Kawhi Leonard (45 pts) led the LA Clippers over the Utah Jazz on League Pass.
Enjoy the best of Thursday’s New Year’s Day schedule with the NBA.com live blog, featuring all of the meaningful moments, performances, observations, news, notes and highlights.
Kawhi Leonard’s scoring outburst was the top story of the night. Read on to learn more!
What we know after Thursday’s games:
The Rockets won their fourth straight game, defeating the Nets 120-96 behind Amen Thompson (23 pts, 10-of-12 shooting).
Norman Powell (36 pts, 7 3PM) led the Heat to a 118-112 road win over the Pistons, overcoming Cade Cunningham’s big night (31 pts, 8 reb, 11 ast).
Tyrese Maxey (34 pts. 8 reb, 10 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk) sparked the Sixers to a 123-108 win over the Mavericks on NBA TV.
The Clippers beat the Jazz 118-101, as Kawhi Leonard dropped 45 points, including 20 in the fourth quarter.
1:05 AM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Clippers defeat Jazz
118-101, led by an incredible performance from Kawhi Leonard, who took over down the stretch.
PURE DOMINANCE FROM KAWHI LEONARD TONIGHT.
🤩 45 PTS (20 IN 4Q)
🤩 7 REB
🤩 2 STL
🤩 2 BLK
🤩 6 3PM
CLIPPERS WIN THEIR SIXTH STRAIGHT! pic.twitter.com/nbdB1jCgUI
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
Kyle Anderson led the Jazz with 22 points in defeat.
12:50 AM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Kawhi going off
Clippers up 107-96 over the Jazz with 3:54 remaining, as an all-time great does good work.
UPDATE: KAWHI HAS 39 🔥
Tap to watch: https://t.co/XgEG84IZIf https://t.co/2uvpUF2BNP pic.twitter.com/DTFuQsXCFe
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
12:20 AM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Celtics knock off the Kings
120-106, as Jaylen Brown put up 29 points and 10 rebounds to lead Boston.
The Celtics have now won three in a row and stand 1.5 games behind the Knicks for second in the Eastern Conference.
Fading away… and scoring!
Jaylen Brown has 28 points for the @celtics 🔥
Boston leads with under 4 minutes to go… tap to watch: https://t.co/EoHvVQvbZw pic.twitter.com/izEHKXYaQz
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
12:09 AM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Jazz making a comeback
HERE COMES UTAH.
Svi Mykhailiuk drills the 3⃣ to tie the game at 58!
Jazz trailed by as much as 21 points in the first half. pic.twitter.com/7gKY5k35Em
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
11:40 PM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Kings and Celtics dueling in Sacramento
88-all in the Golden One Center heading to the fourth quarter.
Jaylen Brown has 21 points, while DeMar DeRozan leads the Kings with 17.
Alley-oop flush for Keon Ellis!
He caps a 15-3 Sac-Town run 💯 pic.twitter.com/XACr0ocekz
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
Catch the ball.
Relocate.
SPLASH.
Sam Hauser (12 PTS) is 4/4 from downtown 🫡 pic.twitter.com/YnpWkax7Lb
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
11:17 PM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Clippers leading Jazz
35-26 with 8:42 to go in the second quarter. James Harden and Kawhi Leonard both have 11 points so far.
James Harden makes it an 16-0 start for the Clippers!
📺 UTA/LAC on NBA League Pass pic.twitter.com/DhKgrfJ6i8
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
10:50 PM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Sixers defeat Mavericks
123-108, led by Tyrese Maxey (34 pts. 8 reb, 10 ast, 2 stl, 2 blk).
Tyrese Maxey BALLED OUT on New Year’s Day!
34 PTS
10 AST
8 REB
2 STL
2 BLK
4 3PM
76ers win on the road and improve to 18-14 on the season 👏 pic.twitter.com/mzaY3PM7JM
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
VJ Edgecombe (23 pts, 5 reb) came up with a huge block down the stretch. The rook has bounce.
