Credit to the Jazz in the third quarter of Sunday night’s contest against the Raptors. In just those 12 minutes, Utah scored 49 points, while shooting 72 percent from the field and 80 percent from three. They also had 15 assists against zero turnovers, and grabbed 10 boards, including three on the offensive end. It was total domination, the kind of impressive basketball one would expect from a team many picked as favourites in the Western Conference.

Dwight Howard getting to observe what the game might need from him when it enters it has made him a better player. He seems to really be revelling in his new role for the Lakers. Howard was one of the biggest question marks on any NBA team’s roster. Since then, he’s proven himself to be a weapon not just on the court, but also a net positive off of it. One huge reason for his positive impact: His understanding and welcoming of the role Frank Vogel and the Lakers organization slotted him into.

LOS ANGELES — Kyle Kuzma left the floor during the fourth quarter as the Lakers were putting the finishing touches on a dominant win over the Washington Wizards, and after the game, head coach Frank Vogel said X-Rays on Kuzma’s left ankle were negative, and that Kuzma has a mild left ankle sprain and will be day-to-day moving forward.

Joel Embiid might have real estate in the heads of Karl-Anthony Towns, Andre Drummond and other bigs on insignificant teams, but after Toronto’s 101-96 win over Philly in what is to this point the game of the season, there’s little doubt that the entire Raptors franchise has a hold over the Sixers centre.

There are multiple components that make up a Thanksgiving meal: turkey, stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, pumpkin pie, cornbread and plenty more. Now, in order to enjoy that meal, all those foods have to be made to complete the table.

The Mavericks get an impressive road victory today in Houston, extending their win streak to five.

There are lots of things for the Los Angeles Lakers to be thankful for heading into Thanksgiving. The team is still mostly healthy, for one thing. They have the best record in the league (16-2) for another. Plus, both of their superstars — LeBron James and Anthony Davis — are also playing at an extremely high level, something surely just about everyone associated with the franchise is appreciative of.

The Raptors’ identity of late has been shaped around the idea they have a higher gear that lets them take over games in just a few minutes. This version of the team, post-championship and injury, can still get most of the way there. The belief is strong; it’s just a matter of ability. It’s how Toronto can get stuck in a battle with the struggling Hawks, fresh off a team meeting and unsure of themselves, who entered Saturday night’s game 4-11.