Around the Association: 10 Takeaways From a Crazy Weekend in the NBA

This article is part of our NBA Daily Recap series.

Welcome to Around the Association!  Five days per week (Monday through Friday), this article will serve as a comprehensive recap of the previous night's NBA action, taking you through all of the biggest performances, notable box scores, injury updates and any other fantasy-relevant headlines from around the league.

It was a busy weekend with thrilling endings, superstars returning and, of course, lots of COVID. Here is all you need to know:

Weekend Notables

Kevin Durant and the Nets have a monster weekend

• The Brooklyn Nets defeated both the Atlanta Hawks and the Detroit Pistons over the weekend to push the team's record to an Eastern Conference-best 19-8. It was truly a special weekend from Kevin Durant. The former MVP first dropped 31 points (12-22 FG, 1-4 3PT, 6-7 3PT) during the Nets' 113-108 thrilling win over the Hawks. Next, Durant dropped perhaps the best stat-line of any player this season with a 51-point (16-31 FG, 5-10 3Pt, 14-15 FT), seven-rebound, nine-assist, two-block and one-steal showing against Detroit. The two-time champion averaged an absurd 41.0 points, 7.5 assists, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.0 steals per game across 39.9 minutes of action over the weekend.
  • Here is Brooklyn's top four leaders in minutes per game over the weekend: Kevin Durant, James Harden, Patty Mills and … Cam Thomas. The rookie out of LSU is starting to really get involved in coach Steve Nash's offense as he averaged 12.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game over 27.1 minutes per contest over the weekend.

COVID drops a triple-double 

• As of Monday morning, the Chicago Bulls have enough players in the COVID protocol to fill an entire basketball court. Some of the notable Bulls players currently sidelined include Zach LaVine, DeMar DeRozan, Coby White, Derrick Jones and Ayo Dosunmu.
• Kyle Kuzma of the Washington Wizards was also placed on the COVID list over the weekend. The forward has perhaps been having the best season of his young career with 13.4 points and a career-high 8.3 rebounds per game.
• The Knicks also dealt with some COVID problems as both RJ Barrett and Obi Toppin were placed in protocols. This paved the way for Quentin Grimes to start for the Knicks during their Sunday loss to the Knicks. The rookie out of Houston ended with 27 points (9-17 FG, 7-13 3Pt, 2-2 FT) and added three rebounds, three assists and three steals across 40 minutes.

Timberwolves spoil Dame's return

• After missing Portland's last five games due to an abdomen injury, Damian Lillard made his return to the Trail Blazers' lineup. However, his team still fell 116-111 to the Timberwolves as Anthony Edwards dropped 24 points (7-13 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 8-9 FT), four rebounds, three assists and one steal over 29 minutes of action. This was Edwards' first time scoring over 20 points in his last five appearances.
  • Karl-Anthony Towns produced yet another double-double with 23 points (7-17 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 9-10 FT), 10 rebounds and four assists in 34 minutes. This marked KAT's eighth straight game with at least 21 points and seven rebounds.
• Despite some rough outside shooting, it was an overall positive return from Damian Lillard. The All-NBA guard finished with 24 points (5-17 FG, 3-14 3Pt, 11-15 FT), 11 rebounds and six assists across 36 minutes. With CJ McCollum out indefinitely with a collapsed lung, Lillard is in a prime position to put up some big numbers for Portland.
  • Damian Lillard was not the only Trail Blazer to return Sunday as Anfernee Simons came back to the lineup in a big way after missing three games with an ankle injury. The fourth-year guard ended with a game-high 26 points (9-20 FG, 6-12 3Pt, 2-3 FT), three assists and one rebound in 32 minutes off of the bench.

