by the Miami Heat, who lead the Eastern Conference series 3-0.
Jimmy Butler's 27 points and a Bam Adebayo double-double (22 points and 11 rebounds) put the Heat on the cusp of a series sweep.
Lakers struggle from the line
While the Lakers won, they were far from convincing at the free-throw line. The Lakers were just 65.1 per cent from the line, compared to Portland's 94.7 per cent. Davis – who missed four of his first five attempts – was seven of 14 and James 12 of 17.
Harden with the euro step
The Rockets guard weaved his way past two opponents en route to the rim.
Saturday's results
Los Angeles Lakers 116-108 Portland Trail Blazers
Oklahoma City Thunder 119-107 Houston Rockets (OT)
Miami Heat 124-115 Indiana Pacers
Milwaukee Bucks 121-107 Orlando Magic
Raptors face Nets
Defending champions the Toronto Raptors can seal a series sweep against the Brooklyn Nets in the Eastern Conference on Sunday. The Philadelphia 76ers, meanwhile, will look to avoid a 4-0 whitewash in their matchup with the Boston Celtics.
This year marks the 73rd edition of the NBA on Christmas Day, having started playing games in 1947 – the league's second season.
LeBron James and the Los Angeles Lakers will be on show – the defending champions the headline act against Luka Doncic's Dallas Mavericks.
The Brooklyn Nets will be spearheaded by Christmas Day specialist Kevin Durant when they lock horns with the Boston Celtics, while Erik Spoelstra and the Miami Heat will be hoping for another Merry Christmas as they go head-to-head against Zion Williamson's New Orleans Pelicans.
Giannis Antetokounmpo – fresh off signing a mammoth supermax contract – will lead the Milwaukee Bucks against Stephen Curry and the Golden State Warriors, and Kawhi Leonard's Los Angeles Clippers will seek to avenge their stunning capitulation against the Denver Nuggets in the Western Conference semi-finals.
We look at the best stats and facts on Christmas Day in the NBA using Stats Perform data.
361– James has the most career points on Christmas Day among active players, ahead of Durant (270), Russell Westbrook (241), James Harden (208) and Carmelo Anthony (186). All-time, James ranks third and he needs 17 points to surpass Oscar Robertson (377) for second place and 35 to leapfrog Kobe Bryant (395) for first place. The four-time NBA champion and MVP, who helped the Lakers snap their 10-year title drought in 2019-20, is also second for most career rebounds among active players on Christmas, behind former team-mate Dwight Howard (114) with 108.
97 – Lakers superstar James tops another category… assists. The 35-year-old is clear of Westbrook (82), Harden (58), ex-team-mate Rajon Rondo (55) and Curry (48) among active players. James is set to make his 14th appearance on Christmas Day. He has a 9-4 win-loss record while averaging 25.8 points, 7.7 rebounds and 6.9 assists per game. James is one win behind Dwyane Wade's record.
20 – Durant has scored at least 20 points in nine consecutive Christmas Day games, the second-longest streak in NBA history behind Robertson. The latter had 20-plus points in 10 straight games from 1960 to 1969. Durant has averaged 30.0 points in nine games on Christmas – an average only bettered by Anthony (31.0) among active players.
7-0 – Heat head coach Spoelstra is yet to lose in his seven Christmas Day contests. If last season's NBA Finals runners-up Miami win, Spoelstra will tie Phil Jackson for the longest Christmas Day streak by a head coach to start his career. The Heat have an NBA-best 10-2 record in games played on Christmas Day, while they have won seven successive games.
22 – The Lakers are playing on Christmas for the 22nd successive season, the second-longest streak in league history. The New York Knicks top the list following 38 straight appearances. The Lakers have the most all-time wins on Christmas Day with 23.
6– Six players have recorded a triple-double in a Christmas Day game – Draymond Green (2017), Westbrook (2013), James (2010), Billy Cunningham (1970), John Havlicek (1967) and Robertson (1960, 1961, 1963 and 1967).
60 – Bernard King holds the record for most points scored on Christmas Day. King registered a 60-point haul for the New York Knicks against the New Jersey Jets in 1984.
23 – The Pelicans' JJ Redick shares the record for most three-pointers on Christmas Day, alongside Houston Rockets star Harden. James and Durant have both made 22 shots from beyond the arc.
7 – Nets guard Kyrie Irving holds the record for most steals in a Christmas Day game following his performance for the Cleveland Cavaliers against the Warriors in 2016.
1-5– Of the current NBA franchises, the Nuggets have the second-worst record on Christmas Day, just ahead of the Toronto Raptors (0-2). Since 2010, the Nuggets are 0-3 – the worst run.
The Lakers – without Anthony Davis due to a calf contusion – eased past the Karl-Anthony Towns-less Timberwolves 127-91 on Sunday.
Timberwolves star Towns sat out with a dislocated left wrist and the Lakers took full advantage at Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Kyle Kuzma posted a game-high 20 points, James had 18 points, nine rebounds and five assists, while Marc Gasol (12), Montrezl Harrell (12), Talen Horton-Tucker (12) and Dennis Schroder (11) also had double-digit points.
Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks were sensationally routed 130-110 by the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Julius Randle inspired the Knicks with 29 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists as Elfrid Payton added 27 points to give head coach Tom Thibodeau his first victory.
Two-time reigning MVP Antetokounmpo had 27 points and 13 rebounds for the Bucks, who fell to 1-2 this season.
