The Bounce Newsletter
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I’ll predict the winners in both NCAA tournaments!
For the women’s tournament, I choose South Carolina to defeat JuJu Watkins and USC.
In the men’s tournament, I’ll select Houston over Memphis. I haven’t given it much thought, which might be my best strategy!
How Was Your Weekend?
Magic End Cavs’ Winning Streak
The second half of the game yesterday between the Cavaliers (56-11) and Magic (32-37) was unbelievable. Coach Jamahl Mosley’s Magic initiated full-court pressure against the top offense in the NBA, making a remarkable comeback from a seven-point deficit to tie the game within 26 seconds.
Anthony Black intercepted a pass from Ty Jerome, leading to a layup for Franz Wagner. The Magic forced another turnover before Wagner drained a three-pointer on the next possession. After stealing the ball from Donovan Mitchell, Gary Harris scored another layup.
Despite struggling lately—even with Paolo Banchero and Wagner back in action—Orlando stood firm against Cleveland’s recent dominance. They pressured the Cavs into a hasty offense that usually overwhelms rival teams.
Wizards Own the Nuggets
It may sound unbelievable, but the Wizards officially defeated the Nuggets again. On December 7, Nikola Jokić scored a career-high 56 points against the Wizards, yet Denver fell 122-113 due to Jordan Poole’s impressive 39 points. On Saturday, however, Jokić couldn’t dramatically change the outcome. Despite Denver’s progress, they could not overcome the Wizards again.
With the game tied and just seconds remaining, Poole launched a successful 37-foot shot to win the game. Alex Sarr contributed by scoring 34 points against the three-time MVP, while Jokić’s totals in two games against Washington were 96 points, 29 rebounds, and 16 assists—yet he walked away with two losses.
Murray Continues Dominance Over Lakers
This weekend wasn’t disastrous for Jamal Murray and the Nuggets. Even though they nearly stumbled against a Lakers squad missing LeBron James among others, they managed to secure a close victory, courtesy of Murray’s last-second score.
This led to a significant win, capped off by a Russell Westbrook dunk after the Lakers turned the ball over during their final possession.
Celtics’ Pritchard Sets Record
Boston’s upcoming Sixth Man of the Year, Payton Pritchard, achieved a remarkable feat by setting a new NBA record for the most three-pointers made by a bench player in a season during their recent victory over the Nets. He broke Wayne Ellington’s previous record of 218 set in the 2017-18 season.
Explore the stories of the greatest players in NBA history.
A look into the NBA’s greatest players.
The Last 24
Is This the Tightest MVP Race Ever?
👀 Close Competition! The “No Dunks” crew reflects on the five most intense MVP battles in NBA history. Where does Jokić-SGA rank?
🏀 Revisiting History. The Knicks unveiled their nearly chosen colleges. Was Brunson close to attending Michigan State?
😡 Heated Reactions. J.B. Bickerstaff vented his frustrations with the referees after the loss to the Thunder. Was he justified?
🌞 What’s Next? Are the Suns fans facing another significant change? Could Devin Booker be traded?
👀 Frustrated Fans. Mavericks fans are tired of hearing “Fire Nico.”
📺 Must-Watch Game Tonight! The Nuggets (43-25) face the Warriors (39-28) at 10 p.m. ET on ESPN or Fubo (try it free!), potentially a playoff series preview!
📺 League Pass Highlight. The Pacers (37-29) visit the Timberwolves (40-29) at 8 p.m. ET on League Pass (get it here!). Expect an exciting matchup, as the Wolves are in top form.
