If you went to bed early last night, you missed a bizarre mix of absolute blowouts and "how did they lose that?" moments across the NBA. Honestly, the league is in a weird spot right now. We're midway through January 2026, and the standings look like someone threw them in a blender.
The biggest shocker? The Charlotte Hornets didn't just beat the Los Angeles Lakers at Crypto.com Arena—they embarrassed them. 135-117. Imagine paying LA prices for a ticket just to watch your team give up 135 points to a roster that most people can't name three starters on. It was ugly.
The Dallas Mavericks and the 144-Point Avalanche
Let's talk about Dallas. They played the Utah Jazz last night and basically decided that defense was optional for everyone involved. The Mavs walked away with a 144-122 win.
144 points.
That is tied for the sixth-highest scoring game in the history of the Mavericks franchise. What's even wilder is that Dallas is currently dealing with a "hospital roster"—meaning half their guys are in suits on the bench with injuries. Yet, they still put up nearly 150. Caleb Martin is having what fans are calling a "legacy run," looking like an All-Star out of nowhere. Meanwhile, the Jazz are leaning so hard into the tank for draft picks that it’s almost impressive.
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If you're a Mavs fan, you're thrilled. If you're a Jazz fan, you're probably looking at 2026 mock drafts already.
Detroit Might Actually Be... Good?
The Detroit Pistons pulled off a gritty 108-105 win over the Phoenix Suns. This game was a tale of two halves. Phoenix was shooting the absolute lights out for the first three quarters. Seriously, they couldn't miss from deep.
Then the fourth quarter happened.
The Suns had what can only be described as a monumental collapse. They went cold, and Detroit’s defense—which has been surprisingly "clicky" lately—just smothered them. It’s one of those wins that makes you wonder if the Pistons are finally turning a corner or if the Suns just ran out of gas.
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Quick Hits: Who Else Secured the W?
- Golden State Warriors handled the New York Knicks 126-113. Chase Center was loud, and the Knicks just didn't have the perimeter defense to keep up with the motion offense.
- Oklahoma City Thunder took care of business in Houston, beating the Rockets 111-91. It wasn't particularly close.
- San Antonio Spurs beat the Milwaukee Bucks 119-101. The Bucks are struggling with consistency this month, and the Spurs took full advantage.
- Portland Trail Blazers downed the Atlanta Hawks 117-101.
Beyond the Court: Other Major Winners
It wasn't just basketball. In the college world, the UC Davis women’s basketball team pulled off a massive second-half comeback to beat Cal State Fullerton 73-67. Megan Norris is a beast. She grabbed her tenth double-double of the season. 15 points, 14 rebounds. She’s currently sitting in the top five in the entire NCAA for double-doubles.
On the ice, the Michigan State Spartans (ranked No. 4) went into the Kohl Center and edged out No. 2 Wisconsin 4-3. Wisconsin tried to mount a late comeback in the third, but they just couldn't find the equalizer.
And for the gearheads: Road & Track officially named the Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 its 2026 Performance Car of the Year. It beat out everything else in their exhaustive testing. With a top speed of 233 mph, it's officially the fastest Vette ever made.
Why Last Night’s Results Matter for the Standings
The Lakers' loss is the one that’s going to dominate the talk shows today. Losing to Charlotte at home is a "closed-door meeting" kind of loss.
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For the Pistons, beating a contender like Phoenix—even a struggling version of them—is a massive confidence booster. It changes the narrative from "they're lucky" to "they're dangerous."
What You Should Do Next
If you’re tracking these games for betting or just to stay ahead of your office pool, keep an eye on the Dallas Mavericks' injury report. They are over-performing right now with a thin roster, and that pace is hard to maintain. Also, watch the Pistons' next three games; if they can stay consistent on defense, they might be the best "buy low" team in the league.
Check the updated NBA standings this afternoon, as the Western Conference just got a lot tighter thanks to that Lakers collapse.