Mavs make history
The Mavericks showed no mercy in their record-breaking 124-73 humbling of the Kawhi Leonard-less Los Angeles Clippers. Dallas earned a 77-27 half-time lead – the Mavericks' 50-point advantage the largest through two quarters since the shot-clock era began in 1954-55. It is the first time in NBA regular-season history that a team won a road game by 50-plus points against a franchise that had a .650 or better winning percentage the season before, per Stats Perform.
The Mavericks beat the Clippers by 51 points and the Lakers topped the Timberwolves by 36. According to Stats Perform, it is the first time in NBA history there were two games decided by 35-plus points in the same arena on the same day.
Gordon Hayward scored 28 points to help the Charlotte Hornets upstage the Brooklyn Nets 106-104. Kevin Durant had 29 points for the visiting Nets, who lost for the first time, while team-mate Kyrie Irving finished with 25.
The New Orleans Pelicans trumped the San Antonio Spurs 98-95 thanks to double-doubles from Brandon Ingram (28 points and 11 rebounds) and Zion Williamson (18 points and 11 rebounds).
Stephen Curry put up 36 points as the Golden State Warriors claimed their first win of the season thanks to a nail-biting 129-128 success against the Chicago Bulls. Zach Lavine's 33 points were not enough for the Bulls. Curry also became only the third player in NBA history to reach 2,500 career made three-pointers.
Bucks struggle from beyond the arc
On a miserable day for the Bucks, the Eastern Conference contenders were just 18.4 per cent from three-point range. Star recruit Jrue Holiday was only four-of-10 from the field, while he missed all four of his three-point attempts in an eight-point performance.
The Philadelphia 76ers were back to their old ways, committing 21 turnovers in a 118-94 blowout against the Cleveland Cavaliers – the team's first loss of the season.
Lee calls game!
Damion Lee was the hero for the Warriors after nailing a game-winning three with 1.7 seconds remaining.
Sunday's results
Dallas Mavericks 124-73 Los Angeles Clippers
Cleveland Cavaliers 118-94 Philadelphia 76ers
Los Angeles Lakers 127-91 Minnesota Timberwolves
New York Knicks 130-110 Milwaukee Bucks
Indiana Pacers 108-107 Boston Celtics
Golden State Warriors 129-128 Chicago Bulls
Phoenix Suns 116-100 Sacramento Kings
Charlotte Hornets 106-104 Brooklyn Nets
Orlando Magic 120-113 Washington Wizards
New Orleans Pelicans 98-95 San Antonio Spurs
Rockets at Nuggets
James Harden and the Houston Rockets (0-1) will look to bounce back from their overtime loss to the Portland Trail Blazers when they visit the winless Denver Nuggets (0-2) on Monday.
LeBron James posted a season-high 34 points as defending champions the Lakers extended a franchise record after winning their eighth consecutive away game to start the season.
James also tallied eight assists and six rebounds to help the Lakers – 8-0 on the road – bounce back from a loss in the first of a seven-game road trip, upstaging reigning two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in the process.
Kentavious Caldwell-Pope had 23 points for the Western Conference-leading Lakers (12-4) in Milwaukee, where the Bucks (9-6) dropped back-to-back games.
Antetokounmpo's double-double of 25 points and 12 rebounds were not enough for the Bucks, who also had solid contributions from Jrue Holiday (22 points) and Khris Middleton (20 points).
Curry stars
Stephen Curry put up 30 points, but the Golden State Warriors still went down 119-104 at home to the New York Knicks. The two-time MVP moved into fourth place on the franchise's all-time games played list after making his 714th regular-season appearance, surpassing Paul Arizin. RJ Barrett's 28 points for the Knicks were a career high.
Golden State's Eric Paschall scored his 1,000th career point in his 74th game, reaching the 1,000-point mark in the fewest amount of games played by a Warriors second round draft pick in the Modern Draft era (since 1966). Previously, Gilbert Arenas did so in 79 games.
Donovan Mitchell's season-high 36 points fuelled the Utah Jazz's 129-118 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Mitchell was 11-of-19 shooting from the field, while he made six of eight three-point attempts. The Jazz have won seven straight games.
Schroder struggles in Milwaukee
Dennis Schroder failed to get going for the Lakers. The offseason recruit was just two of 10 from the field, while missing all three of his attempts from beyond the arc for four points in 33 minutes.
Kelly Oubre Jr. did not perform much better for the beaten Warriors. His seven points were on two-of-11 shooting from the field at home to the Knicks. Oubre also missed all four of his three-point attempts.
Steph with the behind-the-back pass
While the Warriors were unable to claim the win, Curry produced a couple of highlight moments. His behind-the-back pass to set up Draymond Green for the three-pointer was the pick of the bunch.
Thursday's results
Los Angeles Lakers 113-106 Milwaukee Bucks
Utah Jazz 129-118 New Orleans Pelicans
New York Knicks 119-104 Golden State Warriors
Celtics at 76ers
The Boston Celtics (8-5) and Eastern Conference rivals the Philadelphia 76ers (10-5) will do battle again at Wells Fargo Center on Friday after Joel Embiid's 42-point double-double inspired Doc Rivers' team midweek.
James' triple-double of 34 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds helped the Lakers bounce back from their loss to the Memphis Grizzlies with a 122-114 victory over the Pelicans.
Zion Williamson, the top pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, delivered one of the best performances of his young career with a career-high 35 points and seven rebounds.
