FloaterDaily Brief
Tuesday, December 23, 2025Regular season · 14 games
← Dec 22CalendarDec 25 →

14 games, none went to overtime. Biggest comeback: CHI trailed ATL by 13 at halftime and won 126–123.

Final · Box score
Wizards109
Hornets126
Q1 CHA -7; Q2 CHA -3; Q3 CHA +2; Q4 CHA +17
Final · Box score
Nets114
Sixers106
Q1 Nets 0; Q2 BKN +6; Q3 BKN +12; Q4 BKN +8
Final · Box score
Bulls126
Hawks123
Q1 CHI -6; Q2 CHI -13; Q3 CHI -13; Q4 CHI +3
Final · Box score
Pelicans118
Cavs141
Q1 CLE +10; Q2 CLE +9; Q3 CLE +19; Q4 CLE +23
Final · Box score
Bucks111
Pacers94
Q1 MIL +6; Q2 MIL +15; Q3 MIL +18; Q4 MIL +17
Final · Box score
Raptors112
Heat91
Q1 TOR +5; Q2 TOR +7; Q3 TOR +15; Q4 TOR +21
Final · Box score
Nuggets130
Mavs131
Q1 DAL +14; Q2 DAL +10; Q3 Mavs 0; Q4 DAL +1
Final · Box score
Knicks104
Wolves115
Q1 MIN +3; Q2 MIN +6; Q3 MIN +6; Q4 MIN +11
Final · Box score
Thunder110
Spurs130
Q1 SAS +2; Q2 SAS -2; Q3 SAS +5; Q4 SAS +20
Final · Box score
Lakers108
Suns132
Q1 PHX +3; Q2 PHX +10; Q3 PHX +26; Q4 PHX +24
Final · Box score
Grizzlies137
Jazz128
Q1 MEM +6; Q2 MEM +2; Q3 MEM +8; Q4 MEM +9
Final · Box score
Magic110
Blazers106
Q1 ORL +4; Q2 ORL +13; Q3 ORL +9; Q4 ORL +4
Final · Box score
Pistons136
Kings127
Q1 DET +13; Q2 DET +17; Q3 DET +18; Q4 DET +9
Final · Box score
Rockets108
Clippers128
Q1 LAC -6; Q2 LAC +5; Q3 LAC +16; Q4 LAC +20
On this day · 2024–25Dec 23, 2024: 14 games. Top scorer: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Thunder-Wizards), 41 points.
Dec 23 in other seasons202320222021202020192018201720162015201420132012201020092008200720062005200420032002200120001999199719961995
The lead · Bulls-Hawks

Chicago climbs back to beat Atlanta

Nikola Jokic goes for 29 points

Game flow · CHI margin at each break
-20-100+10+20TipEnd Q1HalfEnd Q3Final0-6-13-13+3CHI AHEAD ↑ATL AHEAD ↓
By quarter
Q1Q2Q3Q4T
Bulls30253734126
Hawks36323718123
Who led
Coby WhitePoints, last 10 games: 24, 25, 22, 12, 20, 20, 25, 13, 21, 24CHI24 PTS · 0 REB · 4 AST
Nikola VucevicPoints, last 10 games: 20, 16, 8, 9, 13, 12, 20, 24, 13, 21CHI21 PTS · 10 REB · 4 AST
Jalen JohnsonPoints, last 10 games: 41, 29, 21, 30, 19, 12, 43, 17, 36, 24ATL24 PTS · 9 REB · 10 AST
Trae YoungPoints, last 8 games: 22, 25, 15, 21, 6, 8, 35, 22ATL22 PTS · 1 REB · 15 AST
Second story · the whole slate

Three close finishes and one Suns rout

Three of 14 games were decided by four points or fewer. Phoenix beat Lakers by 24.

