The Five: Everything to know for Week 10

Kevin Durant set to enter Top 15 in scoring, a trio of streaking teams in the East, NBA on Christmas trivia and more.

Brian Martin, for NBA.com

December 19, 2022 6:14 PM

The Knicks are on the hottest streak in the league having won 7 straight.

Every Monday we will tell you what you need to know heading into a new week of NBA action.

1. Milestone Watch: Durant set to enter Top 15 all-time in scoring

Kevin Durant finished with 43 points in Brooklyn’s 124-121 win over Detroit on Sunday – including a career-best 26 points in the third quarter alone – to put him just 60 points shy of passing Tim Duncan (26,493 points) for 15^th place on the NBA’s all-time scoring list.

The Nets play just two games this week – Wednesday vs. Golden State and Friday vs. Milwaukee – with both at home and both on NBA TV. If Durant can hit his season average (30.4 ppg), he will pass Duncan on Friday to climb another rung up the career scoring ladder.

Durant enters Week 10 ranked fifth in scoring at 30.4 points per game (one of seven players averaging at least 30 ppg this deep into the season), which puts him on pace to climb into the Top 10 before the end of the regular season.

Durant’s chase to the Top 10

Kevin Durant: 26,437 points
Tim Duncan: 26,496 (points needed: 60; projected games: 2)
Dominique Wilkins: 26,668 (points needed: 232; projected games: 8)
Oscar Robertson: 26,710 (points needed: 274; projected games: 9)
Hakeem Olajuwon: 26,946 (points needed: 510; projected games: 17)
Elvin Hayes: 27,313 (points needed: 877; projected games: 29)
Moses Malone: 27,409 (points needed: 973; projected games: 32)

When Durant does enter the Top 15, he will join seven other players that rank in the Top 15 in both total career points and career scoring average. The others are: LeBron James (2^nd total, 5^th average), Karl Malone (3^rd total, 11^th average), Kobe Bryant (4^th total, 12^th average), Michael Jordan (5^th overall, 1^st average), Wilt Chamberlain (7^th total, 2^nd average), Oscar Robertson (13^th total, 10^th average) and Dominique Wilkins (14^th in both total and average).

Durant holds the fourth-highest scoring average in league history at 27.3 points per game, trailing only Michael Jordan (30.1), Wilt Chamberlain (30.1) and Elgin Baylor (27.4). While Jordan and Wilt may be out of reach, Durant does have a chance to pass Baylor if he can continue to score at this rate.

2. The Heat Check: Hottest teams are in the Eastern Conference

Entering Week 10 there are zero Western Conference teams that have won more than two straight games. Meanwhile, there are three teams in the East that have won at least six games in a row and are looking to extend those streaks heading into Christmas week.

New York Knicks: 7 consecutive wins

The Streak: Dec. 4 vs. Cavs (91-81)., Dec. 7 vs. Hawks (113-89), Dec. 9 at Hornets (121-102), Dec. 11 vs. Kings (112-99), Dec. 14 at Bulls (128-120, OT), Dec. 16 at Bulls (114-91), Dec. 18 at Pacers (109-106)
This Week: Tuesday vs. Warriors (TNT), Wednesday vs. Raptors (League Pass), Friday vs. Bulls (League Pass), Sunday vs. Sixers (ABC/ESPN)
Summary: The Knicks’ win streak has seen a balanced attack from its top three scorers, with Julius Randle (26.7), RJ Barrett (22.3) and Jalen Brunson (20.3) all over 20 points per game. But the biggest key has been their defense as the Knicks are allowing a league-low 98.3 ppg during the streak (five points per game fewer than any other team). Teams are shooting 43% overall (third-lowest) and 6% from 3-point range (lowest) against New York, which has won its games by an average of 14.4 points.

Brooklyn Nets: 6 consecutive wins

The Streak: Dec. 7 vs. Hornets (122-116), Dec. 9 vs. Hawks (120-116), Dec. 10 at Pacers (136-133), Dec. 12 at Wizards (112-110), Dec. 16 at Raptors (119-116), Dec. 18 at Pistons (124-121)
This Week: Wednesday vs. Warriors (NBA TV), Friday vs. Bucks (NBA TV)
Summary: Only one of Brooklyn’s six wins during this streak has been by more than six points as the Nets have found ways to win close games. They are now 4-1 on the season in games decided by three points or less, tied with the Clippers for the best mark in the league in such games. Durant (32.8 ppg) and Kyrie Irving (32.0) have combined to average nearly 65 points while appearing in five of the six games during the streak. Overall, Brooklyn has won nine of its last 10 games to hold fourth place in the East.

Orlando Magic: 6 consecutive wins

The Streak: Dec. 7 vs. Clippers (116-111, OT), Dec. 9 vs. Raptors (113-109), Dec. 11 vs. Raptors (111-99), Dec. 14 vs. Hawks (135-124), Dec. 16 at Celtics (117-109), Dec. 18 at Boston (95-92)
This Week: Monday at Hawks (League Pass), Wednesday at Houston (League Pass), Friday vs. Spurs (League Pass)
Summary: The Magic entered the 2022-23 season with the fourth-youngest roster in the league (average age of 23.94). Their young players have carried them during this streak, led by Paolo Banchero, this year’s top overall pick who just turned 20 last month. Banchero is averaging a team-best 22.8 points during the streak, followed by 21.2 points from Franz Wagner, who is last year’s lottery pick. Five of the six wins during Orlando’s streak have come against teams that made the playoffs last season, including back-to-back wins over the defending Eastern Conference champion Celtics. During the streak, the Magic have allowed 107.3 points (sixth-fewest) and the second-lowest shooting percentage from both the field (41.7%) and from 3-point range (28.8%).

