NBA Fast Break Classic | Run 7 | Day 6
Cavs Win Another Tight One, Pacers Surge, Kings Celebrate Sabonis’ Return
NBA Recap: January 16, 2026
Cleveland opened with a 117–115 win in Philadelphia, outscoring the 76ers by nine points in the fourth quarter and stealing another one late behind composed fourth‑quarter execution and a final defensive stand that sealed it. The Cavs have made a habit of winning these possession‑by‑possession grinders, and this one fit the pattern perfectly.
Indiana followed with a strong 127–119 win over New Orleans, controlling the pace and leaning on steady scoring bursts to keep the Pelicans chasing. Every time New Orleans made a push, the Pacers answered with another run, turning the second half into a confident home performance.
Toronto and the Clippers delivered one of the night’s most dramatic finishes where L.A. overcame an 11-point deficit in the fourth quarter to escape with a 121-117 win in overtime. The Raptors led for long stretches, but the Clippers’ balance and late‑game push proved decisive. Brooklyn protected home court with a 112–109 win over Chicago, a grind‑heavy matchup where the Nets’ fourth‑quarter defense held firm. The Bulls stormed back with a fourteen point differential in the fourth quarter, but Brooklyn’s composure in the final possessions carried them across the line to a three point win.
Houston delivered one of the night’s clearest statements as they turned a one-point deficit going into the fourth quarter into a 110-105 win in Minnesota. Julius Randle scored 39 points for the Timberwolves, but his performance was matched by Kevin Durant’s 39 points and the Rockets secured a big win against a Western Conference contender.
Sacramento closed the slate with a 128–115 win over Washington — a night made bigger by Domantas Sabonis’ return from a lengthy injury. His presence immediately steadied the Kings’ offense and energized the building, and Sacramento responded with one of its cleanest performances of the month (albeit against a lesser opponent). The Kings dictated tempo, spaced the floor, and never let the Wizards settle. Although they are 18 games under .500, Sabonis’s return could be the catalyst to turning their season around.
Fast Break Recap: Day 5
Day 5 saw success in both the Classic and Historic modes, but Pro had a slightly lower than 50% win rate.
Trey Murphy was utilized in 55% of lineups (3rd highest) and had the highest success out of the top five as he made 5 of 14 from outside. His performance earned him the Fast Break Stud of the Day. Donte DiVicenzo, on the other hand, had the worst performance on the day as he was only 2 of 7 from outside. His lackluster performance earned him the Fast Break Dud of the Day award.
Today’s Fast Break Objective(s): Day 6 of 11
Objective(s): 25 Assists minus Turnovers (5.0 AST-TO)
You’ll need five (5) players who will distribute 25.0 or more assists than turnovers, which means each player needs to average 5.0 AST-TO. This consistently is a wild card as you won’t know whether you win or lose until your last player completes their game. It can also mean that you could be winning one moment, but not thereafter. Of course, assists are needed to even be in the running.
Top Player Options:
Distributes the Ball, Protects the Ball: Jamal Murray, Cade Cunningham, Andrew Nembhard
Top Five (5) Players in Classic Lineups: L. Ball (67%) | L. James (49%) | A. Nembhard (48%) | J. Murray (46%) | C. Cunningham (46%)
Upcoming Fast Break Objectives:
Tomorrow’s Objective(s): 130 Points Scored (26.0 PTS)
Objectives Remaining (after today): PTS, REB, BLK, AST, STL, FGM, FGA, PITP, OREB
Considerations:
Five (5) teams have the least number of games remaining (2)
Seven (7) teams have the most number of games this run (4)
The always dreaded AST-TO is on Day 6 (today)
Three of the remaining six days have two distinct objectives
Charlotte, Denver, LA Lakers, & Portland are playing the tail end of a back-to-back tomorrow
Every day this run has at least 12 teams in action, but none have more than 18
Statistical Approach:
Top players in assists minus turnovers according to Rotowire & NBA.com, which is available in the table(s) below. Overall rank is based on daily projections, last 10 average, and season averages, which is stack ranked amongst peers for each objective. When there is a single objective, the three data points are still used to stack rank the players vs. ranking solely on projections. For tome+ members, all active player stats are available in the provided data file. Omission of certain players would be based on injuries at the time of data pull.
NBA Fast Break Classic Rewards:
Daily: Top 100 | Milestone: 3, 6, & 9 Wins | Run: Top 250
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Top Player Options for Fast Break:
The top players for today’s Fast Break objective(s). Source: nbatopshot.com, nba.com, & tomecollective.com, 2025.
Projected Assists minus Turnovers
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NBA Fast Break Grid
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