Man, last night was a complete whirlwind. If you're looking for who won the basketball game last night NBA, you’re probably staring at a box score trying to figure out how half these games even ended the way they did. The January 15, 2026, slate wasn't just another Thursday in the Association. It was a chaotic night of massive comebacks, blowout wins for the favorites, and a few "wait, what?" moments that are going to dominate the talk shows all morning.
The Comeback of the Year? Orlando Stuns Memphis
Let’s start with the most insane game of the night. Honestly, if you turned off the Orlando Magic vs. Memphis Grizzlies game in the second quarter, nobody would blame you. The Magic were down by 20 points. Twenty! Memphis looked like they were going to cruise to an easy win in Berlin.
Then Paolo Banchero happened.
He didn't just play; he took over. Banchero put up a monstrous stat line: 26 points, 13 boards, 4 assists, and 4 steals. He was everywhere. Orlando ended up winning 118–111. It’s their biggest comeback of the season so far. Franz Wagner made his return after being out since early December, chipping in 18 points. For Memphis, Jaren Jackson Jr. was a beast with 30 points, but it just wasn't enough to stop the bleeding once the Magic found their rhythm.
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Thunder Dismantle the Rockets
Over in Houston, it was a different story. No comeback here—just a total dismantling. The Oklahoma City Thunder beat the Rockets 111–91.
The score makes it look closer than it felt. OKC just outworked them. Chet Holmgren and Ajay Mitchell really stepped up. What’s wild is that Jalen Williams (Dub) couldn't buy a bucket, yet he finished with 10 assists and zero turnovers. That’s high-level basketball. The Rockets looked absolutely gassed by the six-minute mark of the fourth quarter. You could see it in their body language—heads down, hands on knees. When Alex Caruso forced that late shot clock violation, Houston was basically cooked.
Luka and LeBron: The Lakers Sputter Against Charlotte
You’d think a team with LeBron James and Luka Doncic (yeah, still feels weird to say) would handle a struggling Charlotte team at home. Nope.
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The Charlotte Hornets stunned the Los Angeles Lakers 135–117 at Crypto.com Arena. The Lakers are now 24–15, which is fine, but losing to a sub-.500 team like Charlotte hurts. LeBron played well, scoring 31 earlier in the week, but the Lakers' defense was a sieve last night. Charlotte just couldn't miss. It’s one of those nights where the "superteam" narrative hits a reality check.
Around the League: Quick Scores and Results
If you’re just looking for the raw numbers for who won the basketball game last night NBA, here is the breakdown of the other major matchups:
- Golden State Warriors 126, New York Knicks 113: Steph Curry and the Dubs protected home court at Chase Center. New York was shorthanded without Jalen Brunson (ankle), and it showed.
- Dallas Mavericks 144, Utah Jazz 122: Total offensive explosion. Dallas put up 144 points. Brice Sensabaugh had 27 for the Jazz, but nobody was stopping the Mavs' attack.
- San Antonio Spurs 119, Milwaukee Bucks 101: Victor Wembanyama’s Spurs are for real. They moved to 28–13, while the Bucks continue to struggle with injuries to Giannis and Kuzma.
- Portland Trail Blazers 117, Atlanta Hawks 101: Portland took care of business at the Moda Center behind a solid team effort.
What This Means for the Standings
The Western Conference is a bloodbath. The Thunder are sitting comfortably at the top, but the Spurs are breathing down everyone's neck. San Antonio is currently third in the West with that 28–13 record. It’s scary how fast they’ve improved.
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In the East, the Knicks' loss keeps them at 25–15, tied up with the Celtics who were idle last night. The Magic’s comeback win keeps them in the hunt for a top-four seed, improving to 23–18.
The Reality Check on Last Night’s Action
Looking at these results, there’s a clear trend: depth is winning out over star power right now. The Thunder won because their bench and secondary playmakers (like Caruso and Mitchell) showed up. The Lakers lost because, despite having the biggest names, their rotation couldn't get a stop.
If you're betting or just following closely, keep an eye on injury reports. Jalen Brunson’s absence killed the Knicks’ flow. Giannis’ ankle issues are making the Bucks look like a lottery team some nights.
Next Steps for NBA Fans:
- Check the updated injury report for tonight's games, especially for the 76ers vs. Cavs matchup.
- Watch the highlights of the Orlando 20-point comeback; the defensive intensity in the 4th quarter was a masterclass.
- Keep an eye on the trade rumors surrounding the Clippers as the cap investigation continues—it might shake up the West even more.
The NBA season is hitting that mid-January grind where teams either find their identity or start looking at the draft lottery. Last night was a perfect example of both.