Image Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

NBA Daily Recap, January 31 – Jayson Tatum’s winner, Wembanyama-Antetokounmpo’s intense battle and more

Let's take a look at what happened on Friday in the NBA.

Image Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Here’s the NBA Daily Recap for Jan. 31, 2025, where we witnessed 7 matchups. The day belongs to some crazy court battles involving league’s top players. It was one of the most thrilling days in the NBA as two games had a winning margin of less than four points.

From the Warriors’ blowout loss against Phoenix Suns to Wembanyama outplays Giannis Antetokounmpo in an intense court battle, let’s go through the key highlights from the NBA action on Friday.

Pistons 117-102 Mavericks

Cade Cunningham highlighted a season-high 40-point performance and Detroit Pistons defeated the short-handed Dallas Mavericks. Isaiah Stewart served a one-game suspension for accumulating six flagrant-foul points but his side snapped a three-game losing streak.

Cade Cunningham received MVP chants from the Detroit crowd after dropping 40 🤩 pic.twitter.com/lwGLgPr5rI
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) February 1, 2025

Tobias Harris scored 17 points and Jalen Duren added 16 points and 13 rebounds. Kyrie Irving led the Mavericks with 28 points while P.J. Washington added 22 points and 13 rebounds. Dallas had a chance to turn the game when they cut the deficit to two points in final period. However, Detroit’s 10-2 run spiled any chance of a comeback.

Also Read:

Hornets 104-112 Clippers

LA Clippers beat Charlotte Hornets to secure second straight win in their four-game road trip. Norman Powell scored 27 points, while Kawhi Leonard had 21 points and nine rebounds. All-Star James Harden dropped 14 points and 10 assists. Ivica Zubac added 14 points and 11 rebounds.

Like the previous game, third quarter proved decisive for the Clippers, who held a 10-point lead in the period. Leonard’s dunk helped LA to take 110-99 lead with 1:45 to play. Miles Bridges paced the Hornets with 27 points and nine rebounds. Vasa Micic scored 20 points in Charlotte’s 13th straight loss against the Clippers.

76ers 134-137 Nuggets

Denver Nuggets snapped a three-game losing streak with a close win over the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers, courtesy of Nikola Jokic, who made the tiebreaking 3-pointer with 39 seconds left. The Serbian superstar fell short of one rebound to record 22nd triple-double of the season.

JOKIC CLUTCH THREE❗

📺 ESPN pic.twitter.com/SBpg2bYqmS
— ESPN (@espn) February 1, 2025

Jamal Murray scored 31 points and 11 assists for the Nuggets. Michael Porter Jr. added 24 points and Julian Strawther contributed 18 off the bench. Tyrese Maxey led Philadelphia with 42 points. Guerschon Yabusele had a career high 28 points and Kelly Oubre Jr. had 27 for the 76ers, who halted a four-game winning streak.

Raptors 106-122 Bulls

Chicago Bulls ended Toronto Raptors’ season-best five-game winning streak with a 122-106 win. Coby White posted 25 points while Nikola Vucevic added 21 points and 12 rebounds. Jalen Smith dropped a season-high 17 points, and Josh Giddey had 15 for the Bulls, who won third straight north of the border.

15 minutes for Immanuel Quickley tonight on his first night back. Darko did say he'd be on a minute restriction.

Finishes with 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists and 3 threes.
— Esfandiar Baraheni (@JustEsBaraheni) February 1, 2025

Scottie Barnes led Toronto with 20 points and 10 rebounds. RJ Barrett added 19 points and Immanuel Quickley chipped in with 14 on his return after injury. Raptors held a 64-63 lead in the third quarter but the Bulls went on a 18-8 run and took a 14-point lead at the end of the quarter.

Pelicans 116-118 Celtics

Jayson Tatum made a winning-jumper with 0.7 seconds left as Boston Celtics survived against the short-handed New Orleans Pelicans. Jaylen Brown scored 28 points and Tatum added 27 to kick off Boston’s three-game road trio with a win. Porzingis and Derrick White each had 16 points.

Trey Murphy dropped a season-high 40 points for the Pelicans, who lost their fifth straight. Jose Alvarado added 20 points and McCollum had 17, including a tying basket with 24 seconds left. New Orleans lost Dejounte Murray due to a season-ending injury in first quarter.

Spurs 144-118 Bucks

Victor Wembanyama celebrated his maiden All-Star selection with 30 points and 14 rebounds during San Antonio’s blowout win over Milwaukee Bucks. The Frenchman also had six blocks and three blocks came against Giannis Antetokounmpo, who led the Bucks with 35 points and 13 rebounds. Antetokounmpo also exchanged some words with Chris Paul after the game.

Giannis & CP3 exchanged words after a foul during the game 👀🍿 pic.twitter.com/MQeegCbwRj
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) February 1, 2025

Keldon Johnson scored 24 points and Stephon Castle added 20. Spurs have won for the second time in seven games. Damian Lillard racked up 22 points and Khris Middleton added 21 for Milwaukee. The Spurs outscored the Bucks 45-30 in the third and didn’t drop the double-digit lead till the end.

Warriors 105-130 Suns

Kevin Durant had the last laugh against his former team and USA teammate, Steph Curry. Phoenix Suns beat Golden State Warriors with ease for fourth win in five games. Devin Booker scored 31 points and 11 assists, while Kevin Durant added 19 points. Nick Richards chipped in with 14 points and 16 rebounds and Bradley Beal had 21 points off the bench.

Stephen Curry opened the scoring in the middle of the second quarter and finished with 14 points, going 1 for 6 from 3-point range. Andrew Wiggins and Moses Moody scored 17 points a piece. Wigging also tallied eight rebounds and six assists. The Dubs have gone 8-8 in January and are 3-2 in their six-game homestand.

Image Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Cade Cunningham

Golden State Warriors

NBA 2024-25

NBA Recap

Gulshan Sharma

nba

soccer

wnba

A native of Jaipur, Rajasthan, journalist, and a complete soccer and basketball fan, he found the huge interest with basketball by watching videos of Allen Iverson and Tony Parker, but fell head over heels in love with the sport during the Warriors’ championship era (2015-2018). A sports game addict since his late PS1, he’s also passionate about the Eagles, Inter Miami and the Fever. He’s fortunate to have seen all his favorite teams win championships. He also has a special love for cricket and football (soccer), where he is a fan of Royal Challengers Bangalore and Barcelona.