NBA Fast Break Classic | Run 5 | Day 8
Rockets Shock Denver, Celtics Steady, and the West Goes Full Chaos
NBA Recap: December 20, 2025
The Rockets marched into Denver and delivered a statement 115–101 win that was built on pace, pressure, and a level of shot‑making that made the Nuggets look a step slow all night. Boston, meanwhile, handled Toronto 112–96, a wire‑to‑wire performance that felt like the Celtics collectively deciding they were done with moral victories and ready to reassert order while aiming to chip away at Detroit’s lead in the East. Washington added to the night’s unpredictability by taking down Memphis 130–122, a game where the Wizards’ energy finally matched their ambition while earning their fifth win of the season that left the Grizzlies searching for answers.
The middle of the slate delivered its own brand of December weirdness. Golden State edged Phoenix 119–116, a game that swung between “vintage Warriors” and “what exactly are we watching” before Steph and company closed it out. Orlando and Utah delivered the night’s only dose of bonus basketball, with the Magic escaping 128–127 in overtime — a one‑point thriller that showcased both their young core’s composure and Utah’s refusal to fold. New Orleans kept things loud with a 128–109 win over Indiana, while Detroit rolled Charlotte 112–86, turning the second half into a defensive clinic.
The West Coast window wrapped things with pure late‑night chaos. Portland clipped Sacramento 98–93, a grind‑fest that felt like someone swapped both teams’ sliders to “defense only.” And the Clippers closed the night by beating the Lakers 103–88, a result that will absolutely fuel a lot of chatter considering Luka’s injury which kept him out of the second half of the game. With Austin Reaves, Deandre Ayton, and Rui Hachimura already sidelined, any extended absence will be a big blow to the Lakers’ title aspirations.
Fast Break Recap: Day 7
As expected, yesterday’s Fast Break day was the toughest of this run and none of the three iterations cleared the 50% win rate. Unsurprisingly, Historic had the best outcome of the three as 49% walked away victorious compared to 31% in Classic and 24% in Pro.
Luka Doncic, the most utilized player yesterday, exited the game early after sustaining a leg contusion after only scoring 12 points. In many lineups, he was the captain, but brought his total to 18 on the night. Not a great start when an average of 26 points was needed. As such, he is your Fast Break Dud of the Day.
On the other hand, Tyrese Maxey contributed in a major way as the second most utilized player who scored 38 points and helped Philly beat the surging Mavericks at home. With his performance, he earned the Fast Break Stud of the Day award.
Today’s Fast Break Objective(s): Day 8 of 13
Objective(s): 30 Assists & 5 Steals (6.0 AST & 1.0 STL)
You’ll need five (5) players who will accumulate 30 or more assists and 5 or more steals, which means each player will need to average 6.0 AST & 1.0 STL. The steals threshold is achievable, but the assists will dictate whether you win the day or not. Your captain, if he delivers in both categories, can be the difference maker in pushing you across the line.
Top Player Options:
Little of Both: Kevin Porter, Russell Westbrook, Josh Giddey
Distributors: Trae Young, Jalen Brunson, Josh Giddey, Kevin Porter, Russell Westbrook
Pro Thieves: Dyson Daniels, Russell Westbrook, OG Anunoby, Ryan Rollins, De'Aaron Fox, Scottie Barnes, Dru Smith, Jalen Johnson, Kevin Porter, Josh Hart, Reed Sheppard
Top Five (5) Players in Classic Lineups: R. Westbrook (81%) | K. Porter Jr. (66%) | A. Sengun (50%) | D. Mitchell (46%) | J. Giddey (40%)
Upcoming Fast Break Objectives:
Tomorrow’s Objective(s): 40 Rebounds & 4 Blocks (8.0 REB & 0.4 BLK)
Objectives Remaining (after today): BLK, AST-TO, FGM, FGA, REB, 3PM, 3PA, PTS
Considerations:
Five (5) teams have the least games remaining (2)
Fifteen (15) teams have have the most games remaining (4)
Day 10 has the most games in action for the remainder of this run
Day 11 has the always interesting AST-TO objective
There are no games scheduled on December 24th
Statistical Approach:
Top players in assists & steals 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: 4, 7, & 11 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
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Projected Steals
Projected AST & STL
NBA Fast Break Grid
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