Starting 5 Daily Newsletter

Starting 5, Feb. 15: Stephen Curry makes history, but Clippers rally

Recap a busy 13-game Wednesday and get set for all of the action at NBA All-Star 2024 in Indy this weekend.

February 15, 2024 4:46 PM

With just one day of games left until NBA All-Star 2024 opens up, here’s hoping you make your Thursday look this easy.

Heads-up too … we’ve got an exclusive from social media superstar & trick shot artist Tristan Jass on Friday, giving the Starting 5 fam a glimpse into how he makes magic happen. Share this link with a friend today to get them on the list.

THE LINEUP 🏀

🔥 Clips hold off red-hot Warriors

🍀 Celtics join 50-point win club

🌪️ Wednesday’s 11 games, quick

💥 Behind the scenes at Dunk practice

🚀 A new level for Giannis?

Giannis, who’s having potentially the best season of his career, leads the Bucks against the Grizzlies at 8:30 ET on TNT.

The Wolves look to lock up the best record in the West at the All-Star break for the first time in franchise history when they take on the Blazers at 10 ET (NBA App). The Warriors & Jazz, back to back in the standings, meet at 9 ET (NBA App) in a game rescheduled after the sudden passing of GSW coach Dejan Milojević in January.

We’re on the ground in Indy with live coverage of All-Star 2024 as it takes shape. Follow live in the NBA App & on social.

1. CLIPS HOLD OFF RED-HOT WARRIORS

Clippers Come Back: LA fell behind by as many as 15, but dominated the fourth quarter to the tune of 44-28, ending the Warriors’ win streak at five. They head into All-Star third in the West – after starting December in 11th. | Recap

Powell Goes Off Late: Norman Powell’s four treys in the final 7:03 helped LA wipe away a 12-point fourth quarter deficit
PG, Beard Combine For 50: James Harden and Paul George led the way without Kawhi in the lineup, putting up 26 and 24 respectively
Curry Keeps Making History: Stephen Curry (41 pts, 9 threes) became the first player in history to make 7+ threes in four straight games … not including the 100-footer he hit pregame
Lue Ejected: Clippers coach Tyronn Lue was ejected in the fourth with his second technical foul after an altercation between both teams following a Mason Plumlee flagrant foul on Brandin Podziemski. Jonathan Kuminga was also assessed a tech

2. CELTICS JOIN 50-PT WIN CLUB

Boston’s 136-86 win over Brooklyn on Wednesday put them in rare company, as the East’s top squad became just the third team in NBA history to record multiple 50-point wins in a single season. | Recap

100 For Mazzula: The win gave Celtics coach Joe Mazzula 100 for his Boston career. “I tell the players, ‘I can’t be who I am if they don’t let me,’” Mazzulla said. “I’m grateful for that.”
Gets The Game Ball: Jayson Tatum (20-9-7) presented the C’s coach with the ball in the locker room postgame – and Celtics social was there
Derrick White Steps Up: With Jaylen Brown out (shoulder), the Celtics’ do-it-all guard – who leads the entire league in NetRtg, among players with 30+ mpg – led all scorers with 27 points

3. ROUNDUP: LAKERS DUO, CAVS’ & KINGS’ COMEBACKS HIGHLIGHT NIGHT

AD, Rui Make History: Anthony Davis (37 pts) and Rui Hachimura (career-high 36 pts) became the first Lakers duo to record 35+ points each in a game since Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal, as the Lakers extended their win streak to 3 with a 138-122 W over Utah. | Recap

Cavs Claw Back From 17 Down: Donovan Mitchell (30 pts) capped Cleveland’s comeback with a go-ahead free throw in the final minute, as the Cavaliers rallied to beat the Bulls, 108-105, and improve to an NBA-best 23-5 since Dec. 16. | Recap

Isaac Okoro, after a career-high 4 treys: “This team just has fight, that never-give-up mentality, like we needed today. When we got down, we kept fighting and were more physical, aggressive, pushing it and playing faster on offense.

