NBA Game Notes (Jan. 16, 2026)
Here are the NBA game notes for games that were played on Jan. 16, 2026.
Three Stars
Here are my “three stars” from yesterday’s NBA games, with the “first star” considered the top performer.
First ⭐️
Kevin Durant scored a season-high 39 points to lead the Houston Rockets to a 110-105 victory over the Minnesota Timberwolves. Durant went 11-18 from the field (6-8 on threes) and 11-14 from the free throw. He added a game-high seven assists, four rebounds, a game-high two steals (tied with three others), and one block in 40 minutes played.
Second ⭐️
Jaylon Tyson poured in a career-high 39 points as the Cleveland Cavaliers edged out the Philadelphia 76ers 117-115. Tyson shot a blistering 13-17 from the floor (7-9 on threes) and 6-6 from the charity stripe. He also grabbed five rebounds and dished out four assists in 38 minutes of action.
Third ⭐️
Jay Huff scored a career-high 29 points in the Indiana Pacers’ 127-119 win over the New Orleans Pelicans. Huff was red-hot from the field, sinking 13 of his 17 attempts (3-6 on threes). He also contributed a team-high nine rebounds, a game-high two steals (tied with Jeremiah Fears), and a team-high two blocks (tied with Tony Bradley) in 29 turnover-free minutes.
Milestones
James Harden (31 points) produced his 556th career 25-point game as the LA Clippers outlasted the Toronto Raptors 121-117 in overtime. He broke a tie with Shaquille O’Neal for the 11th-most such games in NBA history.
Harden (10 assists) also recorded double-digit assists in a game for the 350th time, breaking a tie with LeBron James for the 10th-most such games in NBA history.
Streaking
The Sixers’ Joel Embiid (33 points) recorded his 13th straight 20-point game. He’s averaged 27.9 PPG and 7.8 RPG over that span, shooting 50.8% from the field and 85.8% from the free throw line.
Team(s) with a winning streak of five or more games: LA Clippers (five).
Team(s) with a losing streak of five or more games: Washington Wizards (five).
The Minnesota Timberwolves (105 points) have scored at least 100 points in each of their last 100 regular season games. It’s the third-longest such streak in NBA history, trailing only runs of 136 games by the Denver Nuggets (Jan. 21, 1981 to Dec. 8, 1982) and 129 games by the San Antonio Spurs (Dec. 12, 1978 to March 14, 1980).
The Timberwolves (11-30 on threes) have made 10 or more 3-pointers in 51 consecutive games, the longest such streak in franchise history and the eighth-longest such streak in NBA history.
Miscellany
Durant, Tyson, and the Timberwolves’ Julius Randle shared the nightly scoring lead, each netting 39 points (a career high for Tyson). Embiid (33 points) and Harden (31) also produced 30-point efforts.
The Brooklyn Nets’ Nic Claxton, the Rockets’ Alperen Sengun, and the Clippers’ Ivica Zubac were the chairmen of the boards last night, snagging 14 rebounds apiece. Next in line were the Timberwolves’ Rudy Gobert and the Chicago Bulls’ Jalen Smith with 13 boards each.
The Raptors’ Jamal Shead was the night’s top playmaker, handing out 13 assists. Also delivering double-digit dimes were the Cavaliers’ Donovan Mitchell (12) and Craig Porter Jr. (career-high-tying 11); Harden (10); and the Pacers’ Andrew Nembhard (10).