Around the Association: SGA Goes Off, Bucks Roll, Magic Take Down Hawks

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 another five-game slate last night. Here is all you need to know.

Nightly Notables

Magic take down Hawks in a battle of short-handed teams

• The injury report for the Magic and Hawks contest looked like a five-page college essay, but the depleted Magic were able to take down Atlanta by a score of 104-98. Franz Wagner stepped up once again, dropping in 25 points (10-24 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 4-5 FT), four rebounds, one assist, two blocks and one steal over 36 minutes. Wagner is really on another level as of recent, averaging 18.2 points, 5.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists over his last 10 appearances.
  • Perhaps the most surprising stat-line of the night: Robin Lopez recorded a career-high 11 assists to go with 10 points (5-10 FG, 0-1 3Pt), five rebounds one block and one steal in 31 minutes.
• Despite the losing effort, Cam Reddish had maybe his best game of the season as many of his teammates watched from home. The Duke product went off for a career-high 34 points (11-23 FG, 6-10 3Pt, 6-8 FT), four rebounds, four assists and two blocks over 42 minutes. Reddish fantasy value seems to be at an all-time high with Atlanta incredibly short-handed.
  • John Collins dropped in 28 points (9-17 FG, 3-5 3Pt, 7-8 FT), 12 rebounds, two assists and two blocks over 40 minutes. This marked the athletic forward's third straight 20-point double-double.

Celtics handle Cavaliers in Boston

• Jaylen Brown is officially back after a strong performance helped lead the Boston Celtics to a 111-101 win over the Cavaliers. The wing dropped in 34 points (12-22 FG, 5-10 3Pt, 5-5 FT), six rebounds, three assists, a steal and a block over 36 minutes. Brown has now scored 30 plus points in each of his last two contests and has seen over 30 minutes in five straight, indicating that the All-Star has moved past his hamstring injury.
  • Robert Williams had a career night in the victory, dropping 21 points (10-12 FG, 1-2 FT), 11 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks and two steals across 34 minutes. The big ranks as the 61st overall nine-category fantasy option on a per-game basis.
• Darius Garland performed well for the short-handed Cavaliers despite the loss. The improved guard dropped in 28 points (11-22 FG, 2-8 3Pt, 4-4 FT), two rebounds, six assists and three steals over 40 minutes. He has scored 20 or more in three straight contests as his usage is slightly up with lots of his teammates on the sidelines
  • Tacko Fall made his first career start and ended with four points (2-5 FG), 10 rebounds and two blocks over 19 minutes. He also confused Jayson Tatum with this impressive block attempt.

SGA leads Thunder past Nuggets

• The Oklahoma City Thunder got a nice home win with a 108-94 defeat over the Denver Nuggets. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander was on one with 27 points (10-24 FG, 0-7 3Pt, 7-7 FT), 11 rebounds, 12 assists, one block and one steal across 37 minutes. This almost surprisingly was just SGA's second career triple-double.
  • Darius Bazley looked good of the bench for the Thunder, dropping in his second double-double of the year with 17 points (7-11 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 2-3 FT), 11 rebounds, one assist and two blocks across 28 minutes. The forward has recorded at least 10 points and two blocks in three straight showings.
• By Nikola Jokic's standards, Wednesday's performance against the Thunder was one of the worst of the reigning MVP's season. The center finished with just 13 points (5-9 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 25 minutes. Better days are certainly ahead for The Joker.

Bucks trample over Rockets

• The Milwaukee Bucks got Jrue Holiday back after he missed the team's last contest and he helped lead the way to a 126-106 win over the Rockets. The two-way presence finished with 24 points (10-17 FG, 2-5 3Pt, 2-3 FT), four rebounds, 10 assists and two steals over 31 minutes. Holiday is starting to find his rhythm as of late, averaging 27.5 points and 9.3 assists over his last four appearances.
  • DeMarcus Cousins found the fountain of youth with 18 points (7-13 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 3-3 FT), eight rebounds, two assists and one block over 27 minutes of play. Boogie has started the last three games for Milwaukee and is averaging 13.0 points and 8.7 rebounds per game over that span.
  • Jordan Nwora: 18 points (7-18 FG, 4-8 3Pt), nine rebounds, two assists and one steal over 26 minutes.

• In what is almost starting to feel like a broken record, Christian Wood finished with a double-double despite the Rockets coming up short. 20 points (6-13 FG, 0-6 3Pt, 8-11 FT), 11 rebounds and one block across 28 minutes. The big now has five double-doubles over his last six showings.

Clippers roll past Kings in Sacramento

• The Los Angeles Clippers traveled to Sacramento to matchup against the Kings and pretty much lead from start to finish after a strong beginning to the game.
  • Reggie Jackson was placed in health and safety protocols yesterday, which in turn led to Eric Bledsoe starting in his place and having one of his better games of the year. The veteran totaled 19 points (8-15 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds and seven assists in 36 minutes. There is no doubt that it seems like Bledsoe's value may be taking a major rise with Jackson out of the lineup.
  • Coming into Wednesday, Serge Ibaka was averaging just 4.5 points and 3.5 rebounds, which are his lowest totals since his first few years in the league. However the stretch big turned back the clock en route to 17 points (7-9 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 1-2 FT), five rebounds, one assist and one steal in 20 minutes.
  • Paul George: 17 points (6-18 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 2-2 FT), four rebounds, six assists, one block and five steals over 32 minutes.
• De'Aaron Fox (COVID) is still out of the Kings lineup and the team has gone 1-3 during that span. However, if there is any sort of silver lining, it is the play of Tyrese Haliburton.
  • The second-year pro finished with  22 points (7-15 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 5-6 FT), three rebounds, 13 assists, one block and three steals in 43 minutes to mark his fourth straight 20-point double-double. Haliburton is averaging 23.5 points, 11.3 assists, 4.3 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game over his last four showings while ranking as the 22nd overall nine-category fantasy option on a per-game basis during the past week.
    • Richaun Holmes (eye) made his return to the court after missing seven straight games, but it was Chimezie Metu who impressed in the frontcourt for Sacramento. The USC product put up 11 points (5-12 FG, 0-2 3Pt, 1-1 FT), 10 rebounds, two assists and one steal in 31 minutes to earn his second double-double of the year.

Best and Worst of the Night

• Best of the Night: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander - 27 points (10-24 FG, 0-7 3Pt, 7-7 FT), 11 rebounds, 12 assists, one block and one steal across 37 minutes.
• Worst of the Night: Nikola Jokic -13 points (5-9 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds, three assists and two blocks in 25 minutes.
• Rookie of the Night: Franz Wagner - 25 points (10-24 FG, 1-6 3Pt, 4-5 FT), four rebounds, one assist, two blocks and one steal over 36 minutes.

A Look Ahead to Thursday Night 

• We have our busiest Thursday night of the season!
• The Washington Wizards travel to New York to face the Knicks in what should be an intense game
• Can the Giannis-less Milwaukee Bucks take down the Luka-less Mavericks in Dallas?
• LaMelo Ball and Nikola Jokic might race to a triple-double when the Hornets travel to Denver
• In a rematch of last year's play-in game, Ja Morant and the Grizzlies take on Stephen Curry and the Warriors.
• Will the short-handed Lakers figure it out at home when the Spurs come to town?