Without Anthony Davis (knee), the Lakers had six players finish with double-digits in points, including Kyle Kuzma (20).
Antetokounmpo powered the high-flying Milwaukee Bucks past the Charlotte Hornets 93-85.
The 2019 NBA MVP finished with 41 points, 20 rebounds and six assists as the Bucks improved to 52-8.
Leonard lifts Clippers, Jokic shines
Kawhi Leonard's 30 points helped the Los Angeles Clippers to a 136-130 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Shake Milton had a game-high 39 points for the 76ers in the absence of Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and Josh Richardson.
Nikola Jokic's triple-double of 23 points, 18 rebounds and 11 assists guided the Denver Nuggets past defending champions the Toronto Raptors 133-118.
The Dallas Mavericks crushed the Minnesota Timberwolves 111-91 as Kristaps Porzingis contributed 38 points and 13 rebounds.
Bad Bridges, Biyombo
Miles Bridges (seven points in 35 minutes) and Bismack Biyombo (eight points in 22 minutes) combined to go five-of-21 from the field in the Hornets' loss.
LeBron, Zion put on a show
James and Williamson thrilled during the Lakers' win over the Pelicans.
Sunday's results
Milwaukee Bucks 93-85 Charlotte Hornets
Dallas Mavericks 111-91 Minnesota Timberwolves
Los Angeles Clippers 136-130 Philadelphia 76ers
Denver Nuggets 133-118 Toronto Raptors
Sacramento Kings 106-100 Detroit Pistons
Los Angeles Lakers 122-114 New Orleans Pelicans
Washington Wizards 124-110 Golden State Warriors
Bucks at Heat
The Bucks (52-8) will aim for a seventh straight win when they face the Heat (38-22) in Miami on Monday.
Leonard's 33 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists helped the Clippers overcome the Miami Heat 122-117.
Montrezl Harrell (15 points and 11 rebounds) and JaMychal Green (14 and 10) had double-doubles.
Jimmy Butler was unable to lift Miami to a victory, finishing with 20 points, eight rebounds and seven assists while going six-of-15 from the field.
Westbrook's 45 points, 10 assists and six rebounds saw the Rockets past the Minnesota Timberwolves 131-124.
Timberwolves star Karl-Anthony Towns contributed 30 points and 12 rebounds for Minnesota.
Giannis stars in Paris as Lowry lifts Raptors
In Paris, Giannis Antetokounmpo had 30 points in the Milwaukee Bucks' 116-103 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
Kyle Lowry's 26 points, six rebounds and three assists helped defending champions the Toronto Raptors past the New York Knicks 118-112.
Nikola Jokic starred for the Denver Nuggets, finishing with 27 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists in a 113-106 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.
Zion Williamson played 21 minutes for the Pelicans, going seven-of-nine from the field for 15 points.
Harden wayward for Rockets
James Harden struggled from the field, going three-of-13 for 12 points in 34 minutes in the Rockets' win.
Tremendous Turner
Myles Turner produced a huge dunk during the Indiana Pacers' win over the Golden State Warriors.
Friday's results
Milwaukee Bucks 116-103 Charlotte Hornets
Memphis Grizzlies 125-112 Detroit Pistons
Boston Celtics 109-98 Orlando Magic
Toronto Raptors 118-112 New York Knicks
Los Angeles Clippers 122-117 Miami Heat
Sacramento Kings 98-81 Chicago Bulls
Houston Rockets 131-124 Minnesota Timberwolves
Denver Nuggets 113-106 New Orleans Pelicans
Oklahoma City Thunder 140-111 Atlanta Hawks
Phoenix Suns 103-99 San Antonio Spurs
Indiana Pacers 129-118 Golden State Warriors
Lakers at 76ers
The high-flying Los Angeles Lakers (36-9) visit the Philadelphia 76ers (29-17) on Saturday.
Lillard scored 61 points to guide the Trail Blazers past the Dallas Mavericks 134-131 and into eighth place in the Western Conference.
The guard was in stunning form, going nine-of-17 from three-point range at the Walt Disney World Resort.
Carmelo Anthony (26 points) provided some support for Lillard as Portland boosted their playoff chances.
Kristaps Porzingis scored 36 points for the Mavericks, while Luka Doncic had a double-double of 25 points and 10 assists.
Antetokounmpo was ejected in the second quarter of the Bucks' 126-113 win over the Washington Wizards.
The reigning NBA MVP head-butted Moritz Wagner, having scored 12 points and had nine rebounds in 10 minutes.
Brook Lopez finished with 24 points for the Bucks.
Booker leads in-form Suns, Tatum shines
Devin Booker had 35 points and nine rebounds as the Phoenix Suns beat the Philadelphia 76ers 130-117 for a seventh straight win.
Jayson Tatum helped the Boston Celtics past the Memphis Grizzlies 122-107 thanks to 29 points.
In the same game, Ja Morant had 26 points and 13 assists for the Grizzlies.
Harrison Barnes' 25 points and eight rebounds helped the Sacramento Kings edge the New Orleans Pelicans 112-106.
Awful Augustin
D.J. Augustin struggled from the field, going one-of-eight for just six points in the Orlando Magic's 108-96 loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
Amazing Lillard
Lillard had his third game this season with 60-plus points and five-plus assists and no player has had more than two such games in their career since the merger, according to STATS.
