Tonight’s Must-Watch Games

The Opening Tip

• Nikola Jokic hit the shot of the season last night

• The Lakers are self-destructing

• Wemby put on a show vs. the Bucks

1. We’re just going to say it: There’s too many points

On Wednesday night … 

• The Pistons scored 148 points (in OT)

• The Thunder scored 138 points

• The Magic scored 135 points (in 2 OT)

• The Bucks scored 130 points

• And the Suns scored 122 points

… and they all lost.

For the year…

• The Pacers are averaging 126.9 PPG, on pace to be the most ever.

• Giannis is averaging 31.1 PPG and he’s fourth in the scoring title race.

• 42 players are averaging 20-plus. 43 players averaged 20 last year. In 2013, nine players averaged 20-plus. 

To blame a lack of day-to-day defense is like saying baseball is dying. Baseball’s been dying for centuries; the NBA has had a regular season defense problem since Wilt and Russell. 

Alternative theory: These offenses are too damn efficient. 

• The best 26 offenses ever by offensive rating have all happened since the start of 2020. 

• The Thunder, for example, have 10 players (six who get big minutes) making 40% or more of their 3s. 

• OKC as a team is flirting with a 50-40-90 season.

• Anecdotally, have you watched the Celtics this season?

It’s sometimes fun to watch. It’s sometimes gluttonous. It makes it impossible to compare eras. It means a 25.7 PPG scorer shooting 43% from 3 might not make the All-Star Game. 

And it’ll only get better (worse?) unless a drastic change happens, which feels more like a David Stern move.

2. Daily GIF: Jokic FTW

Nikola Jokic hit this shot last night to complete a comeback from down 18 with 6:49 left to beat the Warriors. 

Also, Jokic has missed five shots in his last four games. 

[WATCH: Warriors-Nuggets highlights]

3. Trivia

Which rookie has the highest PPG in the 21st century?

Answer at the bottom.

4. It’s over for Darvin

No coach of LeBron’s has ever survived the anonymous and ominous midseason report. Sometimes, it’s a slow burn. Sometimes, it happens midseason, when your team is 30-11. 

But it always comes. And now the bell is tolling for Darvin Ham, who got anonymously reported on yesterday by Shams Charania:

The rift is over Ham’s consistent shuffling of the starting line up amid a terrible stretch for the Lakers, who have now lost 9 of 12 since the In-Season Tournament ended. 

The vibe in the locker room is ‘shit,’ said Austin Reaves. But soon, it seems, there will be a new coach, at least.

5. Quick hits

• New Steph Curry NIMBY meme just dropped

• Wemby had a sick block on Giannis last night 

• Wemby had a sick dunk on Brook Lopez last night

• Draymond Green will be back soon

• Giannis again proves he is the horniest NBA player

• Caitlin Clark is a legend

6. Reads

• The Lakers are too healthy to be this grumpy [Defector]

• The Warriors are falling apart [The Ringer]

That's the buzzer.
Thanks for reading the 344th edition of The Grip.

Trivia answer: Blake Griffin (22.5)