Despite having the fourth-youngest roster in the league, the Magic are streaking, led by their No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero.

3. All-Star voting opens on Tuesday

It’s time to let your voice be heard and vote for the 2023 NBA All-Star Game starters as the four-week voting period opens on Tuesday, Dec. 20 at 11 a.m. ET and closes Saturday, Jan. 21 at 11:59 p.m. ET. The 72^nd NBA All-Star Game will be played on Sunday, Feb. 19 in Salt Lake City, which hosts the midseason celebration of the game for the first time in 30 years.

Fans can submit one ballot per day, comprised of three frontcourt players and two backcourt players for each conference, with all NBA players available for selection. Fans will account for 50% of the vote with the current players (25%) and a media panel (25%) making up the other half of the voting block.

Make sure not to miss the six “3-for-1 Days” where each vote will be counted three times. The first 3-for-1 Day will be Christmas Day (Dec. 25 from 12:01 a.m. ET to 11:59 p.m. ET), followed by Jan. 1, Jan. 6, Jan. 13, Jan. 16, and Jan. 20, with all days following the same times as Christmas Day.

The All-Star Game starters, including the two team captains, will be announced on TNT on Thursday, Jan. 26. Will LeBron James continue his streak of being named a captain during each season of this format, which began in 2018? Team LeBron has posted a perfect 5-0 record at the All-Star Game under this format.

4. National TV spotlight and League Pass games to watch

This season marks the 75^th edition of the NBA on Christmas Day and the 15th straight season that will feature a five-game slate to celebrate the holiday. We’ll break down each of those matchups in tomorrow’s Christmas Day Viewer’s Guide. But as we count down the days to the Christmas Day showcase, here are three nationally televised games not to miss.

Tuesday: Memphis at Denver, 10 p.m. ET, TNT

On Sunday, Nikola Jokic put together a performance for the ages as he finished with 40 points, 27 rebounds and 10 assists in Denver’s win over Charlotte, posting the type of numbers not seen since Wilt Chamberlain and Elgin Baylor. How will he follow up that masterpiece when the third-place Nuggets host Ja Morant and the West-leading Grizzlies?

Wednesday: Golden State at Brooklyn, 7:30 p.m. ET, NBA TV

We already discussed Durant’s potential to climb up the all-time scoring list this week and he begins that pursuit by facing his former team as the Warriors close out their six-game road trip in Brooklyn before heading home for a Christmas Day matchup with Memphis. The Warriors will be without Stephen Curry, who is out indefinitely with a shoulder injury that will not require surgery.

Friday: Memphis at Phoenix, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN

This is the first meeting of the season between the Suns and Grizzlies, who finished with the top two records in the league a season ago before both were ousted in the conference semifinals. Entering Week 10, the Grizzles hold the top record in the West at 19-10, while the Suns are 1.5 games back as they hold fourth place at 18-12. Devin Booker is coming off a 58-point performance to lead the Suns to a comeback win over the Pelicans on Saturday after being held below 20 points for four consecutive games for the first time since 2019.

League Pass

Monday: Milwaukee at New Orleans, 8 p.m. ET, League Pass

Giannis Antetokounmpo vs. Zion Williamson. It is a matchup of two of the most athletically unique and gifted players in the league. This will be their fourth head-to-head meeting with Giannis holding a 2-1 edge in wins while averaging 36.7 points, 12.7 rebounds and 5.0 assists. Zion has averaged 25 points, eight rebounds and six assists in three games against Giannis and the Bucks.

Giannis and the Bucks have a challenging week ahead on NBA League Pass.

Wednesday: Milwaukee at Cleveland, 7 p.m. ET, League Pass

The Bucks have taken over first place in the Eastern Conference as the Celtics have stumbled of late (going 1-4 in their last five games after a 21-5 start). Following their matchup with the Pelicans, the Bucks will visit the third-place Cavs in the second game of a five-game road trip. Milwaukee is 7-5 on the road entering Week 10, while the Cavs are a league-best 14-2 at home.

Friday: Portland at Denver, 9 p.m. ET, League Pass

When these two teams last met on Dec. 8, they delivered a classic with the lead changing hands five times in the final minute. Just when it looked like Damian Lillard had hit his latest game-winning 3-pointer (complete with the Dame Time celebration afterward) with 8.8 seconds remaining to put the Blazers up by two, Jamal Murray answered with a three of his own with less than a second remaining to help the Nuggets escape Portland with a one-point win. What will these two have in store for the rematch in Denver?

5. NBA Trivia: Christmas Day edition

Go into this year’s holiday with some added NBA on Christmas Day knowledge by answering the following questions.

1. Which player holds the record for the highest-scoring Christmas Day game with 60 points?

A. Wilt Chamberlain

B. Michael Jordan

C. Bernard King

D. Tracy McGrady

2. Which team holds the record for the most Christmas Day wins in NBA history with 24?

A. New York Knicks

B. Los Angeles Lakers

C. Chicago Bulls

D. Boston Celtics