Tuesday's results
Brooklyn Nets 108-96 Orlando Magic
San Antonio Spurs 123-105 Houston Rockets
Phoenix Suns 130-117 Philadelphia 76ers
Boston Celtics 122-107 Memphis Grizzlies
Portland Trail Blazers 134-131 Dallas Mavericks
Sacramento Kings 112-106 New Orleans Pelicans
Milwaukee Bucks 126-113 Washington Wizards
Clippers face Nuggets
Coming off a loss to the Nets, the Los Angeles Clippers (47-23) take on the Denver Nuggets (46-25) on Wednesday.
The Bucks lost the series 4-2 after suffering a heavy 120-98 defeat in Game 6 on Thursday, condemning them to their second consecutive first-round exit to a lower seed.
Two-time MVP, Giannis Antetokounmpo was one of the key players missing for the Bucks as he missed the entire playoff series due to a left calf strain, while Lillard returned after missing the last two games with an Achilles injury.
Lillard, who finished with 28 points, admitted it was frustrating to have so many injuries, but he wanted to try to make an impact.
"I don't think I would've went into the summer feeling good about much if I felt like I let the team go out there and me not at least try," he said.
"It's definitely disappointing because you know how much better of a team we are when he's [Antetokounmpo] on the floor and how much things change when he's on the floor.
"You play an entire 82-game season. You go through training camp, you go through all the ups and downs of an NBA regular season, and you get to the point where, all right, now we're going to play for everything. And you're not whole.
"You don't have the best opportunity to reach where you want reach. So it is frustrating, it's disappointing, but it's part of the game."
Meanwhile, T.J. McConnell says he is proud to be part of the Pacers team that ended their long wait to reach the semifinals.
McConnell had 20 points and nine assists off the bench, while Obi Toppin finished with a playoff career-high 21 points for the Pacers, who had lost their last six playoff series since 2014.
McConnell said: "It means a lot. Not getting into the playoffs since the bubble, not being able to advance since 2014, we take great pride in being able to advance and extend our season.
"Milwaukee has a great team and, if I can be honest with you, I think our bench has taken a couple steps back competitive wise and I think tonight all of us went out there with the mentality we’re going to take it to another level."
The Pacers will face New York in the next round after the Knicks eliminated the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 33-year-old was the face of the Blazers' franchise for his first 11 seasons in the NBA and was treated to a lengthy ovation before Wednesday's game.
A number of video tributes were played on the video screen for Lillard during timeouts at Moda Center, where the Bucks went on to lose 119-116 in a second straight loss under new coach Doc Rivers.
Lillard, who was traded to the Bucks in October as part of a three-way deal, was not shy in later letting the crowd know where his heart lies.
"I'm just in a space of like, this is where I am now," he said. "I'm in Milwaukee. I wanted the opportunity to contend, and our team has an opportunity to contend for this year and years to come, and I'm living in that.
"But definitely, when I was traded, I see a day where I'll be in a Trail Blazer uniform again before I'm done.
"You just feel the appreciation and the love. It was like, 'man, this is a big deal'. Everybody in the building just showed me that type of love and acknowledgement from during my time here. So, I appreciated it.
"I'm not going to cry, nothing like that. I'm not a big crier, but I'm not going to hide the emotions that I feel from it. I think it's a moment that means a lot to me and a lot of other people."
Lillard had 25 points on 9-of-23 shooting – 3 of 13 from 3-point range – with seven assists, six rebounds and four turnovers.
Even before his standing ovation and various other tributes, the eight-time NBA All-Star – who averaged 32.2 points per game with the Blazers last season – talked of his love for Portland on the eve of the game.
"I loved the organization. I loved everybody I went to work with every day," he said. "And I think what made it the hardest is it wasn't a wasn't a broken relationship.
"So coming back, being able to be here, I'm in a great situation. The reason it all came about in the first place was for a chance to win it all. We couldn't be at that place at the same time. So I come back with love, and I'm excited to be back."
Anfernee Simons ultimately spoiled Lillard's big return with a go-ahead floater with 17.1 seconds remaining, while Giannis Antetokounmpo registered 27 points and eight rebounds, as the Blazers made it back-to-back victories.
"It was a fun night, celebrating a great player, a great person," Simons said. "We came in here knowing we've got stuff we want to accomplish as well. We came in wanting to win the game."
The Bucks are now 32-16 for the season and are second in the Western Conference ahead of facing the Dallas Mavericks on Saturday, while the 15-33 Blazers are 14th in the West and take on the Denver Nuggets on Friday.
Lillard shot eight three-pointers in a dominant display, while he scored 10 straight points down the stretch to help take down the Kings on Thursday.
Portland's Lillard is the first NBA player to hit a game-winning field goal while trailing in the final 15 seconds one day and then follow that up with a 40-point game the next day since Los Angeles Lakers great Kobe Bryant did it on January 31 and February 1 in 2010, according to Stats Perform.
Trail Blazers team-mate Enes Kanter provided support with 22 points and 21 rebounds in a dominant double-double display.
According to Stats Perform, it is the first time in franchise history the Trail Blazers have had a player with 40-plus points and another with 20-plus points and 20-plus rebounds in the same game.
Elsewhere, Ja Morant and Jrue Holiday traded clutch buckets in the final 10 seconds, with the latter earning the Milwaukee Bucks a game-winning lead with two seconds remaining in their thrilling112-111 win over the Memphis Grizzlies.