LeBron James keeps proving age is just a number

• Even with Anthony Davis sidelined with knee soreness, the Lakers rolled through the weekend with wins over both the Thunder and the Magic. Los Angeles now sits at 15-13 which is currently good for sixth in the Western Conference.
• LeBron James was absolutely incredible once again for the Lakers, averaging 31.5 points, 8.0 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 2.5 blocks and 1.5 steals over 36.0 minutes in the two wins. The 36-year-old is having maybe his best season yet with Los Angeles. James has posted 30 or more points in six out of his last eight showings, while his 26.3 points per game average is his highest figure since his first year with the Lakers.
  • Los Angeles' second highest scorer over the weekend happened to be Talen Horton-Tucker who averaged 15.0 points, 2.5 assists and 2.0 rebounds per game over 27.5 minutes per game. THT put up an impressive career-high six steals during Sunday's win over Orlando.

Charlotte swipes one away from Sacramento 

• One of the more thrilling contests of the weekend came in Charlotte on Friday when the Kings came into town. The game was tightly contested throughout and De'Aaron Fox had a chance to potentially win the game or send it to overtime, stepping to the free-throw line down by a point with 2.4 seconds left. However, after making his previous eight attempts from the charity stripe, the 74.1 percent free-throw shooter missed both tries and Charlotte won the contest 124-123. Miles Bridges led the way for the Hornets with 23 points (9-15 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 4-6 FT), eight assists, seven rebounds and one steal over 40 minutes of play.
  • Charlotte's leading scorer was James Bouknight who continues to make the most out of the Hornet's COVID situation. The rookie out of UConn posted a team-high 24 points (9-14 FG, 6-8 3Pt), six rebounds, one assist and one steal in 26 minutes off of the bench. Over his past three showings, the bouncy 21-year-old is averaging 12.3 points and 4.3 rebounds in 20.0 minutes per game.
• Despite coming up short from the foul stripe in the end, this was still one of De'Aaron Fox's better performances of the season. The electric guard posted 31 points (11-17 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 8-10 FT), two rebounds, five assists and four steals over 34 minutes and has two 30-point outings during his last last three appearances.
  • Tyrese Haliburton came close to a triple-double in the losing effort with 15 points (5-9 FG, 5-8 3Pt), seven rebounds, seven assists and two steals over 35 minutes of play.

Giannis and the Bucks roll on

• The Milwaukee Bucks defeated both the Houston Rockets and the New York Knicks over the weekend to improve their record to 18-10. The reigning champions were led by none other than Giannis Antetokounmpo as he averaged a loaded 30.5 points, 13.5 rebounds, 8.0 assists, 2.0 blocks and 1.5 steals over 34.5 minutes per game. The two-time MVP ranks as the 19th overall nine-category fantasy option on a per-game basis this season.
  • Khris Middleton is starting to get into form as the Bucks' consistent second scoring option. The veteran wing has posted between 21 and 24 points in eight straight appearances while grabbing at least six rebounds in seven of those showings.
  • Bobby Portis averaged 20.0 points, 9.0 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.5 blocks over 31.5 minutes per game over the weekend. The tenacious forward's 15.6 points and 9.1 rebounds per game would both set new career-highs for the 26-year-old

Steph inches closer to record, loses to Seth

• Stephen Curry hit only three three-pointers in Saturday's loss to the Sixers, leaving him seven short of Ray Allen's all-time record. Joel Embiid led the way for Philadelphia, posting  26 points (7-16 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 11-11 FT), nine rebounds, four assists and two steals across 33 minutes in the win. The All-Star center has dropped 26 or more in four out of his last five showings and ranks as the fifth-best nine-category option on a per-game basis over the past week
  • Seth Curry had a decent outing against his older brother, finishing with 10 points (5-9 FG, 0-3 3P), five rebounds, two assists, one steal and one block across 35 minutes of play.
• It really was not a great night for the two-time MVP as he matched up against his brother and father-in-law. Stephen Curry totaled his lowest-scoring outing of the month with 18 points (6-20 FG, 3-14 3Pt, 3-4 FT), nine rebounds and five assists across 36 minutes. This was just Golden State's fifth loss of the season as they sit at 21-5, good for second in the West.
  • Jordan Poole finished with a team-high 23 points (7-14 FG, 4-9 3Pt, 5-5 FT), three rebounds, two assists and one steal in 37 minutes during the loss.

