Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love are defying the naysayers who hint the two can't play alongside one another.
Love had 30 points and 15 rebounds, and Irving contributed 32 points, 12 assists and five rebounds in the Cavaliers' 124-118 victory over the Celtics on Thursday. It was the first time the pair had scored 30 points in the same game as teammates.
Not to be outdone, LeBron James finished two rebounds shy of a triple-double by pouring in 23 points with 11 assists and eight rebounds.
MORE: James says his game, MJ's 'completely different'
Despite the enthralling performances by Cleveland's "Big Three," Boston nearly pulled off an epic comeback. The Celtics trailed by 18 points entering the fourth quarter, but they cut the deficit to a point four times in the final two minutes.
Isaiah Thomas led Boston with 31 points on just 13 shot attempts. He also had nine assists and two steals. Avery Bradley added 23 points.
This game could have been a preview of the Eastern Conference finals. The Celtics, however, will need to get more out of Al Horford — six points Thursday night — if they are going to reach that point.
Studs of the Night
The Jazz trio of Gordon Hayward, George Hill and Rodney Hood combined for 61 points in their team's 100-83 victory over the 76ers. Hill, who had not played since Nov. 29 because of a toe injury, led the way with 21 points in his return.
Hayward and Hood scored 20 points apiece. Utah remains one of the sleeper teams in the Western Conference despite getting crushed by the Warriors last week.
Dud of the Night
Thunder superstar Russell Westbrook had no assists and six turnovers before being ejected from OKC's 114-80 loss to Memphis. He became the only player over the last 25 years (regular season) to be ejected while finishing with no assists and more than five turnovers. He finished the game with 21 points in 23 minutes.
MORE: Westbrook rips refs, says they treat him differently
Highlight
Pay attention to the dismount; Marvin Williams goes for style:
Throw it down, Marvin! #BuzzCity #NBAVine https://t.co/tTRkW78XsH
— NBA (@NBA) December 30, 2016
Williams scored 13 points for the Hornets in their 91-82 win over the Heat. Teammate Nicolas Batum had 16 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists.
What's next
Trail Blazers (14-20) at Spurs (26-6) 8:30 p.m. ET — Losers in 10 of their last 12 games, the Trail Blazers need to get back on track in a hurry. The backcourt duo of Damian Lillard and C.J. McCollum has been dynamic, but the bench hasn't been able to provide much support. Kawhi Leonard and the Spurs will provide a tough test.