Two-time reigning MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo, who was the first pick by Team LeBron for Sunday's All-Star Game in Atlanta, fuelled the Bucks by scoring 26 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists.
Lowry ties Raptors record
The depleted Toronto Raptors lost 132-125 to the Boston Celtics, but Kyle Lowry impressed. The veteran guard finished with 14 points and 19 assists. He tied a franchise record with his 19 assists, matching Damon Stoudamire (1996) and Jose Calderon (twice). Chris Boucher led the way with 30 points in the absence of stars Pascal Siakam and Fred VanVleet, as well as head coach Nick Nurse and other players and stuff due to the league's health and safety protocols. Boston's Jayson Tatum starred with 27 points, 12 rebounds and five assists as the Celtics claimed their fourth win a row.
Bradley Beal (33 points and seven rebounds) and Russell Westbrook (27 points, 11 assists and nine rebounds) were exceptional as the Washington Wizards produced a big second-half performance to knock off the Los Angeles Clippers 119-117. The Clippers were without Paul George.
MVP candidate Nikola Jokic put up 20 points and 12 rebounds in the Denver Nuggets' 113-103 win at the Indiana Pacers.
The New York Knicks topped the Detroit Pistons 114-104 behind Julius Randle's double-double of 27 points and 16 rebounds, while he also tallied seven assists.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander's 33 points and eight assists inspired the Oklahoma City Thunder to a 107-102 win against the San Antonio Spurs.
Brogd-off day
Pacers guard Malcolm Brogdon had a night to forget in his side's loss to the Nuggets, which leaves Indiana 16-19 and slipping from playoffs contention in the Eastern Conference. Brogdon finished with 10 points from 34 minutes on court, shooting at four-of-14 from the field, while he missed all five of his three-point attempts.
Hart's half-courter
That is the view of Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond, who also expects another strong showing from the Boston Celtics following their acquisition of former Buck Jrue Holiday.
Milwaukee brought in seven-time All-Star Lillard from the Portland Trail Blazers in arguably the biggest trade of the offseason earlier this month, with the Phoenix Suns also involved in the three-team deal.
Since capturing their second NBA Championship – and first in 50 years – in 2021, the Bucks have endured a frustrating time of things in the postseason, losing in the Eastern Conference semifinals in 2022 before failing to advance beyond the first round last season.
However, the addition of Lillard – who averaged 32.2 points per game in his final year with Portland – has seen Milwaukee touted as genuine contenders to win it all in 2023-24.
The team also agreed a three-year extension with two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo this week, ahead of Thursday's season opener against the Philadelphia 76ers.
Asked about the Bucks' prospects, Drummond told Stats Perform: "I think it'll be interesting, the Bucks acquiring Damien Lillard was a very unique trade for a few reasons because Dame is eager for a championship.
"I think his mindset now is about being on a contending team alongside one of the best players in the NBA, I think it's going to give them a new spark.
"I think it will give him a new light to really push hard because I didn't realise, he's a lot older than I am!
"His window is not as big as mine, so I think he's trying to get it right now and I think that Eastern Conference is going to be tough.
"You've got to pick your poison, when he comes off a pick and roll with Giannis, you're going to trap him and he throws a ball to Giannis, he goes and dunks the ball, or you back up and he shoots the three. I'm looking forward to the matchup and how we plan on defending those guys."
Milwaukee's deal for Lillard involved Holiday being sent to Portland, but the All-Star guard was swiftly traded on to Boston as they look to improve on last season's defeat in the Eastern Conference Finals.
The Celtics are expected to be among the Bucks' main rivals in the east this season, and Drummond believes Holiday could even prove an all-round upgrade on modern-day icon Marcus Smart.
"I think that's what Boston was missing actually. Boston was missing a point guard that can do both, defend the ball and score," Drummond said. "I think that's what was missing with Marcus Smart when he was there.
"He was a great defender, but a very streaky shooter and Drew Holliday is very seasoned, he's been around for a long time and I feel like he just doesn't age.
"I feel like every time I see him, he looks the same, so whatever he's doing to himself to keep his body right is why he's been around for so long, and he's a trusted point guard."
Lillard had 35 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists, while Antetokounmpo finished with 34 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds as the Bucks beat the short-handed Clippers 124-117 on Sunday.
They turned on the style in the fourth quarter, with Antetokounmpo and Lillard playing a direct role in 31 consecutive points for the Bucks.
The duo are only the second pair of teammates to finish with at least 30 points and 10 assists in the same game since 1980.
"I think it's getting much better," said Lillard, who joined the Bucks from the Portland Trail Blazers last year.
"To start the season, I think a lot of people wanted it to just click and happen right away.
"But I think any time you put two guys together who have always been the decision-maker, always had their hands on the ball for years and years and years, it's going to take time for us to learn how to play with each other."
Sixteen of Lillard's points came in the final quarter, with Antetokounmpo stating the Bucks have been working on finishing strong down the stretch.
"It's how we work in practice," he said.
"We got a lot of good shots down the stretch. Tonight it worked, and it's something we're going to have to do moving forward."
The Bucks bounced back from back-to-back defeats, while the Clippers – who were without Paul George, Kawhi Leonard and Russell Westbrook – lost for the second time in the space of four games.
Coach Tyronn Lue, though, credited the Bucks' star performers.
"Those two guys, they're great players, and we understand that," Lue said.
"They had a good game. I thought Dame set the tone early and then took over the game late.
