A Thunderous statement, with the whole hoops world watching.

5 STORIES IN TODAY’S EDITION 🏀

Jan. 17, 2025

Thunder Strike: A decisive run and an emphatic dub in a battle of the NBA’s best

Shai Shines: Nothing new for the Kia MVP Ladder leader – “He’s like that every night”

Thursday Roundup: Book cooks while the Kings, Pacers and Clips stay hot

Friday Focus: Paolo’s Magic meet Tatum’s Celtics, followed by Ja’s Grizz & Wemby’s Spurs

NBA All-Star Voting: Where do things stand with only four days left of fan voting?

BUT FIRST … ⏰

OKC had the internet buzzing last night…

Triple Your All-Star Vote: It’s a 3-for-1 Day for All-Star Voting presented by AT&T, meaning your vote counts three times on the NBA App or NBA.com with your NBA ID. Tap to vote now.

Wildfire Relief Efforts: The entire NBA, NBPA, WNBA and WNBPA family sends its thoughts and support to the community of Los Angeles during this challenging time. To learn more, get help and/or support, visit NBA Cares.

• Ballmer Group is providing $15 million in emergency funding to support wildfire-affected communities in L.A. See more details here

1. THUNDER RESPOND IN “THE REMATCH” WITH A RESOUNDING DUB

Last night, a Thunderstorm rolled through Paycom Center.

Eight days after seeing their franchise-record 15-game win streak end in Cleveland, the Thunder retaliated in “The Rematch” with a strike strong enough to echo throughout the entire NBA.

Thunder 134, Cavaliers 114: In a clash between the top two teams in the league, the East-leading Cavs jumped out to a 12-10 lead. But from there, it was all OKC.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander ignited a 30-2 Thunder run to seize control, as the West leaders entered the half up 75-49 and never looked back for an emphatic win on their home floor. | Recap

• Tied At The Top: With the victory, OKC and Cleveland both move to 34-6 on the season – tied for the best record in the NBA
• Shai Shines: Gilgeous-Alexander finished with a game-high 40 points (17-26 FG), eight assists and two steals in just 29 minutes, as both teams rested their starters in the 4th quarter
• Rolling Thunder: OKC led by as many as 42 points, earning its 19th win in 20 games while handing Cleveland its first loss to a West opponent this season
• “It’s the cream of the crop,” said SGA after the win. “You judge yourself against the best to find out where you are … Tonight, we tested ourselves, and I think we passed.”

Lightning Jolt: After allowing 129 points to Cleveland’s top-rated offense last week, OKC’s top-rated defense came out swarming in Round 2, holding the Cavs to a season-low 14 points in the 1st quarter to spark a dominant all-around performance.

• Smothering: The league leader in FG% and 3P%, Cleveland was held below its season averages in both categories by OKC, while committing a season-high 21 turnovers
• Silencing: Darius Garland led Cleveland with 20 points, while Donovan Mitchell was held to a season-low eight
• Scoring: On the other end, Lu Dort posted a season-high in points (22) and 3s (6), while Jalen Williams (19 pts) and three other Thunder joined SGA in double figures

Dominance: With the commanding win, the Thunder are now on pace to become the first team in NBA history with a +13.0 point differential.

• 2024-25 Thunder: 13.00
• 1971-72 Lakers: 12.28 (Won NBA Finals)
• 1970-71 Bucks: 12.26 (Won NBA Finals)
• 1995-96 Bulls: 12.24 (Won NBA Finals)

2. THE SHAI SHOW: BIG STAGE, BIGGER STATEMENT

Now the 16th team in NBA history to total 34+ wins through 40 games, three letters have become synonymous with success in OKC – SGA.

Last night, with eyes across the league fixed on “The Rematch,” SGA made his case to add three more letters to his name – MVP.

And he only needed 29 minutes to do it.

