By Tiffany Williams –
The NBA didn’t sip champagne on New Year’s Day — it swung haymakers.
Thursday, January 1 delivered five games that felt less like a holiday matinee and more like a reality check. Stars showed up. Pretenders got smacked. And by the end of the night, a few teams were staring straight into the mirror wondering how ugly this is about to get.
Houston walked into Brooklyn and absolutely wrecked the place. A 120–96 demolition that was over well before the fourth quarter arrived. Amen Thompson ran the show with 23 points, slicing through a Nets defense that never adjusted and never recovered. Cam Thomas scored 21, but it felt hollow — empty calories in a game that spiraled fast. Brooklyn wasn’t just outplayed. They were outclassed, outworked, and outpaced from tip to buzzer.
Miami survived Detroit 118–112 in a game that turned into a scoring binge. Norman Powell went nuclear, pouring in 36 and dragging the Heat across the finish line possession by possession. Cade Cunningham answered with 31, showing exactly why Detroit keeps believing, but belief doesn’t close games. Miami did. Detroit didn’t. Same story, new year.
Philadelphia walked into Dallas and punched first, last, and hardest. A 123–108 win that belonged entirely to Tyrese Maxey. Thirty-four points. No hesitation. No mercy. The Mavericks never found an answer, never found momentum, and never found a way to slow him down. Max Christie’s 18 led Dallas, which tells you everything you need to know about how sideways this night went.
Boston handled Sacramento 120–106 in a game that quietly reinforced who the Celtics are when they lock in. Jaylen Brown dropped 29 with authority, controlling the pace and punishing every defensive mistake. DeMar DeRozan had 25, doing what he always does, but Sacramento never made Boston uncomfortable. The Celtics never blinked.
And then there was Kawhi.
The Clippers didn’t just beat Utah — they watched Kawhi Leonard erase them. Forty-five points. Cold, ruthless, surgical. The kind of performance that shuts the building up and leaves the opponent counting possessions they’ll never get back. The Clippers rolled 118–101, with Utah chasing shadows all night. Kyle Anderson’s 22 barely registered while Kawhi reminded everyone exactly who he is when healthy and locked in.
No gimmicks. No excuses. No holiday grace period.
This was January basketball with teeth. Blowouts, star explosions, and teams getting exposed in real time. If you were looking for feel-good vibes, you tuned in to the wrong night. The NBA rang in 2026 with a message that couldn’t be clearer: bring your A-game — or get embarrassed on national schedule.
Sports Insider Daily 