"Once he got going, it was hard to stop him. We tried to blitz, tried to do some different things, but he had it going and made some big shots."
An ankle injury caused Lillard to miss back-to-back defeats against the Phoenix Suns and Minnesota Timberwolves this week, but he returned with a bang against the short-handed Hornets.
Lillard's 26-point haul led five Milwaukee players in double figures as they condemned Charlotte to a 10th straight defeat, with the All-Star guard also adding four rebounds and eight assists.
Having halted a three-game losing streak, the Bucks sit third in the Eastern Conference with a 34-19 record, and Lillard says a few home truths from head coach Doc Rivers led to their improvement.
"We were just more physical," Lillard said after Friday's game. "Doc just challenged us. He checked us on what we say we want to do versus what we've been doing.
"To be a team that is considered a contender with what we want to accomplish… we've got to start acting like it."
Giannis Antetokounmpo was only needed for 24 minutes but still recorded 15 points and 15 rebounds, while Bobby Portis added 18 points and seven rebounds.
The Bucks also handed a debut to veteran guard Patrick Beverley, who they acquired from the Philadelphia 76ers ahead of Thursday's trade deadline.
He finished with six points and four assists in just 12 minutes on the court, also making a big impression with his willingness to call plays on the floor.
"He brought energy, he brought edge and just experience," Lillard said of Beverley. "There were times where he just kind of directed some actions offensively and defensively in the huddle.
"He knows who he is, he knows what he brings to a team and he's not shy about it. You heard his voice the moment he walked in."
Beverley said of his approach: "The way I go about things, I'm not going to make everyone happy.
"I'm going to upset some people. I hold myself to a high standard and I expect everyone else to do the same.
"My approach is very strong until you get to know me. But once you get to know me you understand; 'the only thing he does is want to win.'"
Portland clinched the eighth seed in the west thanks to a nail-biting 134-133 win over the Brooklyn Nets in Orlando, Florida on Thursday.
The Suns improved to 8-0 at Walt Disney World Resort with a 128-102 victory against the Dallas Mavericks, and needed a Nets win to secure a play-in spot.
However, Damian Lillard's heroics of 42 points and 12 assists ensured the Trail Blazers clinched a play-in date against the Grizzlies – who trumped the Milwaukee Bucks 119-106 earlier in the day.
The Trail Blazers finished with a 35-39 record, ahead of the Grizzlies (34-39). Portland will only have to beat Memphis once in order to secure a playoff berth against the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers, while the Grizzlies require two wins against the Trail Blazers.
Phoenix (34-39) are the first team in NBA history to end the regular season on an eight-plus game winning streak and still miss the playoffs. The last team to do that in any of the four major sports were NHL's the Philadelphia Flyers in 1992-93, per STATS.
LeBron ends regular season as assist king
The Lakers lost 136-122 to the Sacramento Kings but LeBron James was still crowned the assist king in 2019-20. James had 17 points in 15 minutes, all in the first half. The three-time NBA champion and four-time MVP ends the regular season averaging a league-best 10.2 assists per game, ahead of the Atlanta Hawks' Trae Young (9.3). The 35-year-old also reached double figures in points in his 995th consecutive game.
Lillard has 154 points across his past three games, the second most by any player in a three-game span this season – behind himself in January (158). Per STATS, the last player with 150-plus points in two separate three-game spans in a season was Wilt Chamberlain in 1964-65.
Devin Booker put up 27 points as the Suns stayed unbeaten since the NBA's restart following the coronavirus pandemic, but it was not enough.
Dillon Brooks' 31 points led the way for the Grizzlies, while he was aided by team-mates Jonas Valanciunas (26 points, 19 rebounds, 12 assists) and Ja Morant (12 points, 13 rebounds, 10 assists).
Jusuf Nurkic scored 22 points and 10 rebounds, while CJ McCollum had 25 points for the Trail Blazers. Caris LeVert finished with 37 points for the Nets.
Spurs' record-tying playoff streak over
The Spurs will not feature in the NBA playoffs for the first time in 23 years. San Antonio's absence from the postseason for the first time since 1996-97 was confirmed prior to their 118-112 loss to the Utah Jazz.
Dame from the arc
Lillard continues to prove his worth for the Blazers. Instrumental to Portland's play-in berth, Lillard highlighted his quality with a flurry of threes.
Thursday's results
Washington Wizards 96-90 Boston Celtics
Sacramento Kings 136-122 Los Angeles Lakers
Memphis Grizzlies 119-106 Milwaukee Bucks
Phoenix Suns 128-102 Dallas Mavericks
Utah Jazz 118-112 San Antonio Spurs
Portland Trail Blazers 134-133 Brooklyn Nets
Orlando Magic 133-127 New Orleans Pelicans
Regular season concludes
Friday will see teams play their final regular-season games before the playoffs start on August 17. The Denver Nuggets face the Toronto Raptors, the Miami Heat meet the Indiana Pacers, the Oklahoma City Thunder take on the Los Angeles Clippers and the Houston Rockets play the Philadelphia 76ers.
The New Orleans Pelicans earned an impressive 131-126 win against the Bucks on Friday.
Ball came to the fore with a season-high 27 points which included seven three-pointers – tied for his career high – and eight assists.
Eric Bledsoe (25 points) also scored seven three-pointers while center Steven Adams had 20 rebounds.
Per Stats Perform data, the Pelicans became the first NBA team ever to have two players with at least seven three-pointers and another with 20 or more rebounds.
