Welcome to the 50-Point Club

Paolo Banchero just went crazy. On Monday, he lit up the Indiana Pacers with a career-high 50 points, tying the fifth-highest scoring night in Orlando Magic history. And here’s the kicker, he scored 37 of those points in the first half, matching a Magic franchise record. Orlando edged out Indiana 119-115, with Banchero finishing 16-of-26 from the field.

He wasn’t just a scorer though as he chipped in 13 rebounds and 9 assists, flirting with a triple-double. “It felt like an open gym,” Banchero said postgame. But that’s just one way to describe embarrassing an NBA defense.

At just 21 years and 351 days old, Banchero became the youngest Magic player ever to score 50 in a game. He also joins an elite club, becoming the second-youngest player ever with 50 points, 10 boards, and 5 dimes, only behind a young LeBron James, who did it at 20.

Celtics Stay Unbeaten Thanks to Payton Pritchard’s 3-Point Barrage

Boston’s depth is no joke. Payton Pritchard came off the bench and dropped 28 points in just 28 minutes, sinking 8 three-pointers to help the Celtics take down Milwaukee 119-108. Pritchard wasn’t shy, going 10-of-14 from the field, and added 5 boards, 3 assists, and 2 steals just for good measure.

Jaylen Brown led the way with 30 points, and five other Celtics scored in double figures. Meanwhile, Milwaukee is still trying to find their rhythm. Despite Damian Lillard dropping 33 points and Giannis Antetokounmpo adding 30 with 10 rebounds, the Bucks fell short for the third straight game. Giannis’ 7 turnovers didn’t help much either.

This game was one for the sharpshooters, but Boston’s balanced attack proved too much for Milwaukee, whose defense is starting to raise some red flags.

Suns Hand Lakers Their First Loss

Devin Booker and Kevin Durant teamed up to spoil the Lakers' party, rallying the Suns to a 109-105 win in L.A. After trailing by 7 going into the fourth, Phoenix fought back, with Durant hitting clutch jumpers to put the game away. Durant finished with 30 points, and Booker led all scorers with 33. When these two are locked in, good luck stopping them.

LeBron James had an off night, scoring just 11 points on 3-of-14 shooting. He still managed to extend his streak of games with at least 10 points to 1,226, but the struggle was real. Meanwhile, Anthony Davis was in full beast mode, dropping 29 points and grabbing 15 rebounds.

The Lakers had control early, even building an 18-point lead, but the wheels fell off down the stretch. This game featured six ties and 14 lead changes, and the Suns just made more plays when it counted.

Taylor Hendricks Out for the Season with Gruesome Injury

Utah Jazz forward Taylor Hendricks is expected to miss the rest of the season after suffering a fractured right fibula and dislocated ankle in Monday’s 110-102 loss to the Dallas Mavericks. The injury happened without contact late in the third quarter, leaving Hendricks in obvious pain as medical staff rushed to the court with a stretcher.

Jazz head coach Will Hardy reflected on the emotional impact:

The 6’9” forward and 9th overall pick in the 2023 draft had shown flashes of greatness, especially on the defensive end, even taking the Luka Doncic assignment on Monday. Hendricks averaged 7.3 points and 4.6 rebounds and was cementing his spot in the Jazz's starting lineup.

This is a tough blow for both the Jazz and Hendricks, who had spent the offseason bulking up to handle the NBA grind.

Dwyane Wade Defends His Statue

The Miami Heat unveiled a new statue of Dwyane Wade over the weekend, commemorating one of the most iconic moments of his career, the buzzer-beater against the Chicago Bulls in 2009, followed by his legendary “This is my house” celebration on the scorer’s table. However, fans weren’t exactly focused on the moment…

Instead, social media lit up with jokes about Wade's facial expression on the statue, which some say doesn’t quite capture the three-time champion’s real look. The memes rolled in fast, with the statue trending globally and even getting mentioned on news broadcasts.

Wade, though, had a playful response:

The Heat legend doubled down, encouraging fans to keep the memes coming:

Love it or hate it, the statue is sure to become a new photo-op destination for fans.

Stephen Curry to Miss Next Two Games

The Golden State Warriors will be without their superstar for the next two games as Stephen Curry nurses a left peroneal strain. Curry twisted his ankle twice during Sunday’s home opener against the Clippers, limping off the court with help from Gary Payton II. Though the injury initially seemed minor, Curry will undergo further evaluation on Friday.

In addition to Curry’s absence, De’Anthony Melton will also miss Tuesday and Wednesday’s games due to right facet inflammation in his back. Melton has a history of back issues, missing 44 games last season, so the Warriors are taking no chances.

The Warriors are heading into matchups with the Pelicans shorthanded, hoping for Curry’s swift return to prevent this from becoming a long-term issue.

Memphis Strikes Gold with Jay Huff

In an under-the-radar move, the Memphis Grizzlies have signed Jay Huff to a new four-year, standard NBA contract. Huff has been turning heads with his early-season performances, averaging 13 points, 3.3 rebounds, 1.7 blocks, and shooting a jaw-dropping 57.1% from beyond the arc over three games.

At 7-foot-1, Huff brings a unique mix of shot-blocking and floor-spacing, quickly earning minutes in the Grizzlies' rotation. He’s been especially crucial with Jaren Jackson Jr. out of action for the first two games. With Jackson back, it’ll be interesting to see how Memphis balances the rotation moving forward.

Memphis has been quietly building through underrated pickups, with Huff and Scotty Pippen Jr., both former Lakers development standouts, now finding new homes with the Grizzlies.

Stephanie White Out as Connecticut Sun Head Coach

Stephanie White is officially out as head coach of the Connecticut Sun after two successful seasons.

White led the Sun to two semifinal appearances and earned Coach of the Year honors in 2023. The decision to part ways wasn't strictly basketball-related, according to Sun president Jen Rizzotti:

With White’s departure, the WNBA now faces a coaching carousel, as 7 of the league’s 13 teams, including some of last season’s bottom dwellers like the Indiana Fever, Atlanta Dream, and Los Angeles Sparks, are now without head coaches.

That’s all for today, thanks for reading.

We’ll see you tomorrow!

— The Players Unlimited Team