Around the Association: Embiid Shines, Morant and PG Return, Steph Comes Home

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 six-game slate -- here is all you need to know:

Nightly Notables

Embiid comes up clutch in Boston

• The 76ers traveled to Boston on a three-game losing streak, but were able to leave Monday with a 108-103 win. Joel Embiid was unstoppable in the win, dropping 41 points (14-27 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 12-14 FT), 10 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and two steals over 40 minutes of action. The All-Star center drilled some clutch shots down the stretch and now has three 40-point outings in his last 11 appearances.
  • Tobias Harris has been off to a slower start this season as he ranks as just the 100th overall nine-category option over the past month. However, the veteran showing showed out with 25 points (7-13 FG, 3-3 3Pt. 8-10 FT), seven rebounds, three assists and one steal over 41 minutes in the 76ers' win.
  • Seth Curry: 26 points (10-14 FG. 3-3 3Pt, 3-3 FT), seven assists, four rebounds and one steal over 39 minutes of action.
• Despite falling short to Philly, Jaylen Brown had his best outing since coming back from his hamstring injury. The All-Star guard ended with 30 points (9-11 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 9-10 FT), five rebounds, four assists and two steals across 34 minutes. Brown is averaging 23.0 points, 5.5 rebounds and 4.0 assists in 32.3 minutes per game in his first four games since returning to the court.
  • Enes Freedom slid into the starting lineup with Robert Williams (personal) not suited up. The big ended with his second double-double of the year, posting 15 points (7-10 FG, 0-1 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 11 rebounds and one steal over 40 minutes of play.
  • Jayson Tatum: 17 points (5-14 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 7-9 FT), nine rebounds, six assists, two steals and two blocks across 34 minutes.

Thunder spoil Morant's return

• Ja Morant returned to the Grizzlies' lineup after missing the team's last 12 contests and it looked like the team was well on their way to yet another win. However, the pesky Thunder stormed back and ended up winning 102-99 in Memphis. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander carried the load for Oklahoma City with 23 points (8-19 FG, 0-5 3Pt, 2-6 FT), five rebounds, four assists and three steals across 36 minutes. SGA ranks as the 38th overall nine-category fantasy option on a per-game basis over the past month.
  • Josh Giddey is starting to figure it out, which should be quite scary for the rest of the league. The rookie posted 19 points (7-16 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 2-6 FT), five rebounds, a career-high 11 assists and one steal across 30 minutes. Giddey is averaging 12.4 points, 9.2 rebounds and 7.8 assists over his past five showings.
• Morant mostly played well in his first game back in action. The electrifying guard finished with 16 points (6-12 FG, 1-1 3Pt, 3-5 FT), six rebounds, eight assists, one block and two steals over 28 minutes. Before falling to injury, Morant ranked as the 31st overall nine-category fantasy option on a per-game basis.
  • Dillon Brooks snapped a five game streak of scoring 20 or more points with 19 points (9-23 FG, 1-7 3Pt, 0-1 FT), two rebounds, two assists and one steal over 34 minutes. It wasn't the worst performance from the wing, but it will be interesting to see how his role changes with Morant back on the court
  • Desmond Bane: 25 points (10-20 FG. 5-9 3Pt), seven rebounds, two assists and one steal over 36 minutes.

Paul George impresses in return, Clips still fall

• After missing the last Clippers' last five games, Paul George made his return to the lineup. Despite getting their All-Star back, the Clippers ended up falling 116-92 to the Spurs.
• Dejounte Murray continues to amaze for San Antonio as he posted his third triple-double in his last five outings with 24 points (10-22 FG, 4-6 3Pt), 12 rebounds, 13 assists and four steals across 31 minutes. Murray currently ranks as the 14th overall nine-category fantasy asset on a per-game basis.
  • Jakob Poeltl stuffed the stat sheet with 17 points (8-13 FG, 1-3 FT), 11 rebounds, five assists, three steals and two blocks while fouling out in 29 minutes of action. This was one of the big's better outings of the season, but his 36.4 percent free-throw shooting percentage continues to damage fantasy lineups.
• Paul George looked fresh in his first game back and finished with a smooth 25 points (8-18 FG, 3-9 3Pt, 6-7 FT), six rebounds, six assists and three steals over 30 minutes of play. The All-Star guard's 25.0 points per game average would be the second-highest season average in his entire career.
  • Ivica Zubac: 12 points (5-9 FG, 2-4 FT), 12 rebounds, one assist and three blocks across 27 minutes.

Steph and Draymond do their thing in win over Kings

• Stephen Curry made his first appearance at home as the NBA's all-time leader in three-pointers made and put on a show to lead the Warriors to a 113-98 win over the Kings. The sharpshooter dropped 30 points (13-27 FG, 4-12 3Pt, 0-1 FT), three rebounds, four assists and two blocks over 36 minutes, This marked his second-straight 30-point outing.
  • Draymond Green: 16 points (7-11 FG, 1-2 3Pt, 1-2 FT), 11 rebounds, 10 assists, two blocks and two steals in 33 minutes.
• Tyrese Haliburton continues to take advantage of De'Aaron Fox being sidelined with COVID-19. The efficient guard finished Monday's loss to Golden State with 24 points (8-18 FG, 2-4 3Pt, 6-7 FT), four rebounds, 11 assists and three steals across 41 minutes.
  • Haliburton has averaged 24.0 points, 10.7 assists, 4.7 rebounds and 1.7 steals over the three contests that Fox has missed and has posted a double-double in all three games.
  • Buddy Hield: 18 points (6-15 FG, 6-13 3Pt), five rebounds, two assists and four steals over 40 minutes.