New Orleans matched a franchise record with 21 threes in the game, with Ball the leading light as the Pelicans followed up their win over the Washington Wizards with another fine outing.
Ball, who has had a tough start to the 2020-21 season and was regularly a subject of trade talk when with the Los Angeles Lakers, insisted he had blocked out distractions.
Asked if he had any extra motivation amid the speculation, he replied: "I just stay the course.
"I've been playing basketball for a long time. I put a lot of work in and just try to play my game. That's how I play.
"I just try to stay away from all the noise and just go out there and try to help my team win games."
Zion Williamson, who just missed out on a triple-double with 21 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, was impressed by Ball as the Pelicans moved to 7-10 ahead of Saturday's game with the Houston Rockets.
"We love to see it," said former number one overall pick Williamson.
"When he shoots the ball like that with confidence, even if he misses it, just him shooting it with the confidence it's going in, that's what we want Zo to do. He hit seven and they were all big for us."
The Bucks were beaten despite 38 points from two-time league MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo and 22 from Jrue Holiday against his former team.
They still sit third in the Eastern Conference but are 4-5 on the road.
Kyle Lowry put up 16 points and 10 assists in an emotional return to the Air Canada Centre against his old team, while Victor Oladipo scored a season-high 21 points.
Lowry had not played in Toronto since February 2020, when he was still a member of the Raptors, weeks before that season was shut down and moved to a bubble due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The Heat had a healthy spread of scorers as Tyler Herro and Bam Adebayo scored 18 and 16 points respectively, on the way to winning their fourth consecutive game.
Miami remain two games clear of the Boston Celtics atop the standings in the East, while both teams have only three games remaining in the regular season.
Toronto now hold an equal record with the fifth-placed Chicago Bulls, but the Bulls hold the tiebreaker. However, they remain 2.5 games clear of the Cleveland Cavaliers in the play-in spots.
Bucks no match for Luka magic
Luka Doncic was unstoppable as his Dallas Mavericks defeated the reigning champion Milwaukee Bucks 118-112.
Doncic had 32 points on nine-of-22 shooting, as well as 15 assists, eight rebounds and three steals in a game that saw both coaches cut their rotation down to nine players and extend the minutes of their stars.
Giannis Antetokounmpo top-scored for the Bucks with 28 points on 12-of-22 shooting, but was a costly 50 per cent from the free throw line, going four-of-eight.
Clippers clinch play-in double chance
The Los Angeles Clippers secured eighth spot in the Western Conference on Sunday, defeating the New Orleans Pelicans 119-100.
Marcus Morris made four three-pointers on the way to 22 points, while the Clippers went 21-of-44 from total beyond the arc and connected on all eight attempts in the first quarter.
The Clips guaranteed the double chance in the play-in with the win, meaning if they lose to the seventh seed, they would face the winner between the ninth and 10th seed for an eventual play-off spot.
Dort was shown good faith by the Oklahoma City Thunder, who opted to decline his team option that would have kept him on a $1.9million deal for next season, instead choosing to sign him to a five-year, $87.5million extension.
On a roster stacked with rookie salaries, the Thunder simply need to have some bigger contracts on their books to meet the league's salary floor, and in doing so they have rewarded a player who has become a cult figure, averaging 17.2 points per game this past season while being his side's premier wing defender.
Speaking of cult figures, Portis' connection with the Milwaukee Bucks after helping to deliver the city their second NBA championship was strong enough to have him stick around for the following year on just over $4m.
That loyalty was rewarded with a new four-year, $49m deal that will keep the 27-year-old big-man in Milwaukee until after the 2026 playoffs.
The Bucks also made a second notable move, signing 34-year-old free agent Joe Ingles to a one-year, $6.5m contract. Ingles suffered a season-ending injury with the Utah Jazz this past season, but figures to fill a role as a 41 per cent career three-point shooter, who can also handle, pass and defend at six-foot-eight.
Tucker was also a member of the Bucks' 2021 championship team, and after contributing to the Miami Heat's run to the Eastern Conference Finals this past season, the 37-year-old has signed with the Philadelphia 76ers for three years and $33m.
Over the years, Tucker has evolved into one of the game's best corner three point shooters, and across the past five seasons he has started 77 playoff games, often guarding the opposition's most dangerous wing scorer.
While Tucker is getting paid to come and provide a stabilising force, the Portland Trail Blazers are paying for upside with their four-year, $100m commitment to breakout guard Anfernee Simons.
After averaging no more than 8.4 points and 1.4 assists in each of his first three campaigns, the 23-year-old shot into mainstream attention this season and he piled up numbers on a Trail Blazers team that was missing star Damian Lillard through injury.
Simons started a career-high 30 games, and put up career-high numbers across the board. He averaged 17.3 points and 3.9 assists, while shooting an impressive 40 per cent from three on an aggressive 7.8 attempts per game, emerging as one of the game's more lethal pull-up shooters from distance.
Backup point guard Tyus Jones will return to the Memphis Grizzlies on a two-year, $30m contract after a season where he became one of the league's most valuable backups.
Jones led the entire league in assist-to-turnover ratio at 6.4 – putting a gap on the rest of the field – with his brother, Tre Jones of the Spurs, in second place at 5.1.
He also shot a career-high 39 per cent from long range, and averaged 12.7 points, 6.6 assists and 3.2 rebounds without Ja Morant in the line-up, making him one of the main reasons the Grizzlies were 20-5 in the 25 games their superstar point guard missed due to injury.
