{"id":103388,"date":"2025-12-29T06:06:24","date_gmt":"2025-12-29T06:06:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/103388\/"},"modified":"2025-12-29T06:06:24","modified_gmt":"2025-12-29T06:06:24","slug":"starting-5-wemby-prints-dunk-of-the-year-candidate-but-jazz-stop-spurs-streak","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/103388\/","title":{"rendered":"Starting 5: Wemby prints dunk of the year candidate, but Jazz stop Spurs\u2019 streak"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

UFO sighting\u00a0over Utah.<\/p>\n

\"Victor<\/p>\n

5 STORIES IN TODAY\u2019S EDITION \ud83c\udfc0<\/p>\n

Dec. 28, 2025<\/p>\n

Thrilling Endings: Joker, Nuggets trade late leads with Magic, Knicks survive Hawks comeback<\/p>\n

Dose of Dunks: Wemby and Giannis star in slam-packed throwdown showdowns<\/p>\n

Sky-High Scoring: KD, Rockets blast off and Heat rise to 140 points as top offenses thrive<\/p>\n

Saturday Summary: Russ & Cooper join elite company in showdown, while Suns & Nets surge<\/p>\n

Sunday Spotlight: How SGA and Tyrese Maxey evolved into two of the game\u2019s top scorers<\/p>\n

BUT FIRST \u2026 \u23f0<\/p>\n

Saturday\u2019s scores and a look at Sunday\u2019s slate\u2026<\/p>\n

\"Scores<\/p>\n

Six games tip off today on League Pass, including Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder visiting Tyrese Maxey and the Sixers (3:30 ET<\/a> | Tap to Watch<\/a>).<\/p>\n

Who Are Your All-Stars? Fans can vote for the 2026 NBA All-Star Game starters every day through Jan. 14 using their NBA ID. Don\u2019t miss your shot, vote now<\/a>.<\/p>\n

1. MAGIC HOLD OFF JOKI\u0106, KNICKS HOLD ON LATE
\n\"Nikola<\/p>\n

Gary Bassing\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

On Christmas night, Nikola Joki\u0107 showcased his wizardry with the game\u2019s first 55+ point, 15+ rebound, 15+ assist triple-double.<\/p>\n

Saturday he continued cooking, collecting his 180th career triple-double\u2026 with over 4 minutes left in the 3rd quarter.<\/p>\n

But the Magic shifted in the 4th, as Orlando summoned a game-changing 22-8 run.<\/p>\n

Magic 127, Nuggets 126: Joker\u2019s monster 34-point, 21-rebound, 12-assist follow-up couldn\u2019t stop the Magic, as Anthony Black\u2019s career-high 38 points and a 15-point 4th quarter from Desmond Bane helped Orlando snag its 4th win against top-5 teams. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Clutch B&B: Black (career-high 7 3s) and Bane (24 pts, 6 ast) combined for 24 of Orlando\u2019s 43 4th-quarter points, guiding the Magic through the final 2:30 that saw eight lead changes
\nDo-It-All: Black then dug in<\/a> defensively to challenge Jamal Murray\u2019s buzzer-beater attempt, capping his big night
\nMagic Legends: Black added 6 rebounds and 5 assists to join Paolo Banchero, Shaquille O\u2019Neal, Tracy McGrady and Dwight Howard as the only Magic players with a 35+\/5+\/5+ game before turning 22<\/p>\n

\u201cI play with such good players that I\u2019m open a lot of the time,\u201d Black said postgame. \u201cSo I\u2019m just being ready, stepping into my shots.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Anthony<\/p>\n

Holiday Heater: Joki\u0107 has totaled 90 points, 37 rebounds and 27 assists over his last two games, numbers never before achieved in any two-game span in NBA history
\nTrip-Dub Lore: Joker secured his 8th career 30+\/20+\/10+ game, passing Oscar Robertson for 2nd most in NBA history. He\u2019s one more trip-dub away from tying Robertson (181) for second\u2011most in NBA history<\/p>\n

\"OG<\/p>\n

Adam Hagy\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

In Atlanta, the rallying Hawks traded leads with the Knicks three times in the final minute \u2014\u00a0but the East\u2019s No. 2 seed held on.<\/p>\n

Knicks 128, Hawks 125: OG Anunoby (15 pts, 10 reb, 3 stl) and Nickeil Alexander-Walker (25 pts) exchanged clutch steals and scores in that last minute, with New York putting a stop<\/a> to Atlanta\u2019s 18-point comeback<\/a> to hand the Hawks their 6th straight loss. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