Best and Worst of the Night 

• Best of the Night: Joel Embiid - 41 points (14-27 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 12-14 FT), 10 rebounds, five assists, four blocks and two steals over 40 minutes of action.
• Worst of the Night: Kelly Oubre - five points (2-9 FG, 1-6 3Pt), three rebounds, three steals and one assist.
• Rookie of the Night: Josh Giddey - 19 points (7-16 FG, 3-8 3Pt, 2-6 FT), five rebounds, a career-high 11 assists and one steal across 30 minutes

Quick Hitters

• The Chicago Bulls handled the Houston Rockets 133-118 as DeMar DeRozan led the way with 26 points (11-18 FG, 4-4 FT), six assists and three rebounds in 32 minutes. The first-year Bull is averaging 30.0 points per game over his last six appearances.
  • Lonzo Ball absolutely balled out on both sides of the floor during the win, finishing with 19 points (6-12 FG. 4-9 3Pt, 3-3 FT), eight assists, five rebounds, five steals and one block over 34 minutes. The guard was carving up a weak Rockets' defense and even looked like the best quarterback playing in Chicago last night.

• Coby White: Season-high 24 points (7-15 FG. 5-9 3Pt, 5-5 FT), five rebounds and two assists over 31 minutes.
• Christian Wood was pretty much the Rockets' only source of offense in the loss. The forward posted yet another double-double with 23 points (8-14 FG, 1-3 3Pt, 6-9 FT), 11 rebounds and one assist over 29 minutes. Wood ranks as just the 135th overall nine-category fantasy player on a per-game basis this year.
• The Utah Jazz snapped their two-game losing streak with a 112-102 win over the Charlotte Hornets. Rudy Gobert controlled the interior with 23 points (4-10 FG, 15-16 FT), 21 rebounds, two assists, one block and one steal over 36 minutes. This marked the three-time defensive player of the year's sixth 20-rebound game of the year.
  • Donovan Mitchell: 21 points (7-20 FG, 2-10 3Pt, 5-8 FT), six rebounds and six assists in 34 minutes.
• LaMelo Ball impressed despite falling to Utah and dropped his first double-double since coming back. The dynamic second-year guard totaled 21 points (8-20 FG, 3-7 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, 11 assists and one block across 33 minutes.
  • Miles Bridges had a double-double of his own with  21 points (8-20 FG, 2-9 3Pt, 3-3 FT), 11 rebounds, four assists and one steal in 37 minutes.

 The COVID Corner 

• Welcome to a new addition to Around the Association. I really did not want it to get to this point, but with all the new players being placed into health and safety protocols each day, I think it is important to highlight who will be sidelined and what the fantasy implications will be.
• Jarred Vanderbilt and Patrick Beverley, Timberwolves
  • The Timberwolves had two key players enter protocols Monday. I would expect Jaylen Nowell to benefit from Beverley being out of the lineup. The 22-year-old guard actually has had a recent stretch of solid performances, averaging 15.0 points, 3.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game over his last two appearances. Jaden McDaniels should slide into the starting lineup in place of Vanderbilt. The forward began the year starting for the Timberwolves but failed to impress so I would not expect too much out of McDaniels even with Vanderbilt sidelined.
• Gary Trent, Raptors
  • This was the best player to be placed into protocols Monday. The 22-year-old had been averaging a career-best 16.8 points on 14.4 field goal attempts per game this season, but he will now join Pascal Siakam and Dalano Banton in protocols. Trent missed back-to-back games earlier this season and Svi Mykhailiuk slid into his role in the starting lineup. The Kansas product averaged 9.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.0 assists per game during those two outings and presents himself as nothing more than a high-risk, high-reward DFS play.
  • Editor's note: The Raptors also played Malachi Flynn and Fred VanVleet in protocols Tuesday morning
• Maxi Kleber, Mavericks
  • Kleber became the NBA's 100th player to be placed into protocols over the month of December. Not exactly the numbers that you want to hear. Kleber's absence does make room for more usage for the likes of Dorian Finney-Smith and Dwight Powell.

A Look Ahead to Tuesday Night 

• The self-destructing Indiana Pacers look to get a road win over a shorthanded Miami Heat squad.
• Can Damian Lillard keep up his recent hot stretch and lead the Trail Blazers over the Pelicans on the road?
• The Timberwolves look to win their fifth straight contest when they travel to Dallas to face Luka Doncic and the Mavericks.
• Veteran All-Stars and best friends, LeBron James and Chris Paul, meet for their respective teams when Phoenix travels to LA to match up against the Lakers.