The Celtics won 122-119 on Wednesday, with the Bucks - who sit second in the Eastern Conference, but 11 games behind runaway leaders Boston - unable to get over the line in the absence of Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Jayson Tatum scored 31 points for the Celtics, who have now won seven games on the bounce.
Mazzulla, however, does not necessarily see the win as a preview of what could come in the postseason.
He said: "Nothing's guaranteed in life.
"We may see them; they may see us; we may not. You never know what's going to happen.
"I know both teams are developing an identity and there's obviously a DNA there that both teams have. But you don't want to overthink things. And you don't take anything for granted."
Payton Pritchard chipped in with 19 points for the Celtics, while Derrick White had 23 and Jaylen Brown finished with 21.
"Everybody always had talked about his shooting," Mazzulla said of Pritchard.
"But I think this year, in particular, he’s been impacting by his rebounding, impacting by his defense, his pace.
"He's just becoming a really well-rounded player who knows he can have a positive impact on the game in many different ways, and it's a huge asset for us."
Pritchard, meanwhile, said he was motivated by an insult dished out to teammate Luke Kornet by the Bucks' Patrick Beverley, who seemingly mocked the Boston man for his height.
"It kind of lit a fire under me," said Pritchard.
"He's trying to clown one of our teammates. So I definitely took it a little personally."
Miami entered the week multiple games clear of the chasing pack, but after the loss against the Nets, the Philadelphia 76ers usurped the Heat as the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
The race for home-court advantage throughout the Eastern playoffs is far from over, as the top four teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics, are only separated by a half-game.
Things were ugly early for the Heat, with its once-feared defence giving up 40 points in just the second quarter to hand the Nets a 67-46 half-time lead, which was never threatened.
Kevin Durant led a balanced offensive performance from the Nets, finishing with a team-high 23 points on seven-of-14 shooting, while seven of his teammates scored at least eight points each.
The win was Brooklyn's seventh from their past nine games, with Kyrie Irving set to make his home debut the next time out against the Charlotte Hornets.
No Morant, no problem
The Memphis Grizzlies passed another real test when the Milwaukee Bucks came to town, sending the reigning champions home with their tails between their legs after a 127-102 result.
In one of the more unlikely storylines of this season, the Grizzlies are now 17-2 in games where their best player and MVP candidate Ja Morant has not played.
Emerging franchise centrepiece Desmond Bane rose to the occasion, scoring 20 points on nine-of-19 shooting to go with five assists, while Defensive Player of the Year candidate Jaren Jackson Jr blocked two shots and snatched one steal to go with his 16 points and six rebounds.
Kings rookie continues to break out, Bulls finally beat a good team
With De'Aaron Fox missing yet again, Sacramento Kings rookie Davion Mitchell had his third consecutive game with at least 22 points and seven assists in his side's 114-110 overtime win against the Orlando Magic.
Mitchell's line of 22 points (10-of-23 from the field) with seven rebounds and nine assists comes after games of 25 points and seven assists against the Indiana Pacers, and 28 points with nine assists against the Phoenix Suns.
Meanwhile, after entering the game with a sputtering record of 3-10 in their past 13 games, the Chicago Bulls collected a much-needed 98-94 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Since February 12, Chicago have only beaten two teams who currently occupy playoff spots – the Cavaliers, and the Toronto Raptors.
Miami entered the week multiple games clear of the chasing pack, but after the loss against the Nets, the Philadelphia 76ers usurped the Heat as the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
The race for home-court advantage throughout the Eastern playoffs is far from over, as the top four teams, including the Milwaukee Bucks and the Boston Celtics, are only separated by a half-game.
Things were ugly early for the Heat, with its once-feared defence giving up 40 points in just the second quarter to hand the Nets a 67-46 half-time lead, which was never threatened.
Kevin Durant led a balanced offensive performance from the Nets, finishing with a team-high 23 points on seven-of-14 shooting, while seven of his teammates scored at least eight points each.
The win was Brooklyn's seventh from their past nine games, with Kyrie Irving set to make his home debut the next time out against the Charlotte Hornets.
No Morant, no problem
The Memphis Grizzlies passed another real test when the Milwaukee Bucks came to town, sending the reigning champions home with their tails between their legs after a 127-102 result.
In one of the more unlikely storylines of this season, the Grizzlies are now 17-2 in games where their best player and MVP candidate Ja Morant has not played.
Emerging franchise centrepiece Desmond Bane rose to the occasion, scoring 20 points on nine-of-19 shooting to go with five assists, while Defensive Player of the Year candidate Jaren Jackson Jr blocked two shots and snatched one steal to go with his 16 points and six rebounds.
Kings rookie continues to break out, Bulls finally beat a good team
With De'Aaron Fox missing yet again, Sacramento Kings rookie Davion Mitchell had his third consecutive game with at least 22 points and seven assists in his side's 114-110 overtime win against the Orlando Magic.
Mitchell's line of 22 points (10-of-23 from the field) with seven rebounds and nine assists comes after games of 25 points and seven assists against the Indiana Pacers, and 28 points with nine assists against the Phoenix Suns.
Meanwhile, after entering the game with a sputtering record of 3-10 in their past 13 games, the Chicago Bulls collected a much-needed 98-94 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers.
Since February 12, Chicago have only beaten two teams who currently occupy playoff spots – the Cavaliers, and the Toronto Raptors.