DAL over DEN1CHI over ATL3ORL over POR4BKN over PHI8MEM over UTA9DET over SAC9MIN over NYK11CHA over WAS17MIL over IND17SAS over OKC20LAC over HOU20TOR over MIA21CLE over NOP23PHX over LAL24Final margin, points. Pink = decided by 4 or fewer, plus the widest win.
Lead changes
Thunder-Spurs15
Wizards-Hornets11
Knicks-Wolves10
Nets-Sixers9
Pistons-Kings9
Lakers-Suns7
Nuggets-Mavs6
Rockets-Clippers5
Magic-Blazers4
Bulls-Hawks3
Raptors-Heat3
Grizzlies-Jazz2
Pelicans-Cavs1
Bucks-Pacers1
The night in charts
Grizzlies-Jazz combined for 265, 2 more than any other game
Points by game
Grizzlies-JazzGrizzlies 137, Jazz 128
265
Pistons-KingsPistons 136, Kings 127
263
Nuggets-MavsNuggets 130, Mavs 131
261
Pelicans-CavsPelicans 118, Cavs 141
259
Bulls-HawksBulls 126, Hawks 123
249
Thunder-SpursThunder 110, Spurs 130
240
Lakers-SunsLakers 108, Suns 132
240
Rockets-ClippersRockets 108, Clippers 128
236
Wizards-HornetsWizards 109, Hornets 126
235
Nets-SixersNets 114, Sixers 106
220
Knicks-WolvesKnicks 104, Wolves 115
219
Magic-BlazersMagic 110, Blazers 106
216
Bucks-PacersBucks 111, Pacers 94
205
Raptors-HeatRaptors 112, Heat 91
203
3 of 14 games were decided by 5 or fewer
Closest finishes
Nuggets-MavsNuggets 130, Mavs 131
+1 DAL
Bulls-HawksBulls 126, Hawks 123
+3 CHI
Magic-BlazersMagic 110, Blazers 106
+4 ORL
Nets-SixersNets 114, Sixers 106
+8 BKN
Grizzlies-JazzGrizzlies 137, Jazz 128
+9 MEM
Pistons-KingsPistons 136, Kings 127
+9 DET
Knicks-WolvesKnicks 104, Wolves 115
+11 MIN
Wizards-HornetsWizards 109, Hornets 126
+17 CHA
Bucks-PacersBucks 111, Pacers 94
+17 MIL
Thunder-SpursThunder 110, Spurs 130
+20 SAS
Rockets-ClippersRockets 108, Clippers 128
+20 LAC
Raptors-HeatRaptors 112, Heat 91
+21 TOR
Pelicans-CavsPelicans 118, Cavs 141
+23 CLE
Lakers-SunsLakers 108, Suns 132
+24 PHX
CHI erased a 13-point hole
Biggest comebacks, at quarter breaks
Bulls-HawksCHI won · Bulls 126, Hawks 123
13 pts
Wizards-HornetsCHA won · Wizards 109, Hornets 126
7 pts
Rockets-ClippersLAC won · Rockets 108, Clippers 128
6 pts
Thunder-SpursSAS won · Thunder 110, Spurs 130
2 pts
Barnes shot 10-of-14 for the night's hottest hand
Hottest shooting · min 10 FGA
BarnesTOR · 27 PTS, 8 REB, 4 AST
71% (10-14)
BouyeaPHX · 14 PTS, 4 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK
70% (7-10)
HendricksUTA · 21 PTS, 4 REB, 3 STL, 1 AST
70% (7-10)
Amen ThompsonHOU · 19 PTS, 9 REB, 5 AST, 2 STL
70% (7-10)
KawhiLAC · 41 PTS, 8 REB, 5 AST
70% (16-23)
Final · Nuggets-Mavs
Nuggets 130Mavs 131
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Nuggets27294727130
Mavs41253728131
The story
Cooper Flagg's 33 points and 9 assists carried Dallas past Denver, 131-130

For Denver, Jamal Murray had 31 PTS, 14 AST, 7 REB 33 PTS, 9 REB, 9 AST · 14-21 FG, 4-6 3PT

The swing

The first quarter, 41-27, was where the Mavericks built it.

DAL lead by quarter
200 +14+100+1 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Final · Bulls-Hawks
Bulls 126Hawks 123
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Bulls30253734126
Hawks36323718123
The story
Josh Giddey had a 19-11-15 triple-double as Chicago beat Atlanta 126-123

Trae Young led Atlanta with 22 PTS, 15 AST 19 PTS, 15 AST, 11 REB · 8-15 FG, 2-5 3PT

The swing

Down 13 after the third, the Bulls took the fourth 34-18.

CHI lead by quarter
200 −6−13−13+3 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle

Jalen Johnson led the game in fantasy with 54.3 FPTS (24 PTS, 10 AST, 9 REB)

Final · Knicks-Wolves
Knicks 104Wolves 115
TeamQ1Q2Q3Q4T
Knicks28242725104
Wolves31272730115
The story
Minnesota beat New York 115-104 behind 38 points from Anthony Edwards

Karl-Anthony Towns paced New York: 40 PTS, 13 REB 38 PTS, 4 STL, 2 REB, 2 AST · 15-27 FG, 4-10 3PT

The swing

A 30-25 fourth quarter did the most damage for the Timberwolves.

MIN lead by quarter
200 +3+6+6+11 Q1Q2Q3Q4
Fantasy angle
Heating up
+8.9points, last 5 vs season avg
Points per game
18.7Season avg27.6Last 5

27.6 points a game over his last five games, against 18.7 in 29 earlier games. Today: 33 points in 40 minutes.

Losing minutes
−11.0minutes, last 3 vs season avg
Minutes per game
26.7Season avg15.7Last 3

15.7 minutes a game over his last three games, against 26.7 in 22 earlier games. Today: 6 points in 16 minutes.

Stepped-up role
+20.6minutes, today vs season avg
Minutes per game
8.4Season avg29Today

29 minutes today, against 8.4 a game in 8 earlier games. Line: 18 points, 9 rebounds, 1 assists.

Top performances

Kawhi Leonard leads the day with 41

Kawhi LeonardPoints, last 10 games: 30, 36, 21, 24, 20, 24, 21, 22, 32, 41Clippers-Rockets · W
26.1 PPG season to date · +15.8 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Most like it, modern era: Rudy Gay SAC, Jan 21, 2014: 41 PTS · 8 REB · 5 AST
Season high41 PTS · 8 REB · 5 AST
Karl-Anthony TownsPoints, last 10 games: 22, 29, 35, 18, 14, 29, 16, 22, 2, 40Knicks-Wolves · L
22.3 PPG season to date · +18.4 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Most like it, modern era: DeMarcus Cousins SAC, Nov 13, 2015: 40 PTS · 13 REB · 1 AST
Season high40 PTS · 13 REB · 1 AST
Anthony EdwardsPoints, last 10 games: 31, 39, 32, 44, 11, 15, 40, 26, 24, 38Wolves-Knicks · W
28.7 PPG season to date · +9.7 vs his regular-season average before tonight
38 PTS · 2 REB · 2 AST
Santi AldamaPoints, last 10 games: 7, 4, 7, 22, 22, 3, 8, 37, 9, 37Grizzlies-Jazz · W
14.4 PPG season to date · +23.4 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Ties career high37 PTS · 5 REB · 7 AST
DeMar DeRozanPoints, last 10 games: 23, 12, 13, 20, 11, 17, 33, 15, 27, 37Kings-Pistons · L
19.0 PPG season to date · +18.6 vs his regular-season average before tonight
Season high37 PTS · 3 REB · 8 AST
Cooper FlaggPoints, last 10 games: 24, 22, 16, 19, 22, 42, 23, 24, 16, 33Mavs-Nuggets · W
19.2 PPG season to date · +14.3 vs his regular-season average before tonight
33 PTS · 9 REB · 9 AST
Hot and cold

Last 10 games against the season so far

Hot
Cooper FlaggDAL+4.9 24.1 last 10 · 19.2 season
Maxime RaynaudSAC+4.8 14.8 last 10 · 10.0 season
Cam SpencerMEM+4.4 16.7 last 10 · 12.3 season
Carlton CarringtonWAS+4.2 13.0 last 10 · 8.8 season
Derrick WhiteBOS+4.1 22.3 last 10 · 18.2 season
Cold
Cade CunninghamDET−4.2 22.2 last 10 · 26.4 season
Tristan Da SilvaORL−4.0 5.7 last 10 · 9.7 season
Miles BridgesCHA−3.7 16.9 last 10 · 20.6 season
Ajay MitchellOKC−3.4 10.7 last 10 · 14.1 season
De'Andre HunterCLE−3.4 11.9 last 10 · 15.3 season