NBA Recap: Hornets Hold Off Mavericks, Pistons Top Rockets

The Memphis Grizzlies rallied from a 16-point deficit to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves, while the New York Knicks downed the Atlanta Hawks and the Detroit Pistons topped the Houston Rockets in Monday's NBA action.

The Boston Celtics, reigning NBA champions, delivered a resounding 125-85 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Monday. Jayson Tatum led the charge with 22 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists, before taking a well-deserved rest for the entire fourth quarter. Kristaps Porzingis contributed 18 points, while Jaylen Brown added 17, as the Celtics capitalized on the absence of Draymond Green, the latest Warriors player to fall victim to injury, having strained his left calf on Saturday.

Tatum acknowledged the challenges of facing teams with key players missing, saying, “Those are some of the tricky games in the NBA, when (teams) have some star players out, other guys get a different role.” He continued, “We fell victim to that a couple of times this year, so (we were) just trying to lock in from the beginning.” The Celtics' focus paid off, as they built a 15-point halftime lead and then exploded for 43 points in the third quarter.

#CelticsWin pic.twitter.com/bU839dbOAE

— Boston Celtics (@celtics) January 21, 2025

The Warriors' offense struggled to keep pace, with only two players scoring in double figures. Stephen Curry led the team with 18 points, while Moses Moody added 13 off the bench. The Celtics' dominant performance was one of several lopsided results on a day that saw the NBA mark the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday with a full slate of games.

Mitchell Leads Cavaliers to Dominant Win Over Suns

Donovan Mitchell's 33-point performance propelled the Cleveland Cavaliers to a convincing 118-92 victory over the Phoenix Suns. Despite being without key players Evan Mobley, Isaac Okoro, and Caris LeVert due to injury, the Cavaliers' depth and teamwork shone through. They built a commanding lead, at one point holding a 32-point advantage, and ultimately improved their league-best record to 36-6. Mitchell emphasized the collective effort that drove the Cavaliers' success, saying, “The biggest thing was this was a group effort. Everybody contributed at a high level.”

Kevin Durant led the Suns with 33 points and seven rebounds, but Devin Booker, who had scored at least 30 points in the Suns' previous five games, was held to 15 points on six-of-14 shooting.

Around the League

Grizzlies Rally Past Timberwolves

Jaren Jackson Jr. scored 24 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, helping the Memphis Grizzlies overcome a 16-point deficit to beat the Minnesota Timberwolves 108-106. Desmond Bane added 22 points and Ja Morant scored 19 for Memphis, who trailed by five entering the fourth quarter. Bane's floater in the lane with 3:21 remaining gave Memphis their first lead of the second half. “It was ugly from the start, but we kept competing and found a way down the stretch,” Bane said. Anthony Edwards led the Timberwolves with 32 points but missed a potential game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer.

Knicks Down Hawks

Jalen Brunson scored 34 points to propel the New York Knicks to a 119-110 victory over the Atlanta Hawks. Trae Young led the Hawks with 27 points, with seven Atlanta players scoring in double figures. However, the Hawks' three-game winning streak came to an end.

Pistons Top Rockets

The Detroit Pistons rebounded from back-to-back home losses with a 107-96 victory over the Houston Rockets. Cade Cunningham led the Pistons with 32 points, nine rebounds, and seven assists. Jalen Duren added a double-double of 16 points and 14 rebounds, along with four steals and two blocked shots.

Got our lick back in Houston pic.twitter.com/MkXglsm9lY

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) January 20, 2025

Hornets Hold Off Mavericks

LaMelo Ball and Miles Bridges scored 23 points apiece as the Charlotte Hornets used a balanced scoring effort to hold off the Dallas Mavericks 110-105. Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 33 points, including 14 in the final quarter. Daniel Gafford added a career-high 31 points and 15 rebounds, but the Mavericks lost for the fourth time in their last five games with Luka Doncic still sidelined by a calf injury.