• In the 1st quarter, SGA single-handedly outscored Cleveland 15-14
• By halftime, he had 26 points – his most in a half all season while crossing off his 10th straight 25+ point game
• When he subbed out for good after the 3rd, his night had taken the hoops world by storm…

Gilgeous-Alexander is the first Thunder or SuperSonics player in franchise history to drop 40 points in under 30 minutes.

• “40 in 3,” said Jalen Williams postgame, touting SGA for Kia MVP.

Thursday was no coming out party for the Kia MVP Ladder leader. He’s been doing work all season.

• Buckets In Bulk: SGA now leads the NBA with 24 30-point games. Giannis Antetokounmpo (21) is the only other player with more than 17
• And 30-pieces have become the usual for Gilgeous-Alexander, as he has 15 in the Thunder’s last 20 games – 19 of which have been dubs
• But Thursday may have been the sweetest of them all – hitting 4-0 in just 3 quarters
• “That’s always Shai,” said Lu Dort on SGA’s outburst. “He always steps up for the big moments, especially in big games like that.”

Only two players in NBA history have averaged 30+ points and 2+ steals in consecutive seasons – Allen Iverson and Michael Jordan. SGA is on track to become the third.

And last night, he joined Jordan in rarified air.

• Scores & Swipes: On Thursday, SGA became the second player to record 1,200+ points and 80+ steals in the first 40 games of multiple seasons
• The First Player? MJ (7 seasons)
• All-Around Excellence: SGA is on pace to become only the second player ever to average 30+ points on 50% shooting, along with 5+ rebounds, 5+ assists, 2+ steals and 1+ blocks
• Who Would He Join? You guessed it – Michael Jordan (1987-88 & 1990-91)

3. THURSDAY ROUNDUP: SURGING SQUADS STACK MORE Ws

SGA wasn’t the only star who shined on Thursday as more Playoff contenders found their groove.

Suns 130, Wizards 123: Devin Booker posted his fourth straight 30-piece with a healthy 37, while Kevin Durant added 23 to earn a wire-to-wire win over the Wizards, marking the Suns’ fourth win in five games. | Recap

Kings 132, Rockets 127: DeMar DeRozan poured in 33 points as the Kings outlasted Jalen Green (28 pts) and the Rockets to snap their five-game win streak. Sacramento is now 8-1 in their last nine outings. | Recap

Pacers 111, Pistons 100: Myles Turner (28) and Pascal Siakam (26) combined for 54 points as the Pacers improved to 8-2 in their last 10 with a dub over Cade Cunningham (20 pts, 9 ast) and Detroit. | Recap

Clippers 118, Blazers 89: Norman Powell (23 pts) led six Clippers in double figures, as LA never trailed to notch its third straight W. | Recap

4. ESPN DOUBLEHEADER TONIGHT: PAOLO’S MAGIC VS. TATUM’S CELTICS, JA’s GRIZZ VS. WEMBY’S SPURS

Two elite playmaking forwards with shared roots face off tonight as Jayson Tatum and the Celtics host Paolo Banchero and the Magic (7 ET, ESPN).

Both drafted out of Duke at the age of 19, Tatum was selected third overall by Boston in 2017, five years before Banchero was selected first overall by Orlando – with Tatum serving as a mentor along the way.

• “He’s been a huge help for me since I first got to Duke,” said Banchero last season on Tatum. “He’s a great player. He’s done everything I want to do … I’m a sponge, so I try to learn as much as I can.”

That guidance is paying off. Granted, Banchero is only eight games into his third season, but his 2024-25 numbers hold a slight edge over Tatum’s Year 3 stats:

Both big and athletic shotmakers, the two stars can each score in a multitude of ways.

• Beyond The Arc: This season, Banchero and Tatum are two of four non-guards averaging 27+ points while hitting 2+ 3s per game, joining Kevin Durant and Nikola Jokić
• At The Rim: They also both utilize their strength and athleticism to get to the cup, averaging 9+ points in the paint per game and 7+ points off drives

But they score the bulk of their points in different areas.

