If you were sleeping on the Tuesday night slate, you missed a lot. Seriously. Last night’s NBA action wasn't just a handful of mid-January filler games; we got a massive blowout in Los Angeles, a defensive masterclass in Oklahoma City, and some high-octane scoring that honestly caught a few teams off guard.
The biggest question on everyone's mind this morning: who won the basketball last night? Let’s get straight to the headlines. The Los Angeles Lakers didn't just win; they absolutely dismantled the Atlanta Hawks with a 141-116 finish. Meanwhile, the Oklahoma City Thunder continued their absolute tear through the Western Conference by handling the San Antonio Spurs 119-98. Whether you’re tracking the standings or just looking for the box score highlights to talk shop at the water cooler, here is exactly what went down across the league.
The Lakers Explode: LeBron and Luka Put on a Show
It felt like 2020 again in the Crypto.com Arena, but with a 2026 twist. The Lakers put up 141 points. That is a massive number for a team that has occasionally struggled with offensive consistency this season. LeBron James was, well, LeBron. He finished with 31 points, 10 assists, and 9 rebounds. Just one board shy of the triple-double, which honestly felt like he was just showing off at that point.
Luka Dončić wasn't far behind with 27 points and 12 assists. When those two are clicking like that, there isn't a defense in the league—let alone the Hawks’ struggling perimeter unit—that can keep up.
The Hawks? Kinda lost. Nickeil Alexander-Walker tried to keep them in it with 26 points, including five triples, but Atlanta’s defense was a sieve. They’ve fallen to 20-22 now, while the Lakers are sitting pretty at 24-14. If you had the Lakers in your parlay, you were feeling good by the end of the third quarter.
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Thunder vs. Spurs: The Battle of the Bigs
Everyone was tuned into OKC for one reason: Chet Holmgren vs. Victor Wembanyama. It’s the matchup that will define the next decade of basketball.
But last night wasn't just about the centers.
The Thunder walked away with a 119-98 win, and while Chet didn't have a "career-high" type of night on the stat sheet (finishing with 8 points and 10 rebounds), he did the dirty work. He forced Wemby into "tunnel vision" mode. Wembanyama finished with 17 points and 7 rebounds, but he looked frustrated. He was forcing shots. He was trying to win the individual battle rather than the game.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was the real assassin here. He dropped 34 points on 11-of-23 shooting. The Thunder are now 33-7. Let that sink in. They aren't just a "young team with potential" anymore. They are a juggernaut.
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Quick Scores from Around the League
- Golden State Warriors 119, Portland Trail Blazers 97: Jimmy Butler (16 points) and Steph Curry (11 assists) picked apart a short-handed Blazers squad.
- Minnesota Timberwolves 139, Milwaukee Bucks 106: A total beatdown. The Bucks looked slow, and the Wolves capitalized on every single turnover.
- Denver Nuggets 122, New Orleans Pelicans 116: A closer affair than the score suggests, but Jokic and company closed it out in the final four minutes.
- Houston Rockets 119, Chicago Bulls 113: Houston’s young core is starting to find a rhythm, especially in crunch time.
College Basketball’s Tuesday Night Chaos
If you think the pros had all the fun, you clearly didn't see what happened in the SEC and Big 12. College hoops is currently in that "middle-of-the-season" grind where rankings mean almost nothing and home-court advantage means everything.
The 18th-ranked Florida Gators went into Norman and absolutely bullied the Oklahoma Sooners. Final score: 96-79. Florida’s Rueben Chinyelu is becoming a problem for the rest of the conference; he posted his ninth double-double of the year. The Gators won the battle in the paint 60-22. That’s not just a win; that’s a statement.
Over in the Big 12, Kansas reminded everyone why Phog Allen Fieldhouse is the hardest place to play in the country. They took down the previously 16-1 Iowa State Cyclones 84-63. Tre White was unconscious from deep, hitting 5-of-7 from beyond the arc.
What This Means for the Standings
We are officially in the "dog days" of January. This is where teams either solidify their playoff positioning or start looking toward the draft lottery.
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For the Lakers, that win over Atlanta helps them keep pace in a ridiculously crowded Western Conference. For the Thunder, they are basically playing for the number one seed at this point. They’ve got a cushion, but with the Wolves and Nuggets winning last night too, there is zero room for error.
The Spurs, on the other hand, are sliding. They’ve lost a few in a row now. Wemby is spectacular, but the supporting cast is still a work in progress. De’Aaron Fox had a decent night (14 points), but they need more consistent scoring if they want to escape the bottom of the West.
Actionable Insights for Basketball Fans
If you're looking to stay ahead of the curve after seeing who won the basketball last night, here are three things you should be watching over the next week:
- Watch the Thunder's Defense: They aren't just outscoring people; they are frustrating stars. Watch how they use Chet Holmgren as a "spacer" on defense to funnel drivers into bad shots.
- Lakers Rotation Health: Keep an eye on the LeBron/Luka minute split. They looked fresh last night, but the Lakers have a back-to-back coming up. If they rest one, the offensive floor drops significantly.
- Big 12 Volatility: In college ball, don't trust the rankings. Iowa State was 16-1 and got blown out. Bet on the home teams in the Big 12 for the next two weeks; the travel and atmosphere are killing road favorites.
The NBA season is a marathon, but nights like last night show you exactly who has the legs to finish the race. The Thunder look like favorites, the Lakers look like wildcards, and the rest of the league is just trying to find a way to stop Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
Check the injury reports before tonight's games. Several players, including Jrue Holiday and some of the Hawks' starters, are dealing with lingering issues that clearly impacted last night's results. Staying on top of the "active" list is the only way to truly understand these box scores.