Reggie Jackson comes up clutch against Orlando

• With Paul George sidelined with an elbow injury, one of the more exciting games of the weekend came Saturday afternoon when the Orlando Magic matched up against the Clippers in Los Angeles. It was a tightly contested showing throughout, but Reggie Jackson was able to seal the deal for the Clippers with a game-winning step-back jumper to win the game 106-104. The veteran point guard finished with a game-high 25 points (11-21 FG, 3-8 3Pt), two rebounds, three assists, one block and one steal in 32 minutes. Jackson is quietly having a career season as his 17.5 points per game would be the second-highest mark of the 11-year-pro's career.
  • Luke Kennard: 23 points (8-16 FG, 7-11 3Pt), three rebounds and five assists in 36 minutes
  • Paul George missed another game due to an elbow injury.
• Cole Anthony had another solid game for the Magic despite falling short in the end. The second-year guard hit a tough three-pointer late in the game to tie the contest en route to 23 points (7-16 FG, 5-8 3Pt, 4-4 FT), six rebounds and two assists over 34 minutes. Anthony ranks as the 42nd overall nine-category fantasy option on a per-game basis
  • Franz Wagner: 20 points (8-10 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 2-3 FT), three rebounds, three assists and one block across 34 minutes.

Cavaliers keep on winning

• Once again, the Cleveland Cavaliers won both of their weekend contests after defeating both the Timberwolves and the Kings. Both of Cleveland's victories came in blowout fashion, as it won both contests by at least 14 points.
  • It was quite a balanced weekend overall for the Cavaliers. Jarrett Allen paved the way with 20.0 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game during his two appearances. The elite two-way presence is honestly starting to build an All-Star case for himself this season with 17.3 points, 11.2 rebounds and 1.4 blocks per game.
    • This was by far Isaac Okoro's best two-game span of the season. The second-year wing first set a new-season high with ​​16 points (7-10 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 1-1 FT) during Friday's win over the Timberwolves, only to top that with 20 points (7-9 FG, 2-3 3Pt, 4-4 FT) during Saturday's victory over Sacramento. Okoro finished the weekend averaging 18.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.0 steals across 30.3 minutes per game.

Knicks and Raptors battle it out

• The New York Knicks traveled to Toronto to face the Raptors in a gritty matchup Friday. The contest ended in favor of the Raptors by a score of 90-87 after Gary Trent drilled a clutch triple to seal the deal for Toronto. The Duke product finished with a game-high 24 points (9-16 FG, 5-7, 3Pt, 1-2 FT), three steals, one rebound and one assist across 39 minutes. It has been an awesome season for Trent as he ranks as the 24th overall nine-category fantasy asset on a per-game basis.
  • Scottie Barnes dropped in an impressive double-double with 12 points (6-12 FG, 0-1 3Pt), 15 rebounds, three assists, two steals and two blocks in 41 minutes. The rookie out of Florida State has been on fire as of late, ranking as the No. 10 nine-category fantasy option on a per-game basis over the past week.
• Julius Randle finished Friday's loss with 13 points (4-9 FG, 1-4 3Pt, 4-5 FT), 14 rebounds, five assists and one steal over 37 minutes during the loss. Randles' season-long averages of 19.1 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.3 assists are all down from last year's figures. The Knicks have dropped seven out of their past 10 contests and sit at a 12-15 record.

Best and Worst of the Weekend 

• Best of the Weekend: Kevin Durant -- 41.0 points, 7.5 assists, 6.0 rebounds, 2.5 blocks and 1.0 steals across 39.9 minutes per game.
• Worst of the Weekend: Devonte' Graham -- 8.5 points, 3.0 assists, 2.0 rebound and 0.5 steals across 28.5 minutes per game.
• Rookie of the Weekend: Cade Cunningham -- 21.0 points, 5.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 steals and 0.5 blocks across 33.4 minutes per game.

A Look Ahead to Monday Night 

• Will Stephen Curry finally break the three-point record when the Warriors matchup against the Pacers in Indiana?
• The Bucks and Celtics meet in Boston
• Chris Paul faces his former team when the Suns meet the Clippers.
• Can Nikola Jokic keep putting up absurd stat lines when the Wizards travel into Denver?