• JT’s Range: Both players are 3-point threats, but Tatum makes his money from deep, with 51.7% of his attempts coming from beyond the arc
• Deep Impact: Among players averaging 27+ points, Tatum ranks second in both 3-point attempts (10.3) and makes (3.7) per game
• Paolo’s Precision: Meanwhile, 66.4% of Banchero’s shots are 2s, and he’s shooting 51.8% from the midrange
• Midrange Mastery: That’s the third-highest midrange percentage of the 16 NBA players averaging 25+ ppg, trailing only KD and SGA

Banchero’s versatility is turning heads across the league. After his 30-point return against Milwaukee last week, Giannis Antetokounmpo had high praise for the rising star:

• “He’s a great player, said Giannis. “A guy that can operate from all three levels. Big, can defend, he does the little things that his team needs to win games…
• “Obviously, Orlando is a very, very dangerous team.”

Now a half-game back of the Bucks for the 4th seed in the East, Banchero and the Magic aim to make a primetime statement against Tatum and the defending champs.

In the second leg of ESPN’s doubleheader, Ja Morant and Victor Wembanyama will duel for the second time in three days as the Spurs host the Grizzlies (9:30 ET).

• Wemby’s Block Party: In Wednesday’s matchup, Wemby was a force inside, recording eight blocks in the 1st half – a feat that hadn’t been achieved since Nov. 2018 (Mitchell Robinson)
• Dive Deeper: ‘What the heck are you supposed to do against this guy,’ asks David Hollinger in The Athletic, in a piece about how a defensive youth movement is rising in the league
• Morant’s Rebuttal: Despite Wemby’s defensive masterclass, the Grizzlies earned the win, 129-115, behind Morant’s double-double (21 pts, 12 ast)
• Ja’s Viral Moment: It didn’t count, but Morant broke the internet with a dunk on Wemby after the whistle – providing the latest viral moment between the two walking highlight reels

Which superstar will take our breath away tonight?

Seven more games get underway Friday on League Pass, beginning with Anthony Edwards and the Wolves facing a red-hot Jalen Brunson and the Knicks at MSG (7:30 ET).

5. ALL-STAR VOTING: THE THIRD FAN RETURNS & WHAT’S NEXT

Only four days remain for fans to vote for the 2025 All-Star starters on the NBA app or NBA.com using their NBA ID, and on Thursday, the third and final fan returns were revealed.

At The Top: For the third straight week, Giannis Antetokounmpo (East frontcourt) and Nikola Jokić (West frontcourt) lead their respective conferences in votes, while SGA (West guard) and LaMelo Ball (East guard) join them atop their respective position groups.

On The Rise: Jarrett Allen joined the East frontcourt leaderboard, where Evan Mobley bumped up two spots. Meanwhile, their teammate, Darius Garland, climbed another spot among East guards. Out West, LeBron James bumped up a spot for No. 2 in the frontcourt.

Triple Your Vote: Fans with NBA ID account for 50% of the vote to determine the starters for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game (with current NBA players and a media panel accounting for 25% each), and Friday marks a “3-for-1 Day” where fans’ votes count three times – tap here to submit your ballot.

Up Next: After voting closes on Monday at 11:59 p.m. ET, TNT will reveal the NBA All-Star Game starters on Thursday (7 ET).

NBA All-Star 2025 takes place in the San Francisco Bay Area on Feb. 14-16. Below are a few key events to circle on your calendar.

• Friday, Feb. 14: Ruffles NBA All-Star Celebrity Game (7 ET, ESPN)
• Friday, Feb. 14: Castrol Rising Stars (9 ET, TNT/TruTV)
• Saturday, Feb. 15: State Farm All-Star Saturday Night: Kia Skills Challenge, Starry 3-Point Contest, AT&T Slam Dunk (8 ET, TNT/TruTV)
• Sunday, Feb. 16: 74th NBA All-Star Game (8 ET, TNT/TruTV)