Kings Down Champs Twice In 5 Days: De’Aaron Fox erupted for 30-8-8, sparking Sacramento’s 16-point second-half comeback over Denver with 15 fourth-quarter points, including a personal 8-0 run, as the Kings beat the Nuggets, 102-98. Sacramento had beaten Denver last Friday at home. | Recap

Pelicans Claim Best Record In 16 Years: Zion Williamson (36) and CJ McCollum (26) combined for 62 points as New Orleans beat Washington to head into All-Star at 33-22, its best record at the break since the New Orleans Hornets did so in 2007-08. Deni Avdija had a career-high 43 in the loss. | Recap

Luka, Kyrie Lead Mavs To 6th Straight: Dallas’ star duo of Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving combined for 61 points on the way to a 116-93 win over San Antonio, giving the Mavs a season-best sixth straight win. Victor Wembanyama scored 20 of his 26 in the first half in his Dallas debut. | Recap

Must-See: Some Luka Magic, with the circus-shot runner from the free throw line after contact

Magic Get Win No. 30: After not reaching 30 wins til Mar. 31 last year, and falling short of that the previous two seasons, Orlando shot 63% from the floor and rode a 36-point night from Paolo Banchero to beat the injury-depleted Knicks, 118-100. | Recap

Adebayo Goes Big, Herro Hits 5k: The Heat used a 10-2 fourth quarter run, punctuated by a big dunk from Bam Adebayo (23 pts, 13 reb) to beat the Sixers in both teams’ first-half finales. Tyler Herro became the youngest player to reach 5,000 points as a member of the Heat (24 years, 25 days), and Buddy Hield had a career-high 10 assists for Philly. | Recap

3 Straight For Charlotte: Brandon Miller (26 pts) and the Hornets won back-to-back-to-back games for the first time this year after beating the Hawks, 122-99. They’re 3-0 since deadline acquisitions Tre Mann (21 pts), Grant Williams, Vasilije Micic, Seth Curry and Davis Bertans joined the lineup. | Recap

Trae Takes No. 1 Spot: With a 3-pointer in the second quarter, Trae Young moved into first place on the Hawks’ all-time 3PT FG list, passing Mookie Blaylock (1,050).

Happy Returns For Siakam: Pascal Siakam went for 23 and 7 in his return to Toronto as the Pacers beat the Raptors, 127-125. | Recap

Siakam: “You don’t want to come here and lose. That was a thing on my mind. Everyone was telling me, ‘I’m so happy to see you,’ but in my head I was like, ‘I’ve got to get a win, man. I can’t lose this game.’ Definitely feels good to get a win.”

Grizz End 9-Game Skid: Jaren Jackson Jr.’s 11 fourth-quarter points led the way late as Memphis beat Houston, 121-113, to stop a nine-game losing streak. GG Jackson chipped in 20. | Recap

Must-See: Ziaire Williams makes a very difficult, contested alley-oop look easy

Without Book & Beal, KD Leads Way: Kevin Durant’s 25-6-6 night and a 70-41 first-half edge paced the Suns to a 116-100 win over the Pistons in Monty Williams’ return to Phoenix, despite Bradley Beal’s injury and a first-quarter ejection for Devin Booker. | Recap

4. BEHIND THE SCENES AT DUNK PRACTICE

The four contestants in AT&T Slam Dunk gave us a rare glimpse into their prep on Wednesday.

Mac McClung got the off-the-wall assist from trick shot artist extraordinaire Tristan Jass, then handled the rest himself
Jaime Jaquez Jr. shared a childhood video where he says ‘I’m dunking like Shaq’ … complete with pulling down the backboard
Jaylen Brown shared a frame of himself getting UP in Boston
Jacob Toppin showed love to his bro, Obi, for winning in 2022 … but said ‘he’s still not a better dunker than me though’

Watch all four of them take flight Saturday, as part of State Farm All-Star Saturday Night at 8 ET on TNT.

5. A NEW LEVEL FOR THE GREEK FREAK?

At this very moment, three days from his ninth NBA All-Star Game and with his third-place Bucks team looking to close out the first half with a win over Memphis (8:30 ET, TNT), Giannis Antetokounmpo is having one of the greatest seasons in the 77-year history of the NBA.

Really? Really. The two-time MVP and captain of the Eastern Conference All-Stars is on pace to become the first player in history to average 30+ ppg on 60% or better shooting, not to mention…

He Could Join Bucks Royalty: Giannis could become the second player in league history to have a 30+ pt, 11+ reb, 6+ ast season, after Milwaukee legend Oscar Robertson did it in 1961-62
He ranks 3rd in the league in points per game and sixth in rebounding, third in 30-point games and first in 30-10 games
He’s third in NBA.com’s Kia Race to the MVP, behind Nikola Jokic and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, both having their own monster years

A Defensive Force: He’s the only player in the league with 70+ steals and 50+ blocks.