NBA Christmas Day Recap: Dr. A's Impressions

Christmas Day was fun if you love the NBA. While we didn't have any blowouts, we also didn't have any buzzer beaters. We did get a Sixers buzzkill, though, as well as a great gift from Jaime Jaquez and stellar performances from Luka Doncic and Grayson Allen in the late game. Here are some fantasy takeaways from each game. 

Knicks 129, Bucks 122

Jalen Brunson scored 38 points, the third-highest total on Christmas in Knicks history, Julius Randle scored 24, RJ Barrett had 21 and Immanuel Quickley scored 20 off the bench. Isaiah Hartenstein came through with 11 points, eight rebounds, four assists and a block in 33 minutes. The Knicks got a relatively easy win in a game that wasn't quite as close as the final score would indicate. Hartenstein has played at least 30 minutes in six straight games and should be rostered everywhere, as the Knicks have three more games this week along with four games next week. 

The Bucks were led by Giannis Antetokounmpo's 32 points, 13 rebounds and a full stat line while Damian Lillard also had 32 points, eight assists and four triples in the loss. Khris Middleton added a season-high 24 points after scoring 20 on Saturday, so maybe he's finally healthy and ready to start playing well for the Bucks. Malik Beasley was a fantasy buzzkill, missing both of his shots and playing just 19 minutes without scoring a point. Beasley scored 19 on Saturday, so it was tough to see this one coming. 

Nuggets 120, Warriors 114

All five Nuggets starters scored in double figures, led by Jamal Murray's 28, while Nikola Jokic kicked in 26 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists in the win. Michael Porter Jr. added 19 points, 10 rebounds, four blocks and three three-pointers. Aaron Gordon (10 rebounds) and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope (four three-pointers) both scored 16 points for the Nuggets. Jokic also hit 18-of-18 free throws, getting his fantasy managers off to a dominant start this week. 

The Warriors were led by Andrew Wiggins' 22 points off the bench, and Stephen Curry hit just 7-of-21 shots for 18 points in the loss. Klay Thompson's shot was also off on Monday, as he only connected on 3-of-12 for nine points. Brandin Podziemski came through with 13 points, nine rebounds, six assists, five steals and three three-pointers in 34 minutes, and Jonathan Kuminga had a nice day with 13 points and five rebounds. Wiggins has scored 22, 6, 25 and 14 points in each of his last four games and may finally be ready to start showing up for the Dubs. Trayce Jackson-Davis played just 15 minutes off the bench and had eight points and five rebounds but was saddled by foul trouble throughout the entire game. Podz is a must-have fantasy player right now, while Kuminga, TJD, Wiggins and Dario Saric are all worth a look as long as Draymond Green remains on suspension. Saric played 20 minutes and had 14 points and five rebounds on the day. The Warriors have two games remaining on this week's schedule and play four times next week. 

Celtics 126, Lakers 115

The Celtics saw all five starters score in double figures, led by Kristaps Porzingis and his 28 points, 11 rebounds, a steal, two blocks and two three-pointers. He was iffy with an ankle injury and has appeared in just six of the Celtics last 12 games, so his return was welcomed by Boston. Jayson Tatum had 25 points and a full stat line, and Jaylen Brown played through a lower back contusion after a collision with LeBron James to finish with 19 points. Derrick White (11 rebounds, two steals, two blocks, two three-pointers) and Jrue Holiday (seven assists, a steal, a block and three triples) both scored 18 points in the impressive road win. The only real fantasy takeaways here are to make sure that Porzingis and Brown are healthy enough to play against the Pistons on Thursday. Detroit has lost 26 straight games so the Celtics could choose to rest them, while the blowout factor will also be in play in a massive mismatch. 

Anthony Davis played through his ankle injury and went off for 40 points and 13 rebounds, while LeBron James also played through his ankle injury. LeBron didn't have the success that AD did and hit just 5-of-14 shots for 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists in a somewhat forgettable Christmas Day performance. Taurean Prince had 17 points, four rebounds, three assists and five triples in another start, Rui Hachimura scored 12 points off the bench, and Austin Reaves added 11 points, six rebounds, three assists and a steal off the pine. Newly benched D'Angelo Russell played just 18 minutes and finished with eight points and six assists, as the Lakers look to move him at the trade deadline. 

Prince is worth a fantasy look but is wildly inconsistent and would have had a much different (worse) line had LeBron had a big day. And despite some ups and downs from Reaves, he generally should be rostered everywhere. As for Russell, there's not a lot managers can do with him right now, as his trade value is in the tank along with his production. Hang onto him if you can, but I get it if you feel like you need to drop him for a hot free agent. After their current four-game week, the Lakers play just three times in three of their next four scoring periods. 

Heat 119, 76ers 113

Erik Spoelstra stayed perfect on Christmas Day at 9-0, the Sixers remained winless this season without Joel Embiid (0-4), and Jaime Jaquez had the best game of his young NBA career with his first career double-double and a career-high 31 points and 10 rebounds on 11-of-15 shooting in 39 minutes. If there were still any doubts that he's a team leader and integral member of the Heat, they were squashed in this one. And while we know that he won't be this good on nights when the Heat are at full strength, Jaquez is still worth rostering in almost any league. 

This game generated the least buzz beforehand with Jimmy Butler (calf) and Joel Embiid (ankle) both getting the night off, but Jaquez made it very fun to watch. Caleb Martin left early with a sprained ankle, which crushed me personally, while Bam Adebayo came through with 26 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and three blocks. Tyler Herro added 22 points, six rebounds, five assists, a steal, a block and four triples, and Duncan Robinson came off the bench for 16 points and five three-pointers. Even when Butler is healthy, Jaquez and Robinson should be rostered everywhere, especially with Martin going down tonight. 

As good as Jaquez was, Tyrese Maxey was having a different kind of Christmas, missing all nine of his shots and failing to score in the first half. He finished the night by hitting just 4-of-20 shots and 3-of-6 free throws for 12 points in one of the worst games he'll ever play. Tobias Harris led the way with 27 points, seven rebounds and six assists, Kelly Oubre came through with 25 points and a full stat line, including six three-pointers, and Mo Bamba added a season-high 18 points, six rebounds and three triples off the bench. Oubre had not scored more than eight points in his previous three games, and Bamba had not scored more than 11 points in any game this season. 

Paul Reed was an extremely popular fantasy play with Embiid in street clothes, but he immediately got into foul trouble and had just four points in 17 minutes. And it was the failures of Reed that allowed Bamba to go crazy. Bamba is not worth a pickup at this point, but you should keep an eye on him. Additionally, Robert Covington was cleared to play despite his knee injury, but even with Nicolas Batum still out with a hamstring injury, never even left the bench. Thank you, Nick Nurse. De'Anthony Melton hit just 5-of-17 shots but still came through with 15 points, seven rebounds, six assists, four steals, a block and two three-pointers in the loss. If you rolled with Sixers on Monday, they straight up 'Grinched' us. 

Mavericks 128, Suns 114

Luka Doncic went crazy and hit 15-of-25 shots, eight three-pointers and 12-of-12 free throws for a season-high 50 points, six rebounds, 15 assists, four steals, three blocks and a ridiculous 96.7 FanDuel points in the Mavs' Christmas Day win over the Suns. Doncic joined Bernard King, Wilt Chamberlain and Rick Barry as the only players to score at least 50 on Christmas. He also became the seventh fastest NBA player to score 10,000 points and the fastest since Michael Jordan did it. Luka also joined Grayson Allen to tie the Christmas record for three-pointers made in a game with eight. 

Derrick Jones Jr. chipped in with 23 points, three boards, a steal and three triples, Dereck Lively returned from a lengthy absence due to an ankle injury and double-doubled with 20 points and 10 rebounds on 8-of-9 shooting, and Tim Hardaway chipped in with 18 points, seven rebounds and three triples in the win. 

The Suns were led by Allen's career-high 32 points to go along with four rebounds, four assists, a steal and eight three-pointers on 12-of-22 shooting, while Chimezie Metu somehow had 23 points and a career-high 19 rebounds off the bench in the absence of Jusuf Nurkic (personal). Devin Booker scored 20 and Kevin Durant had 16 points, but this game was all about Luka and Allen. The Suns have now lost nine of their last 11 games while Dallas has gone 7-4 over its last 11 games. 

As for fantasy takeaways, it's time to pick up Lively now that he's healthy again, Jones Jr. is worth rostering in the midst of a career season, and Hardaway, Dante Exum and Allen are all worth rostering as long as Kyrie Irving (foot) and Bradley Beal (ankle) are out. Exum was quiet on Monday, hitting just 3-of-7 shots for seven points, but he played 33 minutes and has been playing very well while filling in for Irving. Dallas and Phoenix both still have three games left on this week's schedule and both teams go four times next week, as well.