Man, what a night. If you’re checking in to see who won last night's NBA games, you’re basically looking at a massive shift in the Western Conference hierarchy. Tuesday night, January 13, 2026, was one of those rare regular-season slates where almost every game felt like it had playoff stakes, mostly because the standings are so jammed up right now.
We saw the defending champs remind everyone why they’re at the top, a superstar duo in LA finally find their rhythm after a rough patch, and a total blowout in Milwaukee that nobody saw coming. Seriously, the Bucks losing by 33 at home? That’s not something you see every day.
The Big Winners: Tuesday Night Results
Let's just get into the numbers. The Los Angeles Lakers took down the Atlanta Hawks 141-116. This wasn't even as close as the score looks. LeBron James was basically a rebound away from a triple-double, finishing with 31 points, 10 assists, and 9 boards. But honestly, the story was Luka Doncic. He had 27 points and 12 assists, and for the first time in a while, the "Luka-LeBron" experiment looked absolutely lethal. They hit 19 threes as a team. Nineteen! After that embarrassing loss to Sacramento on Monday, they needed this.
Up in Oklahoma City, the Thunder handled the San Antonio Spurs 119-98. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander put up 34 points like it was a light cardio session. This was actually a big deal because the Spurs had somehow beaten the Thunder three times already this season. Not this time. Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembanyama spent most of the night canceling each other out at the rim, but OKC’s depth was just too much.
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Who Won Last Night's NBA: Full Scoreboard
- Lakers 141, Hawks 116
- Thunder 119, Spurs 98
- Warriors 119, Trail Blazers 97
- Timberwolves 139, Bucks 106
- Nuggets 122, Pelicans 116
- Heat 127, Suns 121
- Rockets 119, Bulls 113
The Shock of the Night in Milwaukee
The Minnesota Timberwolves went into Fiserv Forum and absolutely dismantled the Milwaukee Bucks. 139-106. Julius Randle dropped 29, and the Wolves’ defense made the Bucks look like they were playing in slow motion. Milwaukee has been struggling with their perimeter defense all month, but giving up nearly 140 at home is a "closed-door meeting" kind of loss.
Minnesota is now 27-14, sitting right there in the thick of the race for the 2-seed. If you're wondering who won last night's NBA for the sake of your parlay, this was the game that probably ruined it for most people.
Close Calls and Clutch Buckets
Down in the Big Easy, the Denver Nuggets escaped with a 122-116 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. No Nikola Jokic? No problem, apparently. Jamal Murray took over with 35 points, and Zeke Nnaji filled in the gaps better than anyone expected. New Orleans had a chance late, but Denver's execution in the final two minutes was just more "championship-pedigree" than what the Pels could muster.
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In Miami, the Heat beat the Phoenix Suns 127-121. Bam Adebayo hit four triples. I'll repeat that: Bam Adebayo hit four 3-pointers. When Bam is stretching the floor like that, Miami is a completely different animal. Phoenix tried to claw back from a 17-point halftime deficit, but the Heat’s "magnet ball" (as some Suns fans were calling it on Reddit) was too much in the fourth quarter.
Why These Games Actually Matter
Look, it's January. Everyone is tired. But the Western Conference is a bloodbath. The Thunder are sitting at 34-7, which is incredible, but from the 2nd seed to the 8th seed, it’s basically a game and a half difference.
The Golden State Warriors also got a win, beating Portland 119-97. De'Anthony Melton led them with 23 points. They’re quietly hovering around that play-in line, but with the way the Lakers and Rockets are playing, nobody is safe. Speaking of the Rockets, they held off the Chicago Bulls 119-113. Alperen Sengun had a slow start—Nikola Vucevic was giving him fits early—but Houston’s physicality eventually wore Chicago down.
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What's Next for the Winners?
If you're following the standings after seeing who won last night's NBA, keep an eye on the injury reports coming out this afternoon. Most of these teams are playing again within 48 hours. The Lakers have a back-to-back coming up, and with LeBron playing 30+ minutes in a blowout, you have to wonder if they’ll rest him.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the Tiebreakers: With the Thunder beating the Spurs for the first time this year, the season series is now 1-3. If they end up tied in April, that win last night saved OKC from a sweep but didn't win them the tiebreaker.
- Watch the Trade Market: Several reports from TSN and other insiders suggest the Mavericks and Hawks are still looking at active trades before the deadline. Atlanta's defense in that Lakers loss might speed up some of those conversations.
- Monitor Bam’s Volume: If Bam Adebayo continues to shoot three or four 3-pointers a game, the Heat are a legitimate threat to the Knicks and Celtics in the East.
The NBA season is hitting that middle-of-the-road grind, but last night proved that the separation between the elite and the middle-of-the-pack is narrower than ever. Keep an eye on the Timberwolves; that win in Milwaukee wasn't a fluke—it was a statement.