NYC Combo: Karl-Anthony Towns (36 pts, 16 reb) and Jalen Brunson (34 pts, 5 ast) combined for 70 points to fuel New York\u2019s ninth win in the last 11 outings
\nAtlanta Standouts: Onyeka Okongwu (31 pts, 14 reb) was one point off his career high, while Jalen Johnson (20 pts, 9 reb, 12 ast) was a board shy of a seventh triple-double this season<\/p>\n

2. DUNK DEPARTMENT: JAZZ OUT-SLAM WEMBY & SPURS, GIANNIS ELEVATES IN RETURN<\/p>\n

\"Spurs<\/p>\n

In a game that saw a mini Dunk Contest break out, Wemby finished and flexed on this Dunk of the Year contender<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But it was the Jazz who went home flexing after back-to-back wins against top-3 teams.<\/p>\n

Jazz 127, Spurs 114: The NBA\u2019s leading 30-point duo, Lauri Markkanen (29 pts) and Keyone George (28 pts, 5 reb, 6 ast), nearly hit that mark again while powering the Jazz<\/a> to stop Wemby (32 pts, 7 reb, 5 blk), Keldon Johnson (27 pts, 10 reb) and the Spurs\u2019 8-game win streak. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Dunk-Packed Duel: Dylan Harper out-Dunk Scored<\/a> Wemby with his own and-1 poster<\/a>, then sent Vic up in his UFO with this lob<\/a>. Markkanen got in on it<\/a> with this traffic cram
\nElite Encore: Utah followed up its clutch win over East-leading Detroit Friday by dishing the league\u2019s hottest team just its second regular-season loss of December
\nOffensive December: Scoring the 2nd-most points per game (124.9) in the league this month, the Jazz have pulled even with the Blazers for the West\u2019s final Play-In spot<\/p>\n

\"Giannis<\/p>\n

After missing Milwaukee\u2019s last eight games, Giannis and his calf were ready to rock the rim.<\/p>\n

Bucks 112, Bulls 103: Antetokounmpo threw down 29 points in 25 minutes, with support from Ryan Rollins (20 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast, 5 3s) and Bobby Portis (17 pts, 11 reb), as the Bucks pulled away late from Nikola Vu\u010devi\u0107, Coby White (16 pts each) and the Bulls. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

3. FIERY OFFENSES: ROCKETS, HEAT PUT ON SCORING DISPLAYS<\/p>\n

\"Kevin<\/p>\n

Kevin Durant had it cooking\u00a0Saturday night, joining an all-time great as he did so.<\/p>\n

Rockets 117, Cavaliers 100: The Rockets took off on a 17-4 run midway through the 1st quarter and never trailed again, as Durant surged for 23 1st-half points, fueling the Rockets to lead by as many as 31 over Jaylon Tyson (23 pts, career-high 15 reb) and the Cavs. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Tying AI: KD recorded his 261st 20\u2011point half, tying Allen Iverson for the fifth\u2011most in the play-by-play era
\nLong-Range: Houston shot true to its 2nd-best 3-point percentage (40.0%) in this one, hitting 45.7% of its triples and showing off its 3rd-ranked offense (121.2 OffRtg)<\/p>\n

\"Andrew<\/p>\n

Issac Baldizon\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The Heat skyrocketed over 140 points for a league-high sixth time this season Saturday.<\/p>\n

Heat 142, Pacers 116: Miami\u2019s 44 points in the 4th quarter and 83 overall in the 2nd half overpowered Pascal Siakam\u2019s (33 pts, 7 reb, 5 ast) 24-point 1st half<\/a> as Andrew Wiggins and Jaime Jaquez Jr. each logged 28 points. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

High Score Kings: Miami now has twice as many 140+ point games (6) as any team at that scoring threshold this season (Jazz, Pelicans: 3)<\/p>\n

4. SATURDAY ROUNDUP: KINGS, MAVS SET RECORDS, SUNS & NETS SOAR
\n\"Russell<\/p>\n

Thearon W. Henderson\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Kings 113, Mavericks 107: Russell Westbrook swiped and assisted his way up the record books and matched Keon Ellis\u2019 season-high 21 points, as the pair kept the Kings ahead of Cooper Flagg (game-high 23 pts, 6 reb, 5 ast) and the Mavs for 45 straight minutes. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Passing Magic: Westbrook (21 pts, 5 reb, 9 ast, 5 3s) passed Magic Johnson (10,141) for 7th on the all-time assists list with his second helper<\/a> of the night
\nStealing & Scoring: Russ nabbed a steal to become the 14th player with 2,000 career steals. He joins Hakeem, MJ, Karl Malone and LeBron in the 25,000+ point\u20132,000+ assist club
\nCoop\u2019s Milestone: Flagg went over 20 points, 5 rebounds and 5 assists for the third straight game, joining LeBron and Luka Don\u010di\u0107 as the only players age 19 or under to ever do so<\/p>\n

