Jan 2, 2025; San Francisco, California, USA; Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) passes over Philadelphia 76ers guard Eric Gordon (23) during the third quarter at Chase Center. Mandatory Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images

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NBA Daily Recap, January 2, 2025: Curry records career-high, Butler & Miami hits new low and more

Here’s a look at what happened on January 2 in NBA.

Thursday night in the NBA featured six high-profile matchups. From Stephen Curry’s record-breaking night to Jimmy Butler’s misery with Heat to Jayson Tatum leading the Celtics in a tight win, here’s a look at what happened on January 2 in NBA.

Timberwolves 115-118 Celtics

The defending champions Boston Celtics secured a narrow 118-115 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Despite missing key starters Jaylen Brown and Kristaps Porzingis, the Celtics pulled through with Jayson Tatum leading the charge. Tatum finished with 33 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists.

For Minnesota, Anthony Edwards had a tough night, scoring just 15 points, while Julius Randle led the Timberwolves with 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Pacers 128-115 Heat

Tyrese Haliburton was the star for the Indiana Pacers, putting up 33 points and 15 assists in a 128-115 victory over the Miami Heat. The Pacers controlled the game throughout, with the Heat struggling, especially Jimmy Butler, who scored just 9 points in 26 minutes. Kel’el Ware came off the bench to lead Miami with 25 points, while Bam Adebayo added 20.

Also Read: Jimmy Butler officially requests a trade from the Miami Heat: Report

Thunder 116-98 Clippers

The Oklahoma City Thunder extended their winning streak to 13 games with a 116-98 win over the LA Clippers. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander led the Thunder with 29 points, while Jalen Williams added 18 points. The Clippers played without star guard James Harden, and Amir Coffey did his best to fill the gap, scoring a team-high 26 points. However, it wasn’t enough to stop the red-hot Thunder.

Nets 113-110 Bucks

In a thrilling finish, the Brooklyn Nets held off a late surge from the Milwaukee Bucks to win 113-110. Cameron Johnson scored 26 points and Cam Thomas added 24 to lead Brooklyn. The Nets were up by 21 points before the Bucks mounted a 20-0 run, with Damian Lillard scoring five straight points. However, Giannis Antetokounmpo missed a crucial layup with under 7 seconds left, and Ziaire Williams sealed the win for the Nets with two clutch free throws.

Warriors 139-105 76ers

Stephen Curry was at his best in the Golden State Warriors’ 139-105 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. Curry scored 30 points and dished out 10 assists, making history in the process. Jonathan Kuminga added 20 points off the bench, and Draymond Green, Andrew Wiggins, and Dennis Schroder each scored 15 points.

Lakers 114-106 Trail Blazers

LeBron James stole the show with a 38-point performance as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Portland Trail Blazers 114-106. Max Christie also had a breakout game, scoring a career-high 28 points, while Austin Reaves contributed 15 points, 11 assists, and 8 rebounds. The Lakers won despite the absence of star big man Anthony Davis, securing their fourth win in last five games.

Image Credit: John Hefti-Imagn Images

Anthony Edwards

Golden State Warriors

Jimmy Butler

LeBron James

Los Angeles Lakers

Minnesota Timberwolves

Stephen Curry

Swati Bhatia

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I work as a content strategist, specializing in creating engaging content about the NBA, WNBA, and MLB. My main focus is on writing breaking news updates, research-based articles, and covering trending topics. Right now, I’m leading the content team for the NBA, WNBA, and MLB categories at Playoffs English.