The NBA returned with a healthy slate of games on Wednesday after putting the spotlight on the In-Season Tournament. More action means more news and highlights, so let's tackle it all on today's edition of The Morning Dunk.
Embiid Cooks Wizards For 50
Haven't the Washington Wizards been through enough already? They may as well be playing out of Oz because it's all smoke and mirrors in the nation's capital.
Reigning league Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid had a field day against the lowly Wizards, dropping 50 points on 19-of-29 shooting to go with 13 rebounds and seven assists in a 131-126 victory at the Capital One Arena. It's Embiid's first 50-point outing of the 2023-24 season and the sixth of his career.
Joel Embiid dropped a SEASON-HIGH to lead the Sixers to a W in D.C. 💪
— NBA (@NBA) December 7, 2023
50 PTS / 13 REB / 7 AST
With his fourth career game of 50+ points, 10+ rebounds, and 5+ assists, Joel Embiid has now tied Wilt Chamberlain for most such games in Philadelphia franchise history pic.twitter.com/0X1GQvG4ir
The loss dropped the Wizards to 3-17 SU, tying them with the San Antonio Spurs for the worst record in the Association. They did cover the spread as the 10.5-point underdogs, at the very least, which is actually their first win ATS over their last seven home games.
Bane Sends Pistons Deeper Into Obscurity
The Detroit Pistons are still losing basketball games, and if you thought I wouldn't remind you of that fact as long as it was still happening, then you haven't been paying attention.
With venom coursing through his veins, Desmond Bane lifted the putrid Pistons high in the air and brought them down with extreme force across his knee, breaking their backs and extending their ongoing losing skid to 18 games.
Well, that's not exactly how it happened, but Bane did score a career-high 49 points with four 3-pointers and eight dimes in a 116-102 win for the Memphis Grizzlies, which is basically the same thing.
Desmond Bane COOKED all night and put up a new career high ‼️
— NBA (@NBA) December 7, 2023
49 PTS / 19-31 FGM / 4-8 3PM / 8 AST pic.twitter.com/zqM0hcPRIQ
Detroit hasn't won a game SU since October 28 against the Chicago Bulls. Oddsmakers actually threw the Pistons a bone in this matchup against Memphis, favoring them by one point ATS. They repaid them by losing by 14.
Doncic Doesn't Waste Time For Triple-Double
Triple-doubles aren't easy to achieve in general, yet Luka Doncic made it look so effortless on Wednesday against the Utah Jazz.
Doncic notched 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in just the first half alone, finishing with a 40-10-11 line in just 32 minutes in a dominant 147-97 win for the Dallas Mavericks.
With 29 points, 10 rebounds, and 10 assists in the first half, Luka Doncic has officially recorded the highest-scoring triple-double in a half in NBA history. https://t.co/hqx0WqFuvi
— NBA History (@NBAHistory) December 7, 2023
Doncic currently possesses the second-best odds of winning MVP at +500, which is still well behind two-time MVP Nikola Jokic at +150.
