Steven Adams played almost as many games in the last seven days as all of New Zealand's overseas Tall Blacks combined, such is the frenetic nature of the NBA schedule.
Adams played four games in seven days, beginning with an exciting 100-99 victory at the LA Clippers. The lead changed hands five times in the final 60 seconds, while Adams snared 11 rebounds and scored six points in one of his more prominent displays of late.
OKC then demolished the Lakers 120-85, lost on Christmas Day 105-96 to the Chicago Bulls, before overcoming the Denver Nuggets 122-112 on Sunday.
There were only three games in the Australian NBL this week but two of them, both played on Sunday, featured Tall Blacks.
Dion Prewster had possibly his most productive game of the season for the Sydney Kings but they still went down, for the fourth time this season, to the Breakers. Prewster came off the bench to score six points, grab six rebounds and add three assists and two blocks.
Perth Wildcats and Melbourne United then faced off in front of a 10,000 sell out crowd at Hisense Arena. The game was played under clear blue skies as the retractable roof was opened for a basketball game at this level for the first time.
Jarrod Kenny was afforded only seven minutes in the sunshine and went scoreless as Melbourne broke a three game losing streak to win an exciting contest 92-87.
In the Spanish League, Isaac Fotu's return to his former club La Bruixa d'Or Manresa last Tuesday was something of a disaster. Not only was Zaragoza defeated 86-79 but Fotu was held to just a single shot at basket, departing the game with zero points and two rebounds.
On Sunday Zaragoza hosted bottom of the table Gipuzkoa and quickly established early dominance. Zaragoza led by six points at quarter-time and 45-28 at half-time before easing to a comfortable 80-59 victory.
Fotu didn't put up too many shots in that game, either, converting two-from-five from the field with a couple of free throws to finish with seven points, three rebounds an assist and a steal.
Plymouth Raiders picked up their fifth win in fifteen games in the British Basketball League on Sunday. Daryl Corletto's men defeated Surrey Scorchers 102-96 with Duane Bailey contributing eight points at an efficient four-of-five shooting clip. Bailey also chimed in with three rebounds an assist, a block and a steal.
In American college basketball, Tai Webster scored seven points and added a couple of rebounds and a steal as Nebraska Huskers lost 69-58 at home against Samford.
On the Tall Ferns side, it was hard to go past the performance of Josie Stockill when assessing the standout performance during the pre-Christmas week, although Jillian Harmon and Penina Davidson both produced career-high efforts.
Stockill stole the show as she led Colgate to a 72-59 road victory over Lafayette in the NCAA Patriot League opener, establishing numerous personal and college records in the process.
A week out from her 22nd birthday, Stockill finished with 27 points and 13 blocks, both career-bests. Her first two blocks were particularly special as it gave her Colgate's all-time leading blocks title with 182.
Her 13 blocks in the game were also significant as it broke the school's record for blocks in a single game, while she was just three shy of matching the NCAA's all-time record for blocks in a game.
In Italy, Harmon fashioned a performance to rival Stockill's as Le Mura Lucca returned to winning ways with a comprehensive 72-51 victory at home against San Giovanni on Tuesday. A week after suffering their first loss of the season, Harmon powered Lucca to victory, scoring a career-high 33 points and adding five rebounds and a eight steals.
If Harmon and Stockill produced the individual highlights, Penina Davidson was involved in the game of the week.
Playing a non-conference game against Pac-12 foe, the No21-ranked Cal Berkley Golden Bears came through when it mattered most, outlasting the No19-ranked UCLA Bruins to earn a heart-stopping 108-104 win. The Bears scored five points in the final 30 seconds of the second overtime period to secure the win.
Davidson scored a career high-tying 15 points off the bench. The Tall Ferns centre tied the game inside the last 60 seconds of the first overtime period but fouled out on the next play.
