The game between the Kings and the Warriors saw a dramatic ending, with Domantas Sabonis sealing the win for Sacramento with his dunk in the final seconds. Jonathan Kuminga's back-to-back dunks had given the Warriors their first lead in the second half, but Barnes and Stephen Curry denied their attempts to close it out, leading to a turnover in the final second.
Barnes, who was coming off a 32-point display in their previous victory against the Atlanta Hawks, expressed his satisfaction with the win against his former team. He credited the team's ball movement for creating opportunities for him to shine. Sabonis also contributed significantly with his 26th consecutive double-double, scoring 18 points and distributing 13 assists. De'Aaron Fox added 29 points to enhance the Kings' offensive prowess.
On the other hand, the Warriors, who were mourning the loss of assistant coach Dejan Milojevic, fought hard with Curry leading the charge with 33 points.
In Los Angeles, LeBron James marked his 20th consecutive NBA All-Star selection with a stellar performance, contributing 25 points and 12 assists to guide the Lakers to a 141-132 victory over the Chicago Bulls. D'Angelo Russell excelled for the Lakers, scoring 29 points, including eight three-pointers, while seven other players also scored in double figures.
Meanwhile, the Indiana Pacers snapped the Philadelphia 76ers' six-game winning streak with a 134-122 victory. Pascal Siakam's triple-double stole the show, as he recorded 26 points, 13 rebounds, and 10 assists. The Boston Celtics marked their Eastern Conference final rematch against the Miami Heat with a dominant 143-110 win, and the New York Knicks displayed their strength by thumping the defending champions, the Denver Nuggets, with a commanding 122-84 victory.
In Brooklyn, the Minnesota Timberwolves narrowly edged past the Nets with a scoreline of 96-94. Karl-Anthony Towns led the Timberwolves with 27 points, while Anthony Edwards contributed 24 points. The game remained highly competitive, with the Nets closing the gap through an 8-0 run in the fourth quarter, but a crucial alley-oop dunk by Rudy Gobert secured the victory for the Timberwolves.
The game in Madison Square Garden saw the New York Knicks fend off a strong performance from Nikola Jokic, who scored 31 points and grabbed 11 rebounds for the Nuggets. OG Anunoby led the Knicks with 26 points and showcased his defensive skills with six steals.
Although Jokic experienced a brief injury scare after an incident involving Donte DiVincenzo's hand in his left eye, he returned to the game after a short break.
Overall, it was an eventful night in the NBA, with thrilling matchups and standout performances from several players.