\"Devin<\/p>\n

Layne Murdoch Jr. + David Sherman\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Suns 123, Pelicans 114: Devin Booker (20 pts) led seven Suns in double figures to top a trio of 20+ point Pelicans (Trey Murphy III: 24, Zion Williamson: 22, Derik Queen: 21) as Phoenix swept a Friday-Saturday set with New Orleans amid 3 straight wins. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

Nets 123, Timberwolves 107: Cam Thomas netted a game-high 30 points in just 20 minutes after missing 20 games (hamstring), and Michael Porter Jr. added 27 as the NBA\u2019s best December defense (103.5 DefRtg) stopped Anthony Edwards (28 pts) and the Wolves. Brooklyn has won three in a row and five of its last seven. | Recap<\/a><\/p>\n

5. SUNDAY LEAGUE PASS SPOTLIGHT: TOP-3 SCORERS COLLIDE
\n\"Shai<\/p>\n

Kenneth Richmond + Jeff Haynes\/NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

The last time Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Tyrese Maxey faced off, they combined for 59 points in a 127-123 Sixers win.<\/p>\n

That was back in November 2023. In the 2+ years since then, the two guards out of Kentucky have evolved into two of the game\u2019s best scorers.<\/p>\n

Today on League Pass (3:30 ET), SGA and Maxey will meet again for the first time in 764 days \u2013 now established superstars, each ranking top-3 in scoring this season.<\/p>\n

First Impressions: Shai and Maxey share more than Kentucky blue. They were each first-round picks (in 2018 & 2020, respectively), entering the league at 20 years old and flashing as rookies
\nSophomore Jump: In their second season, they popped \u2013 both increasing their ppg by 8, before averaging 20+ the following year
\nStar Status: In 2022-23, Shai earned his first All-Star selection. One season later, Maxey got his (2023-24). Last year, SGA made an even greater leap \u2013 capturing the Kia MVP
\nAnother Level: Now, both guards are at the peak of their powers. Maxey\u2019s averaging a career-best 30.8 ppg \u2013 the 3rd-most in the NBA. Shai sits just ahead at 32.1 ppg, doing it on a career-best 55.1% shooting<\/p>\n

\"Tyrese<\/p>\n

In their last meeting on Nov. 25, 2023, Maxey and SGA entered averaging 16.2 and 21.5 career ppg, respectively. Since then, Maxey\u2019s posted 27 ppg, Shai 31.6. (Zach Beeker\/NBAE via Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The two guards didn\u2019t blossom into superstars by chance. They worked for it \u2013 stacking hours in the gym, sharpening details most never see. Around the league, that work hasn\u2019t gone unnoticed.<\/p>\n

Shai\u2019s Craft: \u201cHe is ruthlessly consistent in the invisible spaces,\u201d said Thunder coach Mark Daignault of SGA on Monday following his 100th straight 20-point game (now at 102).
\n\u201cIt\u2019s no accident he\u2019s the player he is \u2013 he\u2019s literally chiseled himself into this.\u201d
\nMaxey\u2019s Growth: \u201cYou can tell who\u2019s worked on their game, and he\u2019s one of them,\u201d said Mavs coach Jason Kidd on Maxey after his 38 points vs. Dallas last week
\n\u201cAlways has added something in the summer \u2026 he\u2019s one of the best guards in this league.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Steph<\/p>\n

NBAE via Getty Images<\/p>\n

Sunday Streaks: Five more matchups tip off today on League Pass, with the Warriors (at TOR, 3:30 ET) and Clippers (vs. DET, 9 ET) both chasing their fourth straight win, while Boston looks to make it five straight, on the road in Portland (6 ET).<\/p>\n

The league\u2019s top scorer is also in action as Luka Don\u010di\u0107 (33.7 ppg) and the Lakers host the Kings (9:30 ET). Plus, the Grizzlies visit the Wizards (6 ET).<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"UFO sighting\u00a0over Utah. 5 STORIES IN TODAY\u2019S EDITION \ud83c\udfc0 Dec. 28, 2025 Thrilling Endings: Joker, Nuggets trade late…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":103389,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[3804,46900,46899,82,84,83,46901],"class_list":["post-103388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-san-antonio","tag-3804","tag-december-28","tag-nba-starting-5-newsletter","tag-san-antonio","tag-san-antonio-headlines","tag-san-antonio-news","tag-wembanyamas-dunk-of-the-year-candidate"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103388","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=103388"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/103388\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/103389"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=103388"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=103388"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=103388"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}