Good morning.

The Death of Socrates, Jacques-Louis David, 1787

Today is the 3-year anniversary of Good Morning It’s Basketball on Substack. This is Issue No. 768 on Substack, and No. 2,020 overall when you count the several years of newsletters I did at SB Nation. I recently hit the 10,000-subscriber mark on the free list (33% year-over-year growth) and I’m closing in on the 1,300-subscriber mark on the paid list (with 18% growth over the past year). It’s been a freaking great third year for the newsletter.

As I’ve written before, it was quite nerve-inducing to hang my own shingle in late 2019. But I had been considering it for a while, and I count myself rather lucky that Substack had matured to a certain point by that time — I can’t imagine trying to spin up a tech solution incorporating recurring payments, email hosts and everything else on my mind. It will be no surprise to anyone who reads this newsletter that I don’t excel on the frills — there’s no podcast, no merch (stay tuned, maybe??), no real business development. Just writing about basketball. I feel grateful that my audience of readers and Substack’s tech allows me to do just that.

To me, that’s the beauty of this platform and this business model: there are lanes that writers can fill to serve an audience that’s suited to their interests and skills. I’m not interested in breaking news, in doing deep tactical breakdowns, in gaming out every potential trade or signing. This newsletter is all about quenching basketball FOMO, celebrating the sacred and absurd, lamenting that which warrants lamentation, looking at the league from 10,000 feet. It’s really encouraging that there are so many others interested in this type of relationship with American pro basketball, and that you all trust me to be a good arbiter of it. So, THANK YOU. Thank you for allowing me to do this.

Anyways, here’s to hitting more milestones and watching more hoops. Let’s basketball.

Harden To Understand This Rumor

Woj reports that if James Harden elects not to re-sign with the Sixers as a free agent this summer — he has a player option — he will consider a return to the Houston Rockets, the worst team in the Western Conference that he demanded a trade from two years ago.

Why?

Harden has maintained something of a magnetic pull to Houston, drawn to the community, lifestyle and family there, sources said.

Oh, the lifestyle. Yeah. Got it. Say no more.

(Here’s more from Jake Fischer on that topic.)

No one has asked the Rockets how they feel about this, particularly Jalen Green or Kevin Porter Jr. I’m struggling to see a full embrace by Rockets fans as well, especially given the nature of Harden’s exit and the fact that he looks much less impactful now than he did in 2020.

What a weird rumor! The fact that it makes little sense and gives me a psychosomatic bad taste in my mouth … actually makes it the perfect James Harden rumor, doesn’t it?

Meanwhile, after the game, while wearing this …

… James Harden did not enjoy being asked about the rumor on Christmas Day. He also didn’t deny it?

Scores

Sixers 119, Knicks 112 — New York was in pretty good shape for three quarters despite Joel Embiid making his presence felt, but James Harden took over in the fourth, setting up Georges Niang for three of his four threes and getting two other assists and 6 points of his own in the frame. For the game Harden had 29 points, 13 assists and 1 turnover. It’s going to be hard to beat Philly when he does that and Embiid racks up 35 points.

The Sixers have won 10 of their last 12 games in which both Embiid and Harden play. They’ve also won eight straight period.

Lakers 115, Mavericks 124 — Lakers knew it was trouble when Luka showed up like this.

Jon Machota @jonmachota

Luka Doncic dressed like a cowboy for his Christmas Day game against the Lakers (Video: @dallasmavs)

5:25 PM ∙ Dec 25, 2022

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Dallas shot 5/22 from three in the first half. They trailed a terrible team at home by 11. Classic Mavericks! And then the third quarter hit and Dallas shot 9/13 from deep for 51 points in the period to take a commanding lead. Also Classic Mavericks?

This fake from Luka Doncic fooled me too, I would never lie to you Wenyen Gabriel. And Patrick Beverley. And Christian Wood.

