Around the Association: Morant Comes Up Clutch, Harden Shines, Bulls Explode, Celtics Implode

This article is part of our NBA Daily Recap series.

Welcome to Around the Association!  Five days per week (Monday through Friday), this article will serve as a comprehensive recap of the previous night's NBA action, taking you through all of the biggest performances, notable box scores, injury updates and any other fantasy-relevant headlines from around the league.

It was a wild seven-game slate Monday -- here is all you need to know:

Nightly Notables

Ja leads Memphis past Phoenix in electrifying finish

• In one of the best games of the year, the Memphis Grizzlies were able to walk away from Phoenix with a victory after a wild ending. The Grizzlies held a solid lead for the majority of the contest before the Suns stormed back in the fourth.
• Devin Booker hit a go-ahead three-point shot with five seconds left before Ja Morant silenced the crowd with an acrobatic game-winning finish. The Murray State product was incredible in the win, totaling 33 points (14-25 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 2-4 FT), four rebounds, four assists and two steals across 34 minutes. This was easily his best performance since returning from his knee injury.
  • Desmond Bane is legit. The second-year sharpshooter went off for a season-high 32 points (12-22 FG, 6-11 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal in a team-high 37 minutes. Bane has scored at least 23 points in five out of his last seven appearances while ranking as the 32nd overall nine-category fantasy option over the past two weeks.
  • Steven Adams: 13 points (4-5 FG, 5-7 FT), 16 rebounds, seven assists and one block in 31 minutes
• Devin Booker did all he could in the loss. The All-Star finished with 30 points (10-20 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 7-9 FT), two rebounds, four assists, two blocks and two steals over 37 minutes. This was a nice bounce-back performance from Booker after he was limited to just 13 points against the Warriors on Christmas.
  • Chris Paul: 13 points (4-13 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 5-5 FT), 13 assists, six rebounds and three steals over 35 minutes of action.

James Harden is back

• The Brooklyn Nets defeated the Clippers 124-108 behind a phenomenal performance from James Harden. The Beard ended with 39 points (15-25 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 5-5 FT), eight rebounds, 15 assists and two steals in 40 minutes. Harden is thriving as the only superstar healthy right now for Brooklyn as Kevin Durant remains sidelined. Over his past two showings, Harden is putting up video-game-like numbers with 37.5 points, 9.0 rebounds and 12.5 assists per game.
  • Nicolas Claxton: 18 points (8-9 FG, 2-3 FT), five rebounds, two assists and three blocks over 30 minutes
  • Durant, LaMarcus Aldridge and Kyrie Irving all cleared COVID-19 protocols Tuesday morning.
• Life without Paul George is starting to set in for the Clippers as they have now dropped back-to-back contests. Marcus Morris led the way in the defeat with 24 points (6-13 FG, 4-7 3Pt, 8-8 FT), five rebounds and six assists across 27 minutes in his first game back after missing four straight contests in health and safety protocols.
  • Keon Johnson had the best game of his career Monday as he dropped 15 points (6-14 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 1-3 FT), two rebounds, two assists and two steals over just 17 minutes of action. This was pretty much the bouncy rookie's first time seeing meaningful NBA action and he looked good out there.

Bulls' Big Three spoils Young's return

• The Chicago Bulls were able to defeat the Hawks by a score of 130-118 while Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan and Nikola Vucevic combined for nearly 70 percent of the team's points. DeRozan finished with 35 points (14-20 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 5-8 FT), five rebounds and 10 assists over 38 minutes. LaVine was not far behind him with 30 points (11-21 FG, 5-8 3Pt, 3-3 FT), four rebounds, nine assists and one steal across 37 minutes. The two were clearly still in the gifting mood of the holiday season as they both dropped season-highs in dimes.

• Nikola Vucevic:  24 points (9-19 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 2-3 FT), 17 rebounds, six assists and four blocks in 34 minutes
• Trae Young made his return to Atlanta's lineup after missing the team's last three games due to health and safety protocols. The All-Star showed no signs of rust as he poured in 29 points (8-23 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 12-12 FT), one rebound and nine assists in 40 minutes. Young has absolutely balled out during the month of December, averaging 30.6 points, 9.8 assists and 4.7 rebounds per game over his nine appearances this month.
  • Despite Young returning to the lineup, Cam Reddish still found a way to drop buckets during the loss. The Duke product finished with 33 points (11-23 FG, 8-13 3Pt, 3-3 FT), four rebounds and one block in 40 minutes. This was Reddish's second 30 point outing in his last four showings.

T'Wolves surprise Celtics

• The Minnesota Timberwolves were without practically their entire starting lineup as the likes of Karl-Anthony Towns. D'Angelo Russell, and Anthony Edwards were all sidelined due to COVID. However, the team was still able to surprise the Celtics and win 108-103 at home. Jaylen Nowell boomed for a career-high 29 points (10-18 FG, 6-9 3Pt, 3-4 FT), six rebounds, three assists and one steal over 34 minutes off of the bench while punching in a ridiculous poster over Jabari Parker.
  • Nathan Knight had the best performance of his short NBA career thus far. The big finished with 20 points (8-11 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 2-3 FT), 11 rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block over 29 minutes in his first career start.
  • Greg Monroe, who signed with the team roughly 24 hours before game-time, ended with 11 points, nine rebounds and six assists in 25 minutes.
• The Boston Celtics were hit with rough news that Jayson Tatum was the latest star to enter health and safety protocols Monday, but that loss was still inexcusable. Jaylen Brown finished with a team-high 26 points (8-24 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 8-13 FT), 10 rebounds four assists and one block over 39 minutes.
  • Payton Pritchard had perhaps his best game of the season as he poured in a season-best 24 points (8-22 FG, 5-14 3Pt, 3-3 FT), eight rebounds, six assists and one steal over 44 minutes. The second-year guard has immediate fantasy value if he is going to continue to see this type of run while Boston remains shorthanded. 

Best and Worst of the Night

• Best of the Night: James Harden - 39 points (15-25 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 5-5 FT), eight rebounds, 15 assists and two steals in 40 minutes.
• Worst of the Night: JaVale McGee – Six points (3-4 FG), four rebounds and three assists before fouling out in 22 minutes.
• Rookie of the Night: Keon Johnson - 15 points (6-14 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 1-3 FT), two rebounds, two assists and two steals over just 17 minutes of action

Quick Hitters

• Even with Donovan Mitchell out of the lineup, the Jazz were still able to walk away victorious in San Antonio, beating the Spurs 110-104. Jordan Clarkson dropped a team-high 23 points (9-21 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 3-3 FT), eight rebounds, five assists and one steal across 32 in Mitchell's absence.
  • Rudy Gobert: 16 points (5-7 FG, 6-6 FT), 13 rebounds, three blocks, two assists and one steal over 25 minutes.
• With Dejounte Murray still in health and safety protocols, Derrick White has looked good as the Spurs primary ball-handler. He finished with 21 points (8-16 FG, 3-6 3Pt, 2-3 FT), two rebounds, eight assists, one block and three steals in 35 minutes. He has averaged 9.0 assists per game in the two contests that Murray has been sidelined.
  • Kristaps Porzingis went off as the Mavericks ran over the Trail Blazers 132-117 in Portland. The forward finished with 34 points (12-21 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 7-9 FT), nine rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals across 32 minutes. Porzingis should continue to serve as Dallas No. 1 option as Luka Doncic (COVID-19) remains sidelined.
• After averaging just 0.5 assists per game over his first 17 appearances on the season, Josh Green was in the mood of giving as he totaled nine points (3-7 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 3-3 FT), four rebounds, a career-high 10 dimes and two steals across 26 minutes.
  • Damian Lillard did not have the most efficient day in the loss but he still ended with a team-high 26 points (5-15 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 13-14 FT), two rebounds, five assists and one block across 36 minutes.
  • Nassir Little: 20 points (7-14 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 4-7 FT), 10 rebounds, two assists, three blocks and two steals across 34 minutes.
• The Charlotte Hornets completely dominated the Rockets 123-99 as Houston was without several rotation players due to COVID. Terry Rozier led the way for Charlotte with 27 points (10-17 FG, 7-12 3Pt), four rebounds, five assists and one steal over 27 minutes. He is now shooting 15-32 from deep over his past three contests
  • Mason Plumlee: 15 points (7-7 FG, 1-2 FT), nine rebounds, three assists, three blocks and two steals in 29 minutes

• With the Rockets so shorthanded, Trevelin Queen scored a team-high 17 points (6-13 FG, 4-10 3Pt, 1-1 FT), to go with six rebounds and four steals across 28 minutes. I did not know about him before today either.
• Coby White had one of his better games of the season as he continues to fill in for Lonzo Ball (COVID-19). He totaled 13 points (5-11 FG, 3-7 3Pt), four assists and two steals over 25 minutes.
• Greg Monroe is back in the league and he looked good in Minnesota's upset over Boston. The veteran finished with 11 points (5-9 FG, 1-1 FT), nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and one block over 25 minutes off of the bench. He also beautifully summed up the state of this season

• Jalen Smith had a career night during Phoenix's loss to Memphis. The Maryland product neared a double-double with 15 points (4-10 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 5-6 FT), nine rebounds and one steal over 29 minutes. With Deandre Ayton stuck in COVID protocols, Smith could be a solid add for this week if your team has room to spare.

A Look Ahead to Tuesday Night 

• There is always some bad blood when Philadelphia matches up with Toronto
• There is no way the Lakers lose to the Rockets… right?
• We have a Tom Thibodeau revenge game when the Knicks travel to Minnesota to face the Timberwolves.
• With the way that Nikola Jokic is playing right now, I would not be surprised to see the Nuggets upset the Warriors in Oakland.