Honestly, if you missed the league pass action last night, you missed one of those weird, high-octane Saturdays where the standings basically got thrown into a blender. We’re deep enough into the 2025–26 season now that the "early season fluke" excuses are dead.
The biggest shocker? The Lakers. Again.
They headed into the Moda Center and just flat-out collapsed against the Portland Trail Blazers. We aren’t talking about a close, gritty battle. We’re talking about a 132–116 beatdown where the Blazers looked like the contenders and the Lakers looked like a team desperately checking the trade deadline calendar. Portland’s Shaedon Sharpe was everywhere, while the Lakers—playing without Luka Dončić—looked completely lost on the defensive end.
Breaking Down the NBA Scores From Last Night
It wasn’t just the Lakers falling apart, though. The night was headlined by some ridiculous individual scoring performances that felt more like a video game than actual professional basketball.
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Down in San Antonio, we saw the matchup everyone had circled on their calendars: Victor Wembanyama vs. Anthony Edwards. This lived up to every bit of the hype. Edwards went absolutely nuclear for a season-high 55 points, but even that wasn't enough to drag the Timberwolves over the finish line. The Spurs walked away with a 126–123 win because Wembanyama is essentially a cheat code at this point, puting up 39 points, nine boards, and a pair of blocks that probably still have Minnesota's guards questioning their life choices.
The Full Saturday Night Slate
- Portland Trail Blazers 132, L.A. Lakers 116: Portland controlled this from the jump. The Lakers trailed by 10 at the half and never really threatened a comeback.
- San Antonio Spurs 126, Minnesota Timberwolves 123: A heavyweight fight. The Spurs moved to 28–13, keeping pace near the top of the West.
- Golden State Warriors 136, Charlotte Hornets 116: This was a shooting clinic. The Warriors rained down 23 three-pointers. De’Anthony Melton led the way with 24, but it was the depth that killed Charlotte—eight Golden State players hit double figures.
- Boston Celtics 132, Atlanta Hawks 106: Jaylen Brown is playing like an MVP candidate. He dropped 41 in a game where the Hawks badly missed the defensive presence of Dyson Daniels.
- Miami Heat 122, Oklahoma City Thunder 120: Andrew Wiggins (now in Miami) hit the game-winner with 32 seconds left. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put up 39 for the defending champs, but Miami’s 20 threes were the equalizer.
- Dallas Mavericks 138, Utah Jazz 120: Klay Thompson had a vintage night, scoring all 23 of his points in the first half and crossing the 17,000 career points milestone.
- Denver Nuggets 121, Washington Wizards 115: Jamal Murray took over late, finishing with 42 to fend off a surprisingly scrappy Wizards squad.
- Phoenix Suns 106, New York Knicks 99: The Knicks are struggling without Jalen Brunson. Devin Booker took full advantage with 27 points at the Garden.
- Detroit Pistons 121, Indiana Pacers 78: Absolute carnage. The Pistons led by 46 at one point. They are now 30–10 and looking like the team to beat in the East.
Why the Warriors' Balanced Attack Matters
The Warriors’ win over Charlotte might look like a standard January blowout, but the way they did it is worth a second look.
Usually, when you see 136 points, you expect Steph Curry to have 45. He didn't. In fact, he was 0-for-2 from deep in the first half. Instead, guys like Melton, Podziemski, and Buddy Hield just moved the ball until the defense broke. Ten different players made a three-pointer.
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That kind of "strength in numbers" vibe is exactly what they need if they want to climb out of the 8th seed. Right now, the West is so crowded that one bad week sends you from home-court advantage to the Play-In tournament.
The Disaster in Atlanta
If you’re a Hawks fan, last night was a "don't look at the box score" kind of night.
They were missing Zaccharie Risacher and Kristaps Porzingis, but the real hole was Dyson Daniels. Without his perimeter defense, Jaylen Brown basically had a layup line. Atlanta has now dropped three in a row, falling to 20–24. They’re stuck in that mediocre middle-ground where they aren't bad enough for a top pick but aren't good enough to scare anyone in the playoffs.
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Quin Snyder’s defensive scheme is taking a lot of heat on the forums today, especially those three-guard lineups that seem to leak points like a sieve.
Where the Standings Sit Now
The Thunder might be the reigning champs, but they’ve looked mortal lately. That loss to Miami keeps things tight.
In the East, the Pistons at 30–10 are a genuine problem for the rest of the conference. They are playing with a level of physicality that most teams just can't match on a random Saturday night in January. Meanwhile, the Knicks are stumbling, having lost three straight as they try to navigate life without Brunson’s ankle being 100%.
Next Steps for Your Roster and Watchlist:
- Watch the Injury Reports: Cooper Flagg missed his second straight game for Dallas with an ankle sprain. If you’re tracking the Rookie of the Year race, his health is the only thing that could slow him down right now.
- Monitor the Lakers' Trade Rumors: After that Portland loss, expect the "Lakers need a center" talk to reach a fever pitch this week.
- Check the Sunday Matinees: The league doesn't stop. We've got the Knicks trying to bounce back against the Suns and a massive Thunder/Heat rematch looming on the horizon.
Last night proved that even without some of the biggest superstars on the floor, the depth of the league right now is insane. You've got guys like Sam Hauser hitting 10 threes off the bench for Boston. The margin for error is basically zero.