SportsCenter @SportsCenter

This fake by Luka 😮‍💨

9:31 PM ∙ Dec 25, 2022

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Bucks 118, Celtics 139 — In full disclosure despite ranking this as the best game of Christmas Day I have not yet watched this one. I played several rounds of Happy Salmon and Mantis with family instead. I regret nothing. Strong recommend on both of those, by the way.

Jayson Tatum had 20 in the third as the C’s took over. I’m rather convinced the dude is the presumptive MVP right now.

Giannis Antetokounmpo ends up on a lot of posters because he contests everything at the rim and never shies away even when coming over late because a teammate got beat. But damn, this is a GREAT Tatum poster on Giannis.

NBA @NBA

A JAYSON TATUM STOCKING STUFFER 😱 #NBAXmas | Live on ABC & ESPN 🎄🎁

11:06 PM ∙ Dec 25, 2022

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Grizzlies 109, Warriors 123 — ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport

Klay really got a tech for staring down Dillon Brooks here 🤣

3:47 AM ∙ Dec 26, 2022

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Suns 125, Nuggets 128 (OT) — What an incredible finish on this game with some clutch Landry Shamet shooting, some absurd Nikola Jokic shots to cap off a 40-point triple-double (41-15-15 … what?!) and … perhaps the Dunk of the Year from Aaron Gordon.

NBA @NBA

EVERY ANGLE OF AARON GORDON'S RIDICULOUS DUNK OF THE YEAR CANDIDATE 🎬🤯

7:19 AM ∙ Dec 26, 2022

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Folks, up one with less than 30 seconds to go (about a 5-second shot clock differential) and you pull THAT out of the bag?

ESPN @espn

This photo of Aaron Gordon's dunk 📸😳

7:02 AM ∙ Dec 26, 2022

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Incredible stuff, initially called an offensive foul but overturned and called a foul on Shamet.

Denver is now in sole possession of first place in the West. Maybe Jokic is actually the presumptive MVP at this point? I’m so confused.

Aaron Gordon had other sick dunks, by the way. The People’s Dunk Contest Champion.

Action Network @ActionNetworkHQ

All of Aaron Gordon's dunks tonight 🔥

7:04 AM ∙ Dec 26, 2022

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Schedule

All times Eastern.

Nets at Cavaliers, 7, NBA TV
Clippers at Pistons, 7
Timberwolves at Heat, 7:30
Rockets at Bulls, 8
Pacers at Pelicans, 8
Jazz at Spurs, 8
Hornets at Blazers, 10, NBA TV

Links

This story from Maya Jones on a devastating fire at Tyrese Maxey’s home last Christmas Eve is riveting and well-told.

Fascinating view of Brittney Griner’s heartbreaking detention from the perspective of her agent.

Kendra Andrews on the bubbling Grizzlies-Warriors rivalry.

Rest in peace, Mark Warkentein.

Howard Beck on the source of Klay Thompson’s motivation.

Jrue and Lauren Holiday gave every NBA player a copy of a board game based on the thriving ‘Black Wall Street’ of 1910s Tulsa. More about the game here.

The Dirk statue looks really good in photos. But where’s the J.J. Barea statue?

Grant Afseth @GrantAfseth

The Dirk Nowitzki statue is unveiled.

5:19 PM ∙ Dec 25, 2022

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Marc Stein searching for NBA sellers. ($)

Mike Sykes’ sneaker year in review.

David Thorpe in TrueHoop on the impossible choice NBA defenses currently face. ($)

Ramona Shelburne on ESPN+ on the Celtics’ quest for vengeance. ($)

One more on ESPN+: Kirk Goldsberry on Kevin Durant’s MVP-level season. ($)

Share

And Finally

Bright Side of the Sun, a Suns blog on SB Nation, has long run one of most fan-driven successful efforts to bring disadvantaged young fans to NBA games. The prospective new owners of the Suns, Justin and Mat Ishbia, donated $100,000 to the effort. Smart and compassionate.

Be excellent to each other.