Man, Wednesday nights in the NBA just hit different, don't they? If you went to bed early, you missed a bizarre mix of historic bench scoring, a heartbreaker in Chicago, and the Denver Nuggets continuing to look like a well-oiled machine. Honestly, the league is in such a weird place right now with the standings, and last night's results only made things messier.
If you’re just waking up and asking yourself what are the nba scores from last night, I’ve got you covered. We had a seven-game slate that featured everything from a 43-point explosion by a bench player to some serious injury scares for top rookies.
The Headliners: Nuggets Roll and Bulls Survive a Scare
The biggest story for a lot of people was the Denver Nuggets heading into Dallas and walking away with a 118-109 win. Jamal Murray was absolutely locked in, dropping 33 points. But the real talk of the game—and something that's gonna have Mavs fans sweating—was Cooper Flagg leaving the game early with a sprained ankle. It’s one of those "hold your breath" moments for the league.
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Down in Chicago, things got even weirder. The Bulls beat the Utah Jazz 128-126, but the score doesn't tell half the story.
Brice Sensabaugh. Remember that name from last night.
He came off the bench and put up 21 points in the first quarter alone. According to the stats guys over at Stathead, that’s the most a bench player has scored in a single first quarter since the mid-90s. He finished with 43. Utah still lost because, well, they can't stop a nosebleed right now, but man, what a performance.
All NBA Scores From Last Night (Wednesday, Jan 14, 2026)
Here is the quick rundown of how everything shook out across the league:
- Cleveland Cavaliers 133, Philadelphia 76ers 107: This wasn't even close. The Cavs just ran them out of the gym.
- Toronto Raptors 115, Indiana Pacers 101: Toronto is looking solid, and the Pacers are clearly feeling the absence of Tyrese Haliburton.
- New Orleans Pelicans 116, Brooklyn Nets 113: A gritty win for New Orleans at the Smoothie King Center.
- Chicago Bulls 128, Utah Jazz 126: The Sensabaugh show wasn't enough to overcome Nikola Vucevic and the Bulls.
- Denver Nuggets 118, Dallas Mavericks 109: Jamal Murray takes over; Cooper Flagg gets bit by the injury bug.
- Sacramento Kings 112, New York Knicks 101: Sacramento looks like they’re finally finding some rhythm.
- LA Clippers 119, Washington Wizards 105: James Harden did James Harden things at the Intuit Dome.
Why These Scores Actually Matter for the Standings
Look, it's mid-January. This is usually when teams start to "tread water," but the Eastern Conference is a total mess right now. The Detroit Pistons (yeah, you read that right) are still sitting at the top with a 28-10 record, but Cleveland's blowout win over Philly last night shows that the middle of the pack is dangerous.
Philly fans are probably panicked. They’re 22-17 now and looked completely outclassed by a Cleveland team that didn't even seem to be sweating.
Over in the West, the Thunder are still the kings of the hill (34-7), but Denver is lurking. By beating Dallas, the Nuggets moved to 27-13. They’re tied with the Spurs for that second spot, and honestly, with Jokic playing the way he is, nobody wants to see them in a seven-game series.
The Clippers also kept their win streak alive, moving to 16-23. They’ve won three in a row now. It's a small step, but for a team that’s been struggling to stay above water, it’s everything.
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The "I Can't Believe That Happened" Moment
I have to go back to that Bulls-Jazz game. It was "drunk basketball" at its finest.
The Bulls shot 72.7% in the first quarter. That’s not a typo. They were basically playing a layup line against Kyle Filipowski and the Jazz interior defense. But because Sensabaugh was hitting every contested jumper he threw up, the Jazz actually led after the first quarter (39-36).
It’s one of those games that makes you love the regular season. No defense, just pure "hoopers hooping," as the kids say.
What You Should Watch For Next
If you’re following these nba scores from last night to help with your fantasy team or just to stay informed, the big thing to track today is the injury report for Cooper Flagg. If he’s out for an extended period, the Mavs (15-25) are in serious trouble in a West that doesn't give you any room to breathe.
Also, keep an eye on the Knicks. Losing to Sacramento isn't a disaster, but they looked sluggish. They’re 25-15 now and starting to lose touch with the Pistons at the top of the East.
Actionable Insights for the Week:
- Buy low on Jazz players if you're in a fantasy league; their defense is bad, which means their games are always high-scoring shootouts.
- Monitor the Haliburton recovery. Indiana is 9-32 and sinking fast; if they don't get him back soon, they might start looking at the draft lottery.
- Check the waiver wire for Brice Sensabaugh. If he’s getting this much usage off the bench, he’s a must-add in most formats.
The NBA moves fast. By the time you finish your coffee, there will be more trade rumors and injury updates, but for now, those are the numbers that matter. Denver is surging, Cleveland is dominant, and Brice Sensabaugh is apparently the new Microwave.
Check back tomorrow for the next round of results.