The storybook night was there for Kemba Walker and the Charlotte Hornets. The 6-foot-1 point guard had 60 points, the ball, and a tie game on his hands with 32 seconds remaining in overtime.
But the guy guarding him was Jimmy Butler, whom the Sixers acquired a week ago exactly for moments like this. Granted, Walker had already burned Butler for 60 -- something the 76ers newcomer freely admitted after the game. The Hornets point guard didn't bail him out either. Walker attacked the basket -- something he does better than all but five players in the league.
Three things were in Butler's favor:
- He read and played the drive perfectly
- Butler is over half a foot taller than Walker
- He is a four-time All-NBA Defense honoree for a reason
Instead of Walker capping off the perfect storybook night, Butler rewrote its final pages. The four-time All-Star blocked Walker's layup attempt, then saved the loose ball from going out of bounds.
On the opposite end, the 76ers again called on Butler. Again, he answered, punching home a dramatic left-side 3-pointer with just 0.3 seconds left.
The 122-119 overtime victory was a watershed moment for the 2018-19 Sixers. Before, a near triple-double from Simmons (23 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists) and a dominant performance from Joel Embiid (33 points, 11 rebounds) might not have been enough. With Butler, not even a 60-point special could stop them.
The number of times 60-plus didn't get it done over the last quarter-century: just two out of 17.
Charlotte's night
Walker deserves (and will get) props regardless of the outcome. His 60 points weren't just a career-high, but a franchise best. That's significant for a team that just happens to be celebrating its 30th anniversary in the league.
That may have been the best part about Walker's performance: it came with the Hornets' 30th anniversary team on hand to see it. Muggsy Bogues, Alonzo Mourning, Dell Curry, Baron Davis and others watched the current face of the franchise carry the torch and ignite the crowd with it. Walker even broke out the timeless shrug patented by his team's owner.
Until the final seconds, Saturday night belonged to Walker and the city of Charlotte.
Speaking of moments...
This dude won a million air miles after he made a layup, 3-pointer and half-court shot. To top it all off, the greatest Maverick ever gave him props!
Davis' freebies Nuggets' fee
Anthony Davis scored 40-plus for the second straight game, the third time he has accomplished that feat this calendar year. Half of his production occurred at the free throw line, where he enjoyed a 20-for-21 showing.
The Nuggets were hard-pressed to keep pace, as they shot just 13 free throws as a team in the 125-115 Pelicans win.
Mitchell's redemption
One night after attempting 35 shots while registering zero assists, Donovan Mitchell proved his postgame regret was genuine. Utah's second-year guard scored 28 points (on 21 attempts) while dishing out six assists.
Mitchell also added a big block on former Jazz All-Star Gordon Hayward to his timesheet.
Rookie roll call
Luka Doncic was superb in Dallas' 112-109 win over the defending champion Warriors. The third overall pick is playing like the pro he already was before jumping to the NBA, averaging 19.5 points, 6.6 rebounds and 4.2 assists.
The Slovenian standout leads an incredibly deep and diverse rookie class in scoring. Here's a basic look at the other top first-year players roughly 15 games into the season (click here for a deeper one):
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