VJ EDGECOMBE SAID: “NO!” 🚫 pic.twitter.com/Pvh0fTbi6U
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
10:35 PM / JANUARY 1, 2026
A quick start in Sacramento
Payton Pritchard started off hot, but it’s 40-35 Sacramento with 9:51 to go in the second quarter.
A quick 7 points for Payton Pritchard!
High-arcing jumper.
Creates separation in the paint for 2.
Top of the key triple.
Tap to watch on NBA League Pass: https://t.co/EoHvVQvbZw pic.twitter.com/J78r4N4Inb
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
10:20 PM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Sixers up after three
92-85 Philadelphia as the fourth quarter gets underway in Dallas.
Maxey’s 23 leads the Sixers; Max Christie has 15 to pace the Mavs.
Tyrese Maxey weavin’ and scorin’ 🙌
He’s got a game-high 23 for Philly! pic.twitter.com/vTLogQik8f
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
10:00 PM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Edgecombe makes his own dash
VJ Edgecombe, following in Tyrese Maxey’s footsteps from earlier, takes the steal and races away for two here.
Sixers up 77-68 with 5:21 to go in the third; Edgecombe leads Philly with 18 points (7-of-11 shooting).
going coast to coast. 👏 pic.twitter.com/Q90DXct4Y6
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) January 2, 2026
9:50 PM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Norm nailed the threes tonight
Powell is now shooting 47.9/39.8/86.4 from the field this season. Read more about the talented scorer’s off-the-court grind here.
36 POINTS. 7 TRIPLES.
Norman Powell was UNREAL from downtown tonight!@MiamiHEAT win their 4th in a row 🔥 pic.twitter.com/zU5R6ewZe6
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
9:35 PM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Heat hold on to defeat Detroit
Norman Powell led the way with 36 points, including 7 three-pointers, while Jaime Jaquez added 19 and this clutch bucket to take control against the Pistons in a 118-112 win.
https://t.co/DoQtYYFb2T pic.twitter.com/BnMfxG2bND
— Miami HEAT (@MiamiHEAT) January 2, 2026
9:30 PM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Pistons rallying against the Heat
Detroit ball, 116-112 Miami with 45 seconds to go. Catch the finish on League Pass!
9:15 PM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Maxey racing to the bucket
No one runs more in the NBA than Tyrese Maxey. He leads the league with 2.8 miles covered per game — including this burst to the rim.
That just UNFAIR, Tyrese Maxey! 😮
He leads all scorers with 12 for the @sixers!
Tap to watch on NBA TV: https://t.co/FQam6mqfVw pic.twitter.com/A6KAcNhn1G
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
9:00 PM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Norman Powell on fire
7 THREE-POINTERS FOR NORMAN POWELL 😱
He’s got 34 for Miami as they lead on the road! pic.twitter.com/5enx3dr1LB
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
8:15 PM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Ausar starts the break
Pistons turning defense to offense ‼️
Ausar Thompson swats it.
Jaden Ivey lobs it.
Jalen Duren jams it. pic.twitter.com/jxlMfYfWBC
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
7:30 PM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Amen soars through the air
“Somebody put a tent on that circus out there.”
Double-clutch. Reverse layup… with english.
OH MY AMEN THOMPSON 🤯
Watch here: https://t.co/B1lG3pwmUM pic.twitter.com/Okx3PZTHtH
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
7:00 PM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Pistons rolling against Miami
Isaiah Stewart block.
Cade Cunningham lob.
Jalen Duren dunk.
Heat/Pistons LIVE on NBA League Pass! pic.twitter.com/7P7vxqTtyR
— NBA (@NBA) January 2, 2026
6:30 PM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Starting the New Year with Sengun
The first bucket of the 2026 calendar year belongs to… Alperen Sengun!
Rockets/Nets is LIVE on NBA League Pass. pic.twitter.com/TKlxljvlVg
— NBA (@NBA) January 1, 2026
6:00 PM / JANUARY 1, 2026
Welcome to a five-game night in the NBA